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Learn Your Way

For many years, schoolrooms all looked the same: a teacher lectured from the front of the room while obedient students sat in rows and absorbed knowledge (at least that was the goal). I’ll bet some of you even remember rooms like this (I know I do). Schoolrooms now are a completely different story. Students are often moving as are the teacher (or teachers). There’s noise (and what may seem to be chaos) and the only quiet may be test day. Why this change though?

One reason is the use of differentiation in the classroom as teachers try to reach all students. The other is teachers adapting to learning styles. Yes, even in something like a music class.

Depending on which school of thought you adhere to, there are either five or seven learning styles. The seven learning styles to be considered are visual, aural, verbal, physical, logical, social, or solitary.

  1. Visual–also called spatial means that students learn better by reading or seeing what they are trying to understand.
  2. Aural–means that students learn better by hearing or having music involved in their lessons.
  3. Verbal–means that students want to speak their lessons aloud.
  4. Physical–also called kinesthetic means that students want a hands on portion to their lessons or to learn by doing.
  5. Logical–means that students apply logic to their learning.

These last two are not always included with the others, but can help a teacher decide whether to group students or let them work alone.

  1. Social means a student prefers to work in a group.
  2. Solitary means a student prefers to work or learn alone.

Now all of these learning styles do not mean that is the only way the student learns, but just means that might be the way they learn best. It also means they might learn best in more than one way. They could be a visual and an aural learner. Or a physical and a logical learner or any combination.

What it all comes down to is there are many different ways to learn and no teacher should teach one way.

If you’re curious about how you or a student learns, here’s a quick test to see. A better way is to talk with your student and find out how they feel they understand best and discuss different methods to learn and see how each of them sticks.

Last Chance to Join Fall 6-Week Courses!

Happy November! Our fall classes are beginning this week. Join us before it’s too late. Group classes are online or in person, and this is a wonderful addition to your regular lessons for learning or improving skills. Can’t wait to see you there.

Beginner Piano Group Class
Intermediate Acting
Dealing with Performance Jitters
Music in Movement
Mario Kart: A Study in Counterpoint
Teen Rock Band
Piano Duets

Getting Children to Practice

In order to improve, students must practice. While the teacher does as much as she can with the student in the classroom, encouraging the student to practice at home will also help.

One good way to reward and keep track of practice at home (and that the Michelle Tuesday Music School encourages) is to complete a minute of practice per age. So if your student is five, that child should practice for five minutes a day. You can set a timer so they don’t over practice. Give her a small reward once she’s finished this time (a sticker is a good one) and keep track of her time. You might consider letting her pick a prize once she’s earned a certain number of stickers. That’s all up to you.

At the school, she’ll get to prove that she has learned the song (and put in the time practicing), by playing it. If she shows she has mastered it, her teacher will put a sticker in her book and she’ll get a prize from the candy box. These little rewards will not only give her something concrete right away, but also give her the satisfaction of looking back through her book to see all the songs she’s mastered.

There’s an old adage ‘Practice makes perfect’. Sometimes just a little goes a long way.

Save $30 on Fall 6-Week Courses!

The first week of November will bring the beginning of fall courses at MTMS. There are so many exciting courses, from old favorites like Rock Band to new offerings like Mario Kart: A Study in Counterpoint.

Courses are great way to try something new or to improve on skills already introduced. They’re all with our fabulous staff. Come play with us. Hurry – you don’t want to miss it. Enroll by 10/31/20 and we’ll waive your $30 enrollment fee!

October is Spooky Music Month

Music History in the music lab has a different theme every month. October is a perfect time to look at the history of spooky music.

What is it that makes music spooky? There isn’t one simple thing that someone can point to that makes something scary. Music uses several different effects to make an audience on edge or waiting for something to happen, even if they don’t know what it is or when it will come.

One of the effects that music is attempting to emulate is a human scream. The scream is a sound that warns us someone needs our help- and bringing that into the score will definitely get everyone’s attention. That’s not the only effect that is used, but musicians have learned that using higher pitches and dissonant chords and even different instruments to get the desired creepy effect from listeners.

Check out music history in the lab to learn more about the many different musical techniques used to keep an audience waiting and listening for that next big moment. There are even specific instruments used only when creating spooky music!