Balance for your life … Creativity for your studio.
It is incredibly important to take regular breaks. Running a studio means staying focused on your business is also a must. What to do? Back in my early years of teaching, one of my bosses pulled me aside one day and said, “Rosemarie, I don’t want you to be a great teacher. I want you…
Let’s Get Outside! Instead of students gazing outside wishing they could be there … move those music lessons from the piano to the backyard with these easy ideas!
This is the question EVERY teacher would love to hear at the end of each lesson. After all, a student who feels lesson flies by is much more likely to continue taking lessons & even tell their friends about how awesome piano is. Sure it can get a bit awkward when you get to listen to the following conversation.
As I was looking at my (long) list of goals for 2017, I realized that if I actually want to reach these goals some changes to my schedule needed to happen. How could I make the most of each moment I had available without feeling like I had become a robot?
If you have read The Unfinished Lesson for awhile, you may have noticed that I write quite a bit about balancing priorities & creating a studio environment that works for the individual teacher. So, why am I so passionate about this topic?
This is my journey from stressed out teacher to successful studio owner!
There has been quite a lot of talk about policies in the music teaching feeds lately. While I don’t think ‘one size fits all’, I would argue that the majority of teachers want to be seen for the professionals that they are. How individual teachers & studios go about this is different which is what makes our studios unique.
Setting up a music lab as a traveling teacher has it’s challenges. But, there are ways to work around those challenges to offer something that other teachers are unable to offer!
I was SO excited once my sons began doing student-led conferences with us at school. Why? Because I saw how successful they could be when I was teaching in the school system. It’s also the reason that we do student-led conferences in my studio.
Maybe it’s my special needs teaching background. Maybe, it has to do with teaching at private schools. Or, maybe I just feel a deep desire to be organized (or at least feel like I’m mostly organized). Whatever the reason really is, each summer I make annual student growth plans. Why would I subject myself to…
As we get close to the end of June, it’s natural to have some students leaving the studio. Sometimes, it’s due to a move away from the area. Other times, priorities or financial situations have changed & lessons are no longer an option. And, other times … well, perhaps we are breathing a sigh of relief after a tough year with a particular family. (Though hopefully this last one is a rare occurrence.)
How can we say goodbye in a manner that leaves everyone positive?