GROUP LESSONS
Every child should have access to high-quality music instruction
WHAT IS SMART START?
Music Classes for Babies, Toddlers, and Preschool-Aged Children
Ages 0-4
- Group music classes Age 0-4, separated by age
- Set of 30 lessons, each 45 minutes, once per week
- Delivered by trained music teachers
- Developed by the RCM
- Based on neuroscience and sixty years of experience.
Registration is open for the 2024 Season.
SMART START PHILOSOPHY
Inspired Musicianship
- Every child should have access to high-quality music.
- Music instruction should begin as early as possible.
- Effective music instruction requires well-trained, skilled teachers and a carefully-constructed curriculum.
- Music provides rich developmental and cognitive benefits.
- Age-appropriate, play-based materials are the best way to foster musical and cognitive development.
- Research can ground our practice and lead to the best outcomes for students.
WHAT MAKES SMART START UNIQUE?
Age Targeted
Allows us to target children’s developmental needs Comprehensive curriculum for each age group
Research Based
Grounded in music cognition research Supported by experimental studies. Supported by the Royal Conservatory’s onsite research lab, Smart Start™ combines the latest research in neuroscience with traditional early childhood learning methods. Weekly participation provides a solid musical foundation, setting the stage for cognitive development, increased confidence, and creativity in babies and toddlers.
Led by Experts
Developed by leaders in early childhood pedagogy Supported by RCM’s Research Centre Conducted by trained professionals
Our school offers Smart Start classes developed through the Royal Conservatory of Music.
FAQ
Smart Start is a program which uses music, supported by other art forms, to teach cognitive skills to young children.
What are cognitive skills?
Cognitive skills are the basic mental abilities that support us in our everyday activities. Skills such as attention, memory, perception, and cognitive flexibility are crucial both to daily tasks and special projects, and help us in activities as varied as reading, mathematics, planning, games, and socialization.
Why teach cognitive skills? Don’t children just pick those up?
Research shows that cognitive skills can be developed from a very early age, and that music is one of the very best ways to help develop these skills. Children who learn these skills do better in every sphere of their lives, and research shows that starting early is associated with better cognitive skills.
Cognitive skills are a natural part of music education. For example, in a class, a child might be remembering a new song, paying attention to the teacher, and switching between tapping to the beat and clapping the rhythm. This kind of activity is good practice for cognitive skills as well as musical skills, and is just one of the many ways that our teachers help to develop these skills.
How is the Smart Start Curriculum different than other Early Childhood Music Education Programs?
The new Smart Start™ curriculum builds on the RCM’s sixty years of fine music pedagogy in early childhood. Under The Marilyn Thomson Early Childhood Education Centre, The RCM has been able to bring together leading subject specialists to develop a unique and exciting early childhood program. Together with The RCM’s Director of Research, neuroscientist Dr. Sean Hutchins, our early childhood music specialists are allowing a current understanding of cognitive skills to evolve our teaching of music. Also, modern educational practices help us understand that children learn in many different ways and it is important to differentiate the way that we teach to best serve the learning needs of the child. Supporting music with the arts (drama, dance and visual art) creates a full-bodied learning experience, including physical, visual and interpersonal engagement.
Will my child learn to play an instrument in a Smart Start class?
Children in Smart Start™ develop fine motor control, rhythm, creativity and sophisticated musical understandings through their exploration of a wide variety of percussion and Orff instruments. This learning is wonderful preparation for lessons on a specific instrument later on. Some children will also add a RCM instrumental program, such as the Music Enrichment Program, to their Smart Start™ program.
Will my child learn to read music in a Smart Start class?
Smart Start™ classes provide age-appropriate instruction in music reading through games and play-based learning activities. The Smart Start™ curriculum is designed to align with and feed into the RCM Celebrate Theory Program, which begins at age 7.
Cognitive skills! This all sounds pretty serious! Will my child have any fun?
Smart Start teachers understand that young children learn best when they are engaged by an activity. They are highly skilled in using a great variety of teaching strategies, including stories, play and games. And don’t forget, children naturally enjoy both mental and physical activity. From memory games to creative play, cognitive skill development, especially though music, can be more fun than work.
How does research factor into Smart Start?
Research plays an important role in the development, evaluation, and continuation of Smart Start™ classes. Our curriculum is based on current psychological and neuroscientific research on the role of music education on cognitive development. Our teachers receive training in this research, and we continue to refine our curriculum and practices based on it. In addition, in order to keep refining and developing our practices, we conduct original research on the outcomes of our Smart Start™ classes. This voluntary research is maintained through community support, and is vital to our continued improvement as an educational institution.
Sign me up! Where can I register for Smart Start classes?
REGISTER NOW