How It Started
Once upon a time…
There was a homeschooler who loved music but didn’t have access to music education until she started taking instrument lessons in high school. She played her flute in church and the public high school band.
Then she finished high school and went off to Bob Jones University to major in music education. Only…since this homeschooler hadn’t had much music education, getting a college degree in the field was very tough.
But she was too stubborn to quit. Finally she graduated with honors and went on to teach in private, public, and charter schools. In the meantime, she earned three more degrees in education, music, and business.
~The End
Actually, it isn’t the end.
Homeschooler Charity is now Teacher Charity.
And now she is teaching homeschoolers online while running a local flute studio. Charity trains her students to develop problem solving processes so they can become lifelong, independent learners.
Besides music, Charity likes biking, rock climbing, and hiking with her dogs Flippy and Daisy. Their little legs can move pretty fast!
How It Works
Time FAQs
Are there course dates?
No, these courses are self-paced. The student has twelve months to complete all the modules. The twelve month clock starts once the student logs in to the course, not when the course purchase is made.
If the student does not finish all the modules within twelve months, the student can be re-enrolled at MyMusicality.com.
What is the time commitment?
This varies by course. The beginner courses are a minimal time commitment with the student needing about 20 minutes for each module.
The number of modules in each course also varies by course. Junior Music courses include 30 modules. The Ear Training and Music Theory courses include 60 to 165 modules.
These modules can be spread throughout the school year or be done within a concentrated time period like over the summer. (Most families do school about 36 weeks of the year.)
Technology FAQs
What computer skills and equipment are required?
If you can open your browser and type in a URL, your techy skills should be good enough. As for equipment, the student just needs a tablet or computer with internet access. (A phone screen is too small.)
Can you do lessons using a smartphone?
While you can access your course from your smartphone, it’s not recommended because the small screen size limits the learning experience.
How do I troubleshoot audio issues?
My Musicality lessons are compatible with both Windows and IOS browsers. If you can’t hear the audio, check for browser updates:
Can I track my child’s progress?
Parents of Ear Training & Music Theory students can create an Observer account to link their child’s Student account. (Parents can see instructions on the student’s course home page.) The Observer account allows the parent to see the student’s gradebook and badges and to message Teacher Charity.
Parents of Junior Music student do not need an Observer account since there are no grades or badges in these exploratory courses.
How do I print grades?
There are no grades in Junior Music. Ear Training & Music theory courses do provide grades. The student or parent can click on the Grades tab in either the student account or observer account. Click the button “Print Grades.”
It may require many sheets of paper. Try printing double sided and changing the pages per sheet setting to save paper.
Learning Experience FAQs
Is there homework?
Nope. The student works through the learning activities in each module at his or her own pace.
Are there grades?
Junior Music courses have no grades. There are grades in Ear Training & Music Theory since students need to beat the levels.
Ear Training & Music Theory courses each have 15 units. Each unit has several ungraded practice modules and then concludes with a graded checkpoint module.
The student must achieve at least 80% on each checkpoint module to unlock the next unit.
Will students have classmates?
For the sake of safety and simplicity, there is no online interaction with other students taking My Musicality courses.
Is an instrument required?
While the skills learned in these courses will enhance your instrument performance, students do not use an instrument for these learning activities.
Do these courses teach an instrument?
No, learning to play an instrument is outside the scope of these ear training and music theory courses. However, students at My Musicality learn invaluable skills for playing an instrument.
My child is not an advanced reader. Will that inhibit music learning in this course?
My Musicality courses are designed to be accessible to children of all reading levels. First, all courses have minimal text for students to read. And second, Teacher Charity is working to make voice recordings of the text.
Other FAQs
Is My Musicality accredited?
Accreditation is verification by an outside agency that a school is meeting certain standards. My Musicality cannot become accredited since it is not a school.
However, My Musicality automatically grades all activities in the Ear Training and Music Theory courses. The student’s parent or music teacher can print these grades for record keeping and reporting.
Do you offer a family discount?
Yes! The whole family can share a single Junior Music course login since there are no grades to track.
There are pricing discounts for the Ear Training & Music Theory courses since each student needs an independent login for his or her grades and badges.
How do I choose a course?
The Courses page describes the scope of each level. Placement tests will become available in the future. There will also be information you can take to your local music teacher to help you decide.
It’s ideal for students to enroll in the integrated Complete Musicianship course. But if you are choosing between Ear Training and Music Theory, start with Ear Training unless the student is already skilled in playing by ear.
Is it really all online? Are there books to buy?
My Musicality courses are designed to be affordable and simple. There are no books, music, or instruments to buy.
How do I contact Teacher Charity?
Current students and parents can send a course-specific message to Teacher Charity using the Inbox in their course platform Canvas. Parents can send general inquiries using this form.