Category: Breaking News
Music History for November and December
The focus for music history over the next six weeks will be music from the 70s. Music videos from the time period are available to watch as well as questions to answer with a lab attendant or parents (or even just to ponder on their own). Come learn about this time period in music where Funk, Soul, R&B, Hard Rock, Soft Rock, Pop, and Disco – and even Hip Hop – made their way into our lives.
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.
- Visual–also called spatial means that students learn better by reading or seeing what they are trying to understand.
- Aural–means that students learn better by hearing or having music involved in their lessons.
- Verbal–means that students want to speak their lessons aloud.
- Physical–also called kinesthetic means that students want a hands on portion to their lessons or to learn by doing.
- 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.
- Social means a student prefers to work in a group.
- 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.
