The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

23 W ednesday , Septem ber 15, 2010 O A KVILLE BEA V ER w w w .o akvillebeaver .co m Does Music Make You Smarter? Music is about more than increasing your childs IQ. While many studies find positive correla- tions between music and academic standings, we sometimes tend to for- get the human characteristics of music that make it such a powerful investment. Every child from birth has musi- cal tenancies from singing and dis- covery of sounds, and nurturing these skills in the right environment can instill motivation and love of learning and confidence in self- expression. The Oakville School of Music & Performing Arts is offering a Casa Music Program, designed especially for children 2.5 to 6 years of age, inspired by the Montessori method of teaching. Children will have an opportunity to discover music through singing, rhythmic move- ment, and understanding symbols. The age gap gives children the opportunity to learn from one another, a strong component of the Montessori method, explains one of the music teachers at the school. The Casa Music program lays a foundation in music through singing, rhythmic games, discovery of music theory, listening, and story telling of composers. The program makes for a positive transition into private lessons. It is common that children begin private lessons too early, which can actually hinder their musical development, because they become overwhelmed and frustrated in their learning, a music teacher says. Enrolling in a group class can help motivate and inspire children as they learn challenging musical con- cepts together. The Casa Music class will unravel parts of music as the children begin to discover sounds through instruments, listening, and singing. For more information on the program visit www.osmpa.ca. Monika Stolarz, School Founder Kids + Exercise = Better Grades (NC)According to a recent study from West Virginia University (WVU), physically fit children do bet- ter in school than their peers who are less fit. The researchers evaluat- ed the fitness levels and standard- ized academic test scores of hun- dreds of Grade 5 students in West Virginia. When they re-examined the same children two years later they found that academic perform- ance dipped when the students' fit- ness levels declined, and increased when their fitness improved. The take-home message from this study is that we want our kids to be fit [for] as long as possible and it will show in their academic per- formance, says the study's co- author, Lesley Cottrell, associate professor of pediatrics at WVU. Come and see why we have been voted BESTyear after year! Fall Registration on Now Book Early - Spaces Are Limited Offering The Finest in Arts Exploration and Development! 1011 Upper Middle Road East & Eighth Line 905.844.ARTS (2787) www.oakvilleacademy.com Call to Book Your Birthday Parties! Programmes 6 years and under FREE dance skirt with new ballet registration. Princess Pre-Dance, Baby Ballet Kinder Ballet , Pre-Primary Ballet Primary Ballet, Ballet/Jazz Kiddy Hop, Kinder Jazz Kinder Tap Piano/Vocal Combination Fine Arts Afternoon Arts Adventure Program Ages: 3-5 Specialized program Tuesday/Wednesday and/or Thursday Afternoons 12:30 - 3:30 Incl. Dance, Music, Art Recreational Dance (ages 2-adult) Jazz Tap Ballet Hip Hop Kiddy Hop Acro Lyrical Contemporary Music Instruction New! Violin Piano Guitar Sax Bass Drums Flute Clarinet Vocal Lessons Journey into GLEE Ages: 7-10, 11-16 Love the show? Come see our version. Musical Theatre Drama Ages: 5-7, 8-10, 11-13, 14+ Call for information on our triple threat programs. R.A.D. Ballet (ages 2-adult) Princess Pre Dance Baby Ballet Kinder Ballet R.A.D. Ballet Grades & Majors Fine Arts Numerous programs for artists of all ages Over 12,000 sq ft of premium dedicated Arts Instruction Monday to Friday 9:00 am - 9:00 pm Saturday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm 4 OUT OF 5 PEOPLE WITH DIABETES DIE OF HEART DISEASE. .Better your odds Visit getserious.ca