The Daily Egyptian is published by the students of SIU at Carbondale. Except during vacations and exam weeks, The Daily Egyptian is published Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and TWThF during the summer semester."

Little Violinists

As she drew butterflies on the children's arms with markers, she warned the second-graders that in order to hold a bow properly they should not squash their butterfly.

Paula Allison, director of Southern Illinois University Carbondale Egyptian Suzuki School, goes to Thomas School in Carbondale on Mondays and Fridays to teach all the second-graders how to play the violin.

Last year, one third-grade class was taught and the program did so well that it was expanded to every second-grader this year.

"Music is living," Allison said, as she clapped out a beat with her hands. "It starts and has a life of it's own. In order to play music you have to feel the pulse."

And with that, the lesson began. The children started bouncing on their knees and clapping to the beat of the music.

Allison said that the program is designed to teach the students in steps, which allows them to learn similar to the way people learn to speak.

"Every child will succeed along the way," Allison said. "The advantage to this approach is: every time they hold an instrument they will have supervision."

The children sang a song about a crazy wallaby and the way he used parts of the instrument to teach them the parts of a violin with Allison and Lee England Jr.

England, who is a junior in violin performance, music business and music education at SIUC, has been assisting in the program since it started.

"It's for the experience of dealing with kids and learning first hand," England said.

Furthermore, he said he enjoys seeing the children excited about being there and learning to play the violin.

During the lessons, the children were enthusiastic and got chances to hear and identify beats that Allison clapped out.

"I like to play music," said second grader Hydia Norwood, as a group of her peers ran up to explain how much they liked the lessons, too.

Getting children involved and excited about music, Allison said, is just one of the many benefits. She said because some students do not excel in every subject, this program gives them something they can shine in.

"They become achievers, in their eyes and their peers" Allison said. "It's an opportunity for all children to blossom."

The violin program, which relies on fundraising for support, is an addition to the children's music curriculum. Allison said volunteers are working on funding so they can continue to offer lessons to the children who want to resume their violin lessons when they move to third grade.

This gives students, whose parents cannot afford music lessons, a chance to learn to play an instrument, Allison said.

According to a study done by the University of Toronto, children who are exposed to music lessons show an improvement in their IQ.

"It's the magic of music," Allison said. "We can make a profound difference in the life of human beings."

Linda Flowers, principal for Thomas School, said that this program is a powerful teaching tool that gets the children involved in something fun.

She said that all the students in her school are interested in what the second graders are doing and peek in on the class whenever they get the chance.

"This gives the kids something to be excited about and hopefully that excitement will be contagious," Flowers said. "We don't know where the next Beethoven and Mozart are going to come from."

This program can help transform children and open the door to more possibilities, England said.

"It gives them another way to speak and show intelligence."

 

 

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