Submitted by Miriam Shingle
Telling It Like It Is
Happily, many of us have returned, at least in part, to teaching music in person. This may depend on both your comfort level as well as that of your students; or perhaps the studio franchise where you teach is still in virtual mode. Whether you have been enjoying this new normal, or whether you’re eager for the old normal, the fact remains that many of us currently teach in front of a screen and probably will for a few more months.
Happily, many of us have returned, at least in part, to teaching music in person. This may depend on both your comfort level as well as that of your students; or perhaps the studio franchise where you teach is still in virtual mode. Whether you have been enjoying this new normal, or whether you’re eager for the old normal, the fact remains that many of us currently teach in front of a screen and probably will for a few more months.
The Opportunity For Growth
Okay, so we didn’t ask for this, but despite the upheaval of the past year, there have been many blessings as a result. No, COVID is certainly not a blessing, but the adaptation and knowledge that came by force-of-circumstance, and the need to grow beyond what we were before, has caused us to become better teachers, more tech-savvy, and more open to possibilities that otherwise might not have been revealed.
Okay, so we didn’t ask for this, but despite the upheaval of the past year, there have been many blessings as a result. No, COVID is certainly not a blessing, but the adaptation and knowledge that came by force-of-circumstance, and the need to grow beyond what we were before, has caused us to become better teachers, more tech-savvy, and more open to possibilities that otherwise might not have been revealed.
What Did We Learn?
About the students…
About ourselves…
About the students…
- That students didn’t know what a measure was.
- That many students have trouble tracking music as they play.
- That students can actually do more things than we thought without a teacher physically present.
About ourselves…
- That we needed to review music terms. (Uh— a little more than we thought.)
- That we needed to get creative or lose them completely.
- That we can more easily adapt to new situations than we thought we could.
We Are Not Alone
Amazingly, and thankfully, music educators around the globe have had our backs. Aside from ample technological advice, there has been an ongoing surge of available resources that can add additional creativity and fun to our lessons. As colleagues, we can support each other by sharing ideas or websites that we come across from time to time. Let’s share our thoughts, ideas and resources with each other by clicking COMMENT on this blog. Here are just two that I recently came by:
Amazingly, and thankfully, music educators around the globe have had our backs. Aside from ample technological advice, there has been an ongoing surge of available resources that can add additional creativity and fun to our lessons. As colleagues, we can support each other by sharing ideas or websites that we come across from time to time. Let’s share our thoughts, ideas and resources with each other by clicking COMMENT on this blog. Here are just two that I recently came by:
- MusicEducatorResources.com
You can subscribe for free to Jennifer Foxx’s newsletter that informs you of ideas, online games and workshops. In addition, she gives away a freebie each month! - Colorful Keys YouTube Channel
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