We are fortunate here at CSM to have studio rooms that are large. This has allowed us to let our instructors bring their pets to lessons and so several of our staff members bring their dogs into work with them daily. This policy generates a terrific interest and conversation with the students and also creates a trust between the teachers, students and their families. Many...
Read MoreA student signs up for lessons. He and his family are super enthused.
“He’s so naturally musical,” his proud parents tell you at his first lesson.
“He practices all the time. We don’t even have to ask him!” his parents marvel two months in.
And then…maybe in 6 months, maybe in a few years, there’s the all too familiar…
“Getting him to practice is such a fight.”
“He’s so busy with sports and school work, it’s hard to find time to practice.”
“I’m tired of battling him to practice. We’re going to take a few years off from piano and see where things go.”
How do we, as teachers and studio owners, stop this from happening? While certainly there will be counsel and encouragement needed throughout the students years of instruction, I believe that setting the stage before a student even begins lessons can be the most effective in combating the above scenario from playing out.
By Patrick Fritz I have a repetition tool that I consistently use with my students. It is simple, small, sturdy, and novel enough that elementary and middle school students are always curious about how it works. But it is not so complex that it derails a lesson. I call it a “bead counter” but the product name is “Golf Abacus.” I keep various sizes and colors...
Read MoreBy Wayne Estes Do your students get frustrated when they practice to a metronome? Years ago, when I first began teaching some part-time lessons to friend’s kids I did not have a home or studio to teach in, so I taught in each students home, driving from house to house. This gave me a bunch of great experience in seeing the family dynamic and it created some...
Read MoreBy Alyssa Cowell Music lessons are a valuable tool for developing growing minds, honing fine motor skills, finding a creative outlet for self-expression, and a myriad other personal benefits for young and old alike. Families who sign up for music lessons are making an investment in their child’s education, and should make sure they are getting the most out of that investment: Music Theory as a part...
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