{"id":886,"date":"2018-01-16T20:06:37","date_gmt":"2018-01-17T03:06:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/yycmontessori.ca\/?p=886"},"modified":"2018-01-16T20:06:37","modified_gmt":"2018-01-17T03:06:37","slug":"sensorial-sounds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yycmontessori.ca\/sensorial-sounds\/","title":{"rendered":"Sensorial Sounds"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/a>The sensorial curriculum is one of the brilliant foundations of Montessori education. The materials that Dr. Montessori created are elegant in isolating each of the senses, and the Bells are among the most beautiful and fascinating of the sensorial materials.<\/p>\n Even if you have no experience with the Bells, or they were not included in your training, you can teach yourself. You already know how to give lessons. If you can present the Sound Cylinders, you can learn to give the lessons for the Bells. And if there are no Bells in your school, there are ways to begin, and invest slowly, as we discuss below.<\/p>\n Sequence of the Lessons<\/p>\n Young children are fascinated with the exploration of musical sound. The sensitive period for music is the same as that for language, so it’s important to introduce the Bells in the primary years. The lessons follow the same sequence as the other sensorial materials: recognition of contrast, matching pairs, and grading a series. In addition, the Bells require specific lessons in care, handling, and playing.<\/p>\n Demystifying the Bells\u00a0is an excellent, detailed DVD that demonstrates every lesson. In under an hour, you can learn more than enough to get started. For extensions, games, and advanced lessons, watch the DVD again at a later date.<\/p>\n Bringing the Bells to your Classroom<\/p>\n “In addition to providing a sensorial means for children to increase the acuity of their auditory perceptions, the bells are a beautiful musical instrument in their own right.”<\/em> Yes, the Bells* are an expensive investment but well worth the cost. Educate parents during back-to-school night about the importance of the Bells, and inspire them to have a fundraiser to buy the complete set. You could share a set with other classrooms, taking turns having them in your room.<\/p>\n You can present most of the lessons with just the eight white and their matching brown bells. I once found a box of dusty, damaged bells in my school’s storage and was able to clean and repair the white and brown bells with inexpensive replacement felt gaskets and wooden tops from Nienhuis. Later, you can add the black bells (the sharps and flats) and the materials for notation. Every year your wish list could include a pair of bells: “Need F sharp!” A handy parent could make a bell cabinet or table long enough for all of the Bells. The musical staff can be drawn on a white board and discs with note names are simple to make.<\/p>\n Fascination with the Bells<\/p>\n I have witnessed an entire classroom become more peaceful as one child spontaneously played a bell, waiting until the beautiful tone faded away completely. Children who aren’t yet interested in the Bells absorb auditory training from hearing others match and grade the Bells or play and compose music. To signal transition times, play the white bells up and then down, singing “do, re, mi…” and the children will join in, learning the C major scale.<\/p>\n\n
\n\u2014Jean Miller,\u00a0Montessori Music<\/em><\/p>\n