FAQs

The cost varies depending on the venue and the expenses necessary to produce the course.  The three-day course runs about $400 per participant. For the exact price for certification courses and individual workshops, see the course flyers.  Bring John Crever to your venue for staff in-service days, conference sessions, or curriculum-adoption staff development. Email info@music-ade.com

For certification courses, I require that each teacher have a copy of the teaching manual for the specific course.  Even if you never choose to use the curriculum as it is, the book is an excellent educational reference. 

In addition, I recommend at the bare minimum to start out with, although not required, two CDS (“Keeping the Beat” and “Had a Little Rooster”) and the “Move-it” DVD. It’s so much faster to learn from the video. I’ll have all of these available in my class pop-up store, as well as the whole collection of Feierabend books. Check with me for a special price for a starter package of the items mentioned above. 

The Green Book, “First Steps in Music, Preschool and Beyond, ” is the most heavily referenced book in the FSM class. It’s useful to have at least the first year CDs, “Had a Little Rooster” and “Keeping the Beat.” We’ll also discuss in class, “First Steps in Music, Infants and Toddlers” (aka purple), however, it is not required. There are also CDs and song collections to accompany this curriculum as well.

The publisher (GIA) offers a “First Steps in Music, Preschool and Beyond basic package” for around $89.95 (teacher curriculum manual plus four CDs). What the package doesn’t include is “Move-it!” (one DVD $45). This one item will have a memorable impact on every person in the room and requires the DVD to learn the movements well.

The other necessary book not included in the publisher bundle but necessary to be successful with FSM is “The Book of Creative Movement Exploration” for around $15. This book is necessary because the manual only has a couple of examples and the book has over 120 activities to keep the class interested, engaged and developing new ways to move over the course of several years.

I recommend this basic bundle for $120 to get started. While it’s more money upfront, I put this package together from what I have found teachers need to have on hand to be successful with FSM.  Orders need to be received three weeks before the course begins. Go to the Shop.

“First Steps in Music, Preschool and Beyond” (Green Book) 
“The Book of Creative Movement Exploration”
“Move-it! – 1” ( DVD)
“Had a Little Rooster” CD and 
“Keeping the Beat” CD
what this doesn’t include is the CDs for years two and three. You’ll know after the first year if you used the repertoire CD or not.

There are many add-on options that I will have available in class to try out. If I were going to add to this, I’d add some flashcard sets ($20 each): “Vocal Exploration Pathways,” “Pitch Exploration Stories,” and “Oh In the Woods.”  Next, I’d expand into some Song-Tale books. “Crabfish” and “Father Grumble” are good first purchases. After that, there are many song collections to expand on different areas of the workout as well.  The supplementary books are 80% of the songs Feierabend did not include in the FSM teacher manual due to space.  The same is true for the Infant/Toddler supplements. These books provide additional repertoire to be used when lesson planning.  Other supplemental resources focus on the topic First Steps with Upper Elementary.  These books include “Playground Songs and Rhymes,” “Canons,” and “Song Dances.”  We’ll use these in class so you can familiarize yourself with what’s in each volume.

Conversational Solfege has a couple of different pre-order packages available. Getting started with Conversational Solfege Level 1 – $91 includes CS Teacher Manual Level 1 (if you’re starting out, you’ll be in this book for possibly two school years), CS Level 1 CD, and CS Level 1 Flashcards. Add a Word Wall at the time of order for an additional $77 and pay $168 total.

The Goal Setter – Complete these 13 units with the students and give them the gift of a lifetime of music literacy – $113 includes: CS 1&2 Teacher Manuals and CS 1&2 CDs. Add a Word-Wall for $77 and pay $190 total.  Adding a Word Wall to your bag of tricks gives a teacher lots of ideas to start using the 500 words musicians use every day to think musically and fill up the “about” portions of your lessons while staying close to the topic of literacy.  Teacher’s Helper –$294 expands the Goal Setter with Flash Cards and a Word Wall and includes CS 1&2 Teacher Manuals, CS 1&2 CDs, CS 1&2 Flashcards, and the Word Wall. We can give you a box to take this away in. Order these in the Store.

While the FSM course does include the Infant/Toddler curriculum, if you’re interested in owning this curriculum, the infant manuals and bundles need to be pre-ordered to ensure on-time arrival three weeks before class.

Individuals must complete payment before the course begins.  Full payment is due two weeks before the start of class and is refundable up to three days before the start of class. After that, you can receive a refund of half the full cost of the course OR reserve a spot in a future Certification Course led by John Crever. If you are working with Donors Choose or another PO and need a different payment option, please ask. Email:  info@music-ade.com 

Not unless you’re seeking the two grad credits, then, yes, there will be some evening reading and light daily performance assignments AND a written assignment (paper/unit/lesson plans) will also be due 10 days after completion of the course. Think of the paper more as organizing your program implementation instead of proving yourself.

Yes, it is possible. It’s OK to take them out of order but everyone who does this has a moment in day two or three where they realize that if they had done FSM first, that CS would happen in their programs almost effortlessly like stepping stones.

I’m based in Portland, Oregon, so I’m a visitor to these locations as well. My general rule of lodging priorities is: has a shuttle, close to food and closest to venue.  If you’re unsure, ask on the facebook class site. Someone will be local and have an opinion.  If the class is in Portland, I suggest staying close to class or find a neighborhood you want to be in (there are 27 distinct neighborhoods) and seek a room in that location. There are a ton of AirBnB units in town for just about every price range. I try to have the exact location printed on the flyer, but sometimes this isn’t possible until closer to summer.  Since I often produce these courses myself, venues can require a lot of time to secure.

I don’t actually make the certificates, that’s done by the FAME Executive Director, and partial certification is not available.

Yes, if you’re using the paper form, please email to request a mailing address. info@music-ade.com

Send me the email address for the accounting contact and I can issue an invoice. I can invoice the school. I can send it to your email or if you give me an email address of someone in the business office, I can forward an invoice directly to them. The invoice will have a payment link that they can click to pay for registration.

Two grad credits are available. Additional out-of-class assignments will be required. Just check at registration that you’d like grad credits. Once you’ve registered for a class with me, I will send you the link for the credit registration with Seattle Pacific University. The credit registration usually opens less than a month before class begins.  Registration needs to be completed within 72 hours after the start of class. Their cost for credits is $55 each or $110 per two-credit course. Read more here...

Please do not send money to me for credits or CEUs, only class registration. Paying for the credits or CEUs will take place directly with the university. The cost is around $20 for two CEU’s. I will send a payment link to you (for credits or CEUs with SPU) after you have registered with me for a class. Read more here…

The course runs a minimum of 20 hours. While each class has to work with the hours of the venue, I try to keep class hours similar to our teaching hours. I’ll share exact time meeting information within a month of the course beginninging. In general, class meets for eight hours a day with a lunch break and two additional breaks each day. Typically the hours are 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. however the start and finish times will be decided by the host or venue and might need to slide by half an hour.