Musical Brains

I have a musical brain. The trouble is, I don't play an instrument. Oi vey, everybody.

It is a sad and sometimes painful truth that I bailed or failed piano and trumpet after a few years each. Of course this was before my parents discovered that I had a learning disability. Yeah, you can hear the screaming now too, eh? Yep, my eyes were broken and my ears took over. I could pick out any tune I heard and could play it pretty well until my piano teacher refused to play through the pieces for me. My pleas fell on deaf ears and I was forced to stumble through reading each piece one painful note at a time. You can see why I quit, but my teacher, God bless her, she called me lazy. One last painful sizzle across the soul and I was out of there.

Seriously, I couldn't understand why it was so hard for me to read music. Trumpet was easier because there's less of a demand to learn to read sheet music in band. Lessons were easier too, but it only got me to a certain point. Eventually, I had to read there too and that was that.

I don't mean to drag everyone through my own childhood failures, but I want it to underscore one very important thing parents need to remember: Your child has a natural learning ability that may or may not follow the traditional education methods.

If someone said it or read it in class, I knew it. If it was on the board or in my book, it was like it didn't exist to me. This is why I soared with some teachers and sunk with others in my private-but-just-as-flawed schools. To this day, I am still remembered by most of my teachers for all but the best reasons.

If you're struggling through something with your child as you homeschool, if your public or private schooled child is struggling with just a nominal amount of homework, if things just don't add up in their education, seek help. Check their eyes with a learning specialist. Check their ears. Find out if your child does better thinking while they move around or if they just sit or lie still in a quiet room. There are many ways of learning and if you take the time to find them out, you will save your child so very much.

That doesn't help me get this song out of my head. Press play. I dare ya.