From the moment we set our snowboards down on the powder, it was obvious that our instructor had a clearly laid out plan for teaching us. He gave descriptive explanations and walked us through each step, familiarizing us with the board and what we should expect from the class. This was an incredible confidence-booster and helped us quickly trust him for the direction we needed.

Similarly, an organized music teacher, with established studio guidelines and a systematic teaching approach will promote an attitude of confidence and trust in her studio families. One of the best things I started doing years ago was conducting student interviews for prospective students and their parents. The interview includes a time of getting to know the student, assessing their musical aptitude and skills, and having the parent complete a questionnaire (the forms I use can be downloaded for free on the Student Interviews post). When the family arrives at the studio for their interview, I always have the questionnaire, a media release form, and one of my studio business cards affixed to a clipboard and sitting on a chair. I have a separate interview and evaluation form on another clipboard that I use with the student. It’s amazing how even a little touch like this speaks volumes of your professionalism and builds confidence in your organization and excellence as a teacher! Establishing Clear-Cut Studio Procedures is a great first step for setting up a systematic approach to the business-side of studio operations.

Then there’s the teaching side. As independent music teachers we have the freedom and flexibility to use a variety of teaching methods and approaches according to what we think is best for each student. On the flip side there is also the potential for a teacher to completely wing it and never establish any semblance of organization in his teaching methods. When I first started teaching, I definitely belonged to the latter group. Thankfully, God brought many experienced teachers into my life to help me “see the light” and guide me toward resources that have been invaluable! By far, the greatest asset to my teaching structure has been our state Music Progressions curriculum. It is a 10-level program that outlines skills a student should have in performance, keyboard facility, applied theory, rhythm, sight-playing, listening, and written theory. Local associations hold evaluation days during the spring semester so that students can participate at their various levels and be evaluated by another teacher. Even though I don’t require my students to participate in this evaluation, the curriculum provides a wonderful framework for working with students and making sure that they receive a well-rounded music education.

Many states have a similar curriculum and there are even some that are available on a national level. If you’ve never used a leveled curriculum like this, I encourage you to get a copy of one somewhere and study it in great detail. Then start using it with your students. The best thing you can do is arm yourself with the knowledge of where you want to take your students and how you can get them there one step at a time. It’s inevitable that everyone will have gaps here and there in their education, music and otherwise, but the more organized your thinking and teaching is, the more likely your students are to have the confidence and skills to succeed!

Read the rest of the Teaching Tips from Snowboard School series: Introduction | Part One: Be a Pro | Part Two: Give Students a Vision of Success

When I first fastened my boots onto the snowboard, the prospect of whizzing down the slopes like the other snowboarders I had observed for years propelled me forward. From my experience years ago, though, I learned that the gap between where I want to be and where I actually am can quickly seem insurmountable (i.e. lofty visions of expert maneuvering don’t survive long when every turn ends in a faceplant…:-)) . I’ve experienced the same phenomenon with numerous students – their view of where they want to be musically is so far beyond their current level that they soon lose hope of achieving success. But what they really need is someone to give them a realistic vision of success.

Our instructor didn’t point to the proficient boarders at the top of the mountain and tell us to imagine ourselves traversing the mogul-covered double-black diamond trails. Instead he pointed to the gently sloping greens and said that by the end of the day we’d feel comfortable making our way down them. Now that was something I could believe and work toward! Oh sure, I still watched every snowboarder intently, but my focus now was on learning from their examples so that I could reach my immediate goal – making it down the lower mountain slopes intact.

So, how do we do this for our students? First, we have to have a clear vision in our own minds of our students’ potential. Start by picturing your students ten years from now. What will they be like? What will they be capable of doing on their instrument? How will they be using their musical skills? Now picture them a year from now. What image comes to mind? Will they have acquired better musical skills and participated in enriching musical experiences? How will they be different then from their lesson last week?

Once we – the teacher – have a vision, the purpose and direction of each lesson will take on new meaning. When we point to the experts as a model (via YouTube, recordings, or live recitals) it’s not to set our students up with the expectation of being like them, but so that they can apply what they observe to their more immediate goals and difficulties. This vision also encourages us to be more intent on teaching concepts than on simply making corrections in a given piece of repertoire. Confused expressions will give rise to more creative approaches as we develop methods for helping students overcome obstacles. Students are contagiously infused with a greater sense of purpose in their musical studies, but it also gives us a foundation from which to project, “by this time next month I think you will have mastered the dotted quarter note-eighth note rhythm” or “you’ll be playing every Major pentascale flawlessly by the end of the year” or “you’ll be ready to start learning some of Beethoven’s early compositions if you continue on this track,” etc.

I have seen this element of our Year-End Evaluations (click here for the free downloadable forms) build excitement and renewed interest in students many times, but as I consider this I’m reminded of the importance of approaching every lesson with that same forward-thinking mindset. And I’m excited about the prospect of doing a better job painting this vision of success for each of my students in the weeks ahead.

Read the rest of the Teaching Tips from Snowboard School series: Introduction | Part One: Be a Pro

Like I mentioned in my Introduction to this series last week, I think the instructor we had in Snowboard School was one of the best on the slopes. The interesting thing to me was that he knew it and wasn’t shy about “tooting his own horn.” Many people are afraid of coming off as arrogant, so they wouldn’t think of extolling their own virtues to prospective or current students. And then there are those who use their own personal accomplishments to compensate for continued growth and excellence in their field. Neither of these are a helpful attitude for building a successful studio.

Here’s something that hit me a while back: not only can you be really, really good in your field and still not know the answer to the things your students and/or their parents ask you, having an attitude of still learning and developing expertise in your field is one of the marks of someone who is really, really good. Being a pro involves acknowledging the extent of your own expertise and also taking advantage of opportunities to continue learning and advancing.

Here are three specific tips for how to Be a Pro:

1. Know Your Subject – nothing can take the place of real knowledge. True confidence is not something that can be fabricated; it is the result of intentional study and investment in your field. If you are teaching general music or an instrument, take time to learn as much as possible about music theory and history. Study various educational philosophies and teaching methods. Be able to share stories about different composers. And when you are whole-heartedly investing your time and energy to educate yourself, you will be confident enough to admit when you don’t know information or have an answer for something. For musicians, knowing their subject usually also involves being skilled on an instrument. The better you play, the better your students will play. Play often and learn new repertoire (even if it’s the repertoire your advanced students are working on!) so that you can address potential problem areas, share practice tips, and…commiserate with your students about the woes of tackling and overcoming difficulties.

2. Gain Experience – be open to lots of different avenues for teaching, performing, and being involved in the music community. Our snowboard instructor began his teaching on the east coast, then migrated west and taught at multiple ski resorts. Each place brought him into contact with new people and helped him gain valuable insights into what was effective teaching-wise on a broad scale. On the east coast, the beginner class was only an hour and a half; in the mountains of Colorado the beginner class is an all-day affair. If he was able to turn out successful snowboarders in an hour and a half, you better believe he had some sure-fire tips for quickly improving your skill level on the board! In the same way, a teacher who incorporates group classes, private lessons, duo sessions, distance learning, special workshops, mentoring relationships, and more will probably become more of a pro than the one who restricts himself to only one mode of teaching. Every avenue provides the impetus to communicate more clearly, interact on new levels, and fine-tune teaching skills to meet the needs of many types of students.

3. Market Yourself as a Professional – don’t undersell yourself. Whether it’s via a personal website, in conversations with new acquaintances or friends, or in gatherings with other professionals, the way you carry yourself will dictate how others treat you. If you love what you do and believe that the work you are doing is meaningful, communicate that with both body language and the words you use. It’s not mere semantics to answer an inquiry as to what you do as “I run a music studio” instead of “I’m a piano teacher.” If you are serious about the importance of your teaching, be convincing! You should want every person you meet to leave their conversation with you with a greater appreciation for the impact of music on culture, its important role in the lives of people, and an interest in becoming more involved on a personal level (i.e. they should want to do whatever it takes to become a part of your studio!). Idealistic? Probably, but that’s my preferred perspective on life.

In essence, being a pro puts you in a position to inspire others to take up what you’re teaching for themselves. Does it work? Well, it may not be a no-fail guarantee, but I do know that our snowboard pro converted me to snowboarding for life!

Read the rest of the Teaching Tips from Snowboard School series: Introduction