Musical instruments are magical to the pre-school children at the Early Childhood Education Center on the east campus.
"When we bring in a real instrument, such as a saxophone, the children flock over to it, want to touch it and play it," said teacher Marilyn Worsley. "There isn't any hesitation that is seen in older children and adults."
So far, the center's current music exploration project has included experiencing music first-hand and on tape and constructing instruments.
"These children have such an insatiable appetite for knowledge, and at this time, it is for learning about instruments," Worsley said.
IVCC student Erik Horwath and guitar instructor Kim Codo have played their guitars for the children.
"The children enjoyed hearing and seeing the guitars played right in front of them," Worsley said. "To see how it is played and the concentration needed to manipulate the strings made a lasting impression on many children.
"Some children talk daily about desiring to learn how to play a guitar, piano or harp. I think it is wonderful for children to be so passionate about learning."
Worsley said she is looking for other musicians to come into the classroom and play their instruments for 10 to 15 minutes. She explained that hearing and seeing an instrument played in front of them is different than hearing an instrument on tape.
"Children who barely or don't write their name are writing the names of these instruments in their journals with their pictures of the instruments because they are so fascinated by these wonderful objects," Worsley said.
"We have children retelling information about the members of the string instrument family, how many strings are on guitars and violins and what the bows are made from," she said.
The wealth of knowledge young children bring to such a project is also amazing, according to the teacher.
"Boyd, age 4, explained to one of the teachers that music players don't dance while playing their instruments in an orchestra because there are too many chairs."
In addition to listening to many different types of music, the children have made drums from coffee cans, shakers from toilet paper rolls and guitars from wood and rubber bands.
The project will include investigations of all instrument families, Worsley said, in order to discover what most of the children are interested in. Eventually the project will be narrowed, possibly to one instrument or to something related like radio stations that play the music.
"This is a great time to mention that music and math are stored in the same area of the brain," Worsley said, "so we are increasing brain cells for later mathematical learning."