The Modesto Junior College Child Development Department, in collaboration with the Department of Music, has developed two new courses as part of an Early Childhood Music Methods and Application path of study that was recently established.  The new classes are "double listed" as both child development and music courses.  For child development professionals and students, this new area leads to a Master Teacher Certificate or a 6-unit option for the Associate of Science degree in Child Development, while music majors would register for these classes as electives using the music course prefix.  Parents and teachers may also be interested in learning and applying these techniques.

            One of the two new music courses, CLDDV 293/MUSIC 176 - Music, Birth to Kindergarten: Theory and Practice, is being offered this fall on Mondays and Wednesdays from 11:40 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Muir Hall 155 on West Campus, located at 2201 Blue Gum Avenue in Modesto.  MJC's fall semester begins August 25 and an application and schedule of classes is available on campus and here on the college website.

            The 3-unit class will be taught by Dr. Virginia Colla, adjunct professor of music, and it introduces methods of teaching music to young children. Students will learn theories on the developing mind and the benefit of musical understanding to musicianship; the relationship of child development theory and developmentally appropriate practice, and will study classroom implementation.  Enrolling students should be able to read music and understand and be able to apply basic music vocabulary to be successful in this course.

            The second new course in this sequence is CLDDV 293/MUSIC 177 - Music, Birth to Kindergarten: Application and it will show students how to apply the methods of teaching music that were studied in the first class.  MJC is planning to offer this course in the spring 2009 semester           

            The Child Development programs at MJC offer a variety of opportunities for parents, early childhood professionals, classroom teachers, family child care providers and anyone wishing to work with children to acquire meaningful information, build skills, and network with others in the community.  The Child Development program is part of the Family and Consumer Science Division at MJC.  For more information, contact the MJC Family and Consumer Science office at 575-6343, or visit the Child Development website.