“When we began lessons with you all those years ago, I hoped that this would open the door to a life long love of music. I had not imagined the possibilities that Oliver is now enjoying and are yet to come.  Thank you Ruth. Oliver is reaping the benefits of what you taught him.  Tania O’Brian

Oliver first came to the Stave House studio to learn the violin and theory aged 7.  As well as lessons, he took part in many of our workshops and activities over the years, steadily building his knowledge and confidence in complex musical theory.   As he got older, he came to the play-a-long days, using his skills to support and teach younger students At Senior school, due to his vast knowledge of musical theory beyond that of his peers, Oliver was often asked to help with transposition in the classroom by his teacher.  He continued to broaden his musical pursuits, becoming a member of the Orchestra and Band and travelling with them overseas to explore his love of music and the arts. Having such a strong foundation (one of the benefits of studying with the Stave house method), Oliver reached grade 7 violin and was easily able to take up a new instrument, the saxophone!  He now goes on to University to further build and broaden his musical skillset and we wish him every success!

Well done Oliver!

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GIFTED pupils  have passed a coveted music qualification this Summer, with flying colours.

A total of 29 pupils from Years 5 and 6 at Great Bentley Primary School have passed the Level 1 Stave House Music Award this summer, with 18 pupils gaining a distinction.  In addition, 31 students passed their Level 2 award, with a further ten pupils gaining a distinction.

“The opportunities are over and above National Curriculum expectations. Music is very much part of our school life, and the awards are a wonderful way to celebrate the children’s achievements”.

Original article here

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We were delighted to be reviewed in the Spring Edition of Juno Magazine!  One of our Music with Henry parents had this to say about the programme…

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This is a question we are often asked by schools and parents.  This letter, received by a mother about her child’s progress with the programme, seemed the best way to answer it…

‘I’d like to express my appreciation for the difference Stave House’s multi-sensory and creative approach has made in Jack’s (aged 12) enjoyment of making music. Using the Stave House magnetic board, cartoon characters, and original songs has given Jack a unique way to relate to music that works with his creative brain.

He went from not being able to read music in November 2021 to sight reading music with his guitar in March 2022!

Jack was exposed to music early on through toddler music classes, “performing arts” preschool, and traditional beginner piano lessons. He has always gone about his day humming and singing simple, original compositions.  However, this enjoyment of music stalled during his first year of piano lessons at age 7. We did not realize Jack was dyslexic at the time, and we have recently learned that Jack also has Irlen Syndrome which makes perceiving text and musical notes on white backgrounds extremely difficult. For Jack, the lines of the staff (stave) distort and bend around the notes in such a way that Jack could previously not tell on which line a note was written or even what the notes meant.

Jack was originally taught piano with a popular traditional approach in the U.S. which uses beginner piano books and mnemonics to memorize the notes. Jack’s piano teacher would stop him every time he made a mistake. He became extremely anxious during lessons and the required performance and judging sessions.

We took a break from music after this negative experience, but Jack continued to make his own vocal music all day long. He seemed to remember songs after one listen and was able to remember school subjects better if they were set to music. However, we kept him out of music classes at school, knowing he would have a difficult time reading the music.

After a two-year hiatus from music lessons, Jack started to learn the acoustic guitar chords using music for popular songs that noted the chords for him above the measures. He learned most of the chords in a year and a half without an understanding

 of why he was using which chord. Learning individual notes on the guitar was the next step, but we knew we needed an alternative to the traditional teaching approach of reading music before he could proceed.

We found the Stave House online course through other parents of Bullet Map Academy, an international, online mind-mapping school geared toward supporting dyslexic students. We knew Jack responded well to a multi-sensory reading approach, so we decided to give Stave House a try. Using the Stave House magnetic characters and catchy songs to discover where the notes “live” on the various clefs made complete sense to Jack.  For instance, “Sea Searcher” (middle C) and his friends can travel as the same notes to different places on treble clef, to bass clef, to alto clef.

Your support has been invaluable  in helping Jack and myself truly understand music with a fun, approachable method. I never realized how much I didn’t know. Jack is excited be learning the “secret code” of written music and is enjoying making music again.’

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“We have a onetime opportunity to remake education; not just to modify aspects of what we already do, but to start at zero and imagine a system that supports humankind.”

An Opportunity to Reimagine Learning
The Augmented Society Network & RSA

The research paper ‘An Opportunity to Reimagine Learning’ has recently been published by the  Augmented Society Network and the RSA.  It’s the result of a collaboration of people from across the globe coming together to share their knowledge and create a discussion on reimagining education and we are very proud that Stave House founder and RSA fellow, Ruth Travers was invited to contribute.

As a result of the pandemic and it’s huge effect on education, the two societies came together to re-evaluate how children could seek and absorb knowledge in the future.  Over the course of a year, they worked to identify the aspects of education that were, in their words, ‘ripe’ for reimagining.

“The pandemic’s forced halt to the status quo, culminating in lockdowns, remote learning and the instant disappearance of entire industries, made every one of us to take stock and recognise that wholesale change is required for all of society to enjoy sustained, meaningful growth.”

Ruth was delighted to have been asked to contribute and if you can spare the time it is well worth taking a look (see link below).  It’s a deep read, but fascinating, informative and thought provoking for both parents and educators.

The research resonated so much with Stave House because of our long-standing desire to change the way children are taught music, especially in schools.  We are also followers of the idea that we need to stop giving children the answers, instead equipping them with the tools to discover knowledge and skills themselves.  This is a fundamental element of the Stave House method – creating musicians yes, but at the same time supporting and developing independent thinkers.

You can find the full paper here.

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Music can be used a gateway for bringing calm to the home, (a place where it is easy to get stressed right now!) Here are some ways you can use music to boost the emotional resilience of your children.

• Turn off the 24 hour news station for a while, it’s doesn’t serve you or your kids wellbeing and often just adds to our levels of anxiety. Try listening instead to a piece of music you enjoy instead.
• If you have a baby, pick them up and sit together on the sofa or lie on the bed and absorb some gentle songs.  Simple rhythms, relaxing tunes, even lullabies.  This isn’t to get them to sleep, but simply to pause and enjoy this time with your baby.  With the manic pace of the day, it’s easy to fly through and never stop to take a moment just to be.  You will feel better for it.   Notice your breathing slowing down and your shoulders drop.  Do not feel guilty for stopping.
• If you want to set the mood for the day with your young children, start with a quick version of the Stave House song ‘There’s Something Very Special’ (findversions of this on Facebook and IGTV.)  This is a great boost of self-esteem to start the day.  Or if you prefer, you can use any favourites like Heads, Shoulder’s Knees and Toes’ to get the blood pumping.
• For older children, get them to identify a song that lifts them, a power track perhaps and play this before anyone settles down to work. While they are working, offer them gentle music in the background (this helps some children but may distract others) Classic FM or Chill FM can be great resources for this.  As can Spotify ‘relaxing’ playlists.
• If you find yourself amusing little ones with craft activities, why not make things they can shake or rattle.  Something as simple as dried rice in an old kitchen roll tube can entertain and help focus a busy little mind.
• Remember that you can only take care of your kids wellbeing if you take care of your own.  As parents you need to be in a good head space in order to cope with all the challenges being thrown your way.  Music can help you simply take a moment to de-stress.  Find your coping songs, whether they make you want to lie down and close your eyes or bounce off the ceiling.  Whichever it is, we all deserve a little music in our lives and you’ll feel all the better for it!

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Stave House, like Montessori, doesn’t believe in simplifying the terminology used to explain ideas or musical notation.  Whilst activities are age appropriate they are not over-simplified as the children are more thean capable of absorbing the new information and musical concepts.  The method is designed in a way that does not require the teacher to be a musical specialist, but brings the learning to life through storytelling and songs. Wendy Compson, Montessori mentor and ambassador says “not only do the kinaesthetic materials compliment the Montessori approach, but the children get so much enjoyment from exploring the characters and songs intrinsic to the programme.”

Stave House is already present in many Montessori schools both in the UK and further afield.  We travelled to Bloom School, Sarajevo to provide training to staff and children who embraced the programme.  Students have since received their Level 1 and Level 2 awards and continue to go from strength to strength. Listen to what founder and headteacher Maelys de Rudder has to say.

If you are a nursery wanting to find out more about the Stave House method, please contact Ruth at info@stavehouse.co.uk

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We set up the Stave House in the Sahara project back in 2015 with Danielle Smith from the Sandblast arts organisation.  We wanted to introduce the programme to introduce music and support English language in the Saharawi refugee camps in South West Algeria.

The amazing Dr Violeta Ruano came on board to run the project.  She trained as a Stave House teacher with me, here at the studio, before heading out to the desert to introduce the pilot programme to the Lal Adala primary school in Bojador.

Stave House lesson in the camp 2019

Russell and I donated the training, the Stave House licenses and materials to get things started and our students, their families and friends were incredibly generous in their support of the programme as it was being implemented in the Sahara.  With world events hitting poorer areas of the world incredibly hard, we have had several enquiries as to how things are at the camps and whether the children are still taking part in the programme, so we wanted to share this update we received from Violeta in September:

“Just wanted to touch base with you and let you know that despite everything the Sahara project is still going ahead. We hadn’t been able to teach the children since the end of March (online teaching is really not possible in the camps), but hopefully the Saharawi schools are opening again on September 13 and our local teachers will be able to teach again! During this time, the girls have not been idle, though, since they have been getting online training by Andrada, particularly focusing on their Stave House Level 3, and also working on their English language skills with another teacher. We’ve been really lucky!”

October 2020 update…

Classes still going ahead, despite Covid!

We are so delighted to see that the schools are now open again and teaching of the programme is going ahead in person, despite the challenged of Covid.  There have been recent electricity cuts in the camps so lessons are taking place outside!   All the wonderful support of our wider Stave House family is still benefitting the children living in the camps who get so much from the opportunity to learn, sing and play music.

Sandblast continues to sponsor the programme and we continue to fund the licences of the schools and along with the London College of Music, fund the certifications of all the children from the camp.  Stave House in the Sahara is now making up half of Desert Voicebox, (the other half of the project supports English language teaching in the schools).  If If you wish to support Stave House in the Sahara, you can donate to Desert Voicebox by clicking here.

The new Stave House Level 1 group starting in October 2020

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“How do you know they are all girls I asked?” I think they may be all boys wearing pink headbands.

“But they have eyelashes” she replied.

I pointed out that not only girls wear eye make up and most people if doing something theatrical have to wear stage make up – so perhaps they were in a show?

Reflecting on this short exchange with one of my pupils, really drove home to me just how adaptable Stave House is.  As so many changes are emerging in today’s society, the method embraces diversity and is a safe place for both the characters and young musicians to explore whoever they want to be.

With characters introducing us to cultures from all over the world, (Father Crochet loves reggae, Celia the Centipede loves to dance latino style, Amos the Ant spends most of his time in Africa etc), there is nothing that can’t be celebrated through Stave House storytelling.  This is why teachers find it fits in so well with cross curricular teaching.

The Bee character encourages self-esteem through teaching children to ‘bee themselves’.  Pupils are taught about friendships, tolerance and understanding by watching how the characters living in the lower rooms of Stave ‘House’, have to put up with Elaine the elephant stomping away at the top.

All these themes are important for young people and so much easier to take on through engaging songs and watching the characters they know and love.

So what has any that got to do with music I hear you ask?  Music has the ability to antagonise, to incite, to irritate, but more importantly it has a marvellous ability to bring peace and wellbeing, a sense of togetherness, community, acceptance and belonging.

Stave House is the most flexible resource you will ever find in your classroom.   What other music method can teach academic requirements at the same time as providing a vehicle through which to explore social issues? Regardless of gender, ethnicity or social environment – everyone ‘belongs’ in Stave House.

Ruth Travers, Founder Stave House

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Keen to support music teachers, (and with the help of Stave House Ambassador Stacey Minshall), we have created a series of signed tutorials that teach children basic signs to accompany Stave House songs.  Whilst most of these songs are aimed at schools already using the Stave House programme, we have released one tutorial – The Bee Song (all about bee-ing yourself) that can be used by any school!

Founder, Ruth Travers says  “Teaching can be exhausting right now, cleaning equipment, carrying stuff from place to place, trying to teach via zoom.  We hope that the signed songs will help teachers relax a little and have fun whilst knowing that they are delivering quality music sessions.  We want to support the continued learning of musical notation and equipping children with skills, not cutting corners or compromising on our mission to give every child the right to a musical education.”

Children can still enjoy Stave House songs, but are taught how to express them through sign language rather than singing out loud.  This goes hand in hand with our ethos of music being accessible to all and by all accounts, the children are loving it.

The tutorials can be streamed into classrooms or homes and are all led by Stacey, so teachers can simply join in.

You can purchase and download the Bee Song, or the Sign Stave House series from our website now by visiting https://stavehouse.co.uk/product-category/downloads/signed-songs/

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