Posted on Tue, May 11, 2010 @ 08:45 AM
In
Part 1 of this two-part blog article, we presented an overview of the results of our Spring 2010 Survey, in which Hunterdon Academy of the Arts received very high marks from its students and their parents. Although the Survey rated HAA "far better than other music schools," it also revealed a couple of concerns. Among these, a few respondents wondered why this past year we have asked our students to keep track of their daily and weekly practice sessions, and some called for more clarification of the "ins and outs" of music practice.
In previous years, at least one parent a week would visit our office to talk about
the difficulties their child experiences with practicing. "My child wants to quit"; "my child hates guitar [piano, flute., etc]"; "I can't fight with him/her about practicing anymore"; "he is not progressing quickly enough" were just a few of the complaints we kept hearing. Some parents also asked us directly for guidance on how to help their child prosper in music lessons. After brain-storming with both faculty and parents, we concluded that for many students to have a more rewarding experience in their lessons, we as teachers needed to help them set realistic goals and develop a systematic practice routine to reach these goals. As an important part of this process, we asked students to keep a detailed account of their practice efforts in their "Practice Record Book," which we handed out for free to each lesson student at the beginning of the school year.
As professional musicians and music educators, we are passionate about making music. But truth be told, even for us there are times when we have to supplement our passion and enthusiasm for music with a healthy dose of discipline in order to progress. It is not unlike exercising or being on a healthy diet: we love the process especially when we see results, but it can be hard work to stick with it until we have reached that magical number on the scale. But how, exactly, to stay disciplined? Fitness experts agree that keeping a "food diary" (where you log in everything you eat) will dramatically increase your chances for success. Too much work? Maybe, but the "food diary" produces tangible results, and makes you account for that giant piece of chocolate cake you ate but somehow tried to forget about.
The "food diary" is quite similar in purpose to the "Practice Record Book" we introduced last year, which asks students to log in their practice days and times. The booklet helps students stay on track in pursuing their goals, by documenting step by step their efforts and accomplishments along the way. It teaches them that more often than not, frustration in a music lesson has nothing to do with the instrument itself but mostly with the effort they have put into learning it. For parents, understanding the results of their child's music lessons is also a financial issue: without some weekly practicing, their child will not be able to move forward in her next lesson. This means that you are paying for essentially the same lesson twice. Still think logging in practice times is a waste of time?
Over the past year, we've kept a close eye on student progress, and we're happy to say that using the "Practice Record Book" has yielded some amazing results! Have you ever seen the sparkle in a child's eye when she performs on stage, accomplishing, almost miraculously, something she never thought she could do? Well, we're confident that you'll see a lot of these sparkles at our year-end recitals this coming Saturday, May 15, at 1 PM, 3 PM, and 5 PM at Stanton Reformed Church (1 Stanton Mountain Road, Stanton, NJ 08885)
Come join us; admission if free!
Get directions to Stanton Reformed church HERE.
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Posted on Sat, Apr 17, 2010 @ 06:16 AM
Though rates for private music lessons may vary between instructors and music schools, they tend to be higher than tuition rates for group classes. Why?
As with almost anything else, you get what you pay for! In the case of private lessons, your tuition dollars provide you with the undivided attention of your teacher, who tailors style and content of his or her instruction to meet your individual needs. For many students, the individual lesson format provides the ideal learning environment to make progress as quickly as possible. In that sense, a
private lesson teacher is no different from your personal gym trainer, who makes sure that you do your exercises correctly for maximum benefit.
If we stick with the sports analogy for a moment, some of us are not particularly crazy about working one-on-one with a trainer, or working ourselves through all that exercise equipment at the gym, one machine at a time. That can be tedious and a bit solitary at times. By contrast, joining an aerobics class or a sports team to play soccer, football, basket ball, and what not, is an entirely different experience. Although as members of a team, we may not be getting all that individualized attention, we're having fun, working collaboratively, laughing, and sharing victories and losses. And on top of it, we're still toning those muscles and losing a few pounds! Not bad at all.
When it comes to music education, it is similarly possible, and enjoyable, to learn within the socially interactive context of group classes. Young beginners often express a strong preference for music classes not only because of the social interaction involved but because the group format offers them the most developmentally appropriate venue for absorbing information. Young children may learn as much from observing each other as they learn from their designated teachers. To be sure, for some kids, the group class format may be too stimulating and distracting. Kids falling into this category will do better in music lessons under the guidance of an instructor, who focuses their attention and provides a firm structure for the learning process. Parents should consult with their music teacher in choosing the option most suitable for the learning disposition of their child.
If after careful consideration you have reason to believe that your child may progress more easily through group instruction, why would you sign her up for private lessons? And why, looking at your bottom line, would you invest the extra dollars on individual instruction before your child is actually ready to enjoy its full range of benefits? Start young beginners age 4 through 8 in group classes as a high-quality, low-cost alternative to music lessons! When given sufficient time to mature and learn, children are more likely to develop a life-long appreciation for music. Isn't that what it's all about?
Hunterdon Academy of the Arts, Flemington
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