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I'm on a Tight Budget, Should I Just Hire the Cheapest Instructor?

Staff Writer — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 16:39:21 -0800

So, you've decided to hire a private instructor for your little angel (or yourself!). Employing a private teacher to help develop new skills or clear up confusion about a subject, such as math or piano, can be very effective. It provides instant direction and feedback to keep students progressing towards a goal. And someone well versed in a subject is often capable of clearing up confusions (or keeping them from starting) and identifying key elements to success.

I was hoping getting started would be as simple as calling the cheapest person on the list and setting a date for our first lesson. Sadly, I learned that this was not the case.

Like many parents, I have seen my kids go through activity after activity and quit after a few weeks. Soccer, ballet, swimming, guitar, ice-skating, rollerblading, hockey, basketball (yes, the rusty hoop is still in my driveway). Altogether, I must have spent over $2000. And you know what I discovered? My kids were quitters. Not only that, but they had lost CONFIDENCE in themselves. And it was actually me and my husband’s fault. Our kids had decided that they couldn’t get good at something because they were just not talented. Not the case.

We had not set them up for success by:

1) FINDING the RIGHT instructor the first time instead of “cheaping out”; and

2) FORCING (but in a good way) the kiddies to actually PRACTICE each day to see progress and feel like a success.

I know there are some great articles on here about setting a successful practice schedule, so I’ll focus on telling you how we were finally able to find the right instructor.

First, take time to find a tutor who fits your needs and fits them well. Hire a great instructor to get the RIGHT FOUNDATION. A bad or mediocre instructor, even if the child is young, is the fastest way to perpetuate the “I don’t want to anymore” comments we so often hear from the kids. This cycle is likely to breed an entire generation of quitters and destroy your bank account. Five lessons with the cheap instructor for $30 an hour will likely end with a $150 bill and a child that quits because they aren’t making good progress. But, two lessons with a great instructor for $50 will likely build their confidence, and keep them invested in mastering that skill. In my family, that means my kids are less likely to feel like failures.

Life can be tough. I want my kids to have a great shot at mastering two or three activities rather than failing at a dozen. I wish my eight year old knew naturally what was best for her, but if that were the case, we’d be welcoming Zac Efron into the family next summer.

Step up to the plate and give them the best start possible and then make them practice. This will help them build a lifetime of confidence that will permeate everything else they ever do. Here are some great tips on finding the right instructor fit:

Personality Fit

Talk with each candidate and ask them about their tutoring experience. Also, ask what methods they use to help their students understand a difficult concept. How do they work with young children?

Take the time to assess how comfortable you feel with this individual. Do you get the sense the instructor will hold your child's attention? Would they encourage them to master their craft?

References

Once you have narrowed your search to two or three candidates, call references. Ask about their experience with the tutor. Also get an idea of consistency. Make sure the tutor is not always canceling or unavailable.

Price

After you have called several tutors, you will begin to see a trend in the average price based on quality. Chances are, you will find a tutor that is a good personality fit and price fit if you do your homework.

Feel free to encourage the instructor to set longer term goals – “In 6 weeks, my daughter will be able to get an A on her math test” or “In 6 weeks, my son will be able to play his favorite Beatles song on the guitar”. This will also keep you involved in the progress and make you feel comfortable that your $300 investment was worth it.

Remember, a quality teacher will need to invest in themselves and their business to be great. Asking someone to drive 30-40 minutes each way to your home and work with your child for an hour for only $30 is not likely to bring you the quality person you seek. The instructor will likely realize that they could earn more elsewhere and quit on you – leaving your wonderful children wondering why.

Great instructors do, however, like great students. If you are consistent, do not cancel lessons they had set aside for you, and pay promptly, they are very likely to reward you with a discount, usually for a bulk number of hours/lessons.

Since my husband and I changed our ways, our kids have grown tremendously. Our son was even chosen to play guitar at an assembly in front of his school. We hope you find our perspective helpful in your private instructor decisions. Good luck!

Is Your Child Ready For Private Music Lessons?

Staff Writer — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 16:43:13 -0800

If you're anything like the rest of us crazy parents, you want the best for your child. And that means providing every opportunity for them to develop into the little musician you know they can be. Perhaps a tutor can harness their energy and help to bring out their maximum potential. The question is, how do you know when it's the right time to enroll your kiddo in music lessons?

Believe me, this is a question I have been asking myself, since my son was born. He's two now and LOVES anything to do with music. Recently, we got a Musician's Friend catalog in the mail, filled with all kinds on instruments. He quickly laid claim to it and has been carting it everywhere. Car rides have never been so peaceful!

With this unaltered affection for music, especially the drums, I think my son could be amazing and possibly even have a future in the music industry. The problem I have is that I don't want to squash this desire nor do I want to push him too hard, only to send him running for the hills. Can you relate? Here's the criteria I use to determine readiness for music lessons with a private instructor.

1. Is there a specific instrument my child is gravitating towards?

If your answer is yes, then you will want to look for a tutor who specializes in this area. For example, although my son loves the guitar and keyboards as well, he clearly spends more time with the drums or any makes shift set of kitchen utensils and bowls he can get his hands on.

2. What age does my local private instructor recommend?

Find out what your local instructor recommends. More importantly, look for an instructor with plenty of experience tutoring children who are the same age as your child. Handling a three-year old on the drums vs. a six-year old is a huge difference.

3. Does my child have the attention span to sustain a 30-45 minute lesson?

This can be a tricky question to answer. Here's why. My son will play the drums for a much longer period of time if he has a captive audience. Yes, he likes to show off. Without an audience the actual drum set doesn't get as much play... he's just as happy to pull out the pots and pans while I'm cooking. Why haven't I invested in some earplugs?

With an instructor, you have a built in audience and someone new that they will probably listen more attentively to. So, when answering this question take these factors into consideration.

4. Are my child's motor skills advanced enough for this instrument?

I have no doubt that my son will play more than one instrument over the course of his lifetime. But, right now he is really only coordinated enough to play the drums. He still has trouble using a fork or spoon consistently, so the fine motor skills necessary for say, the guitar are definitely not there yet.

5. Can I make the commitment necessary for my child to succeed with private music lessons?

Finally, and perhaps most important of all, you must consider the commitment required of a parent who enrolls their child in private music lessons. Have you thought about where this will fit into your weekly schedule? How you will encourage and track practice time? Who will transport your child and/or be present while the tutor is working with your little one? How long will you stick with it when your child still seems to be making 'noise'?

Private music lessons can be more rewarding for you and your child than you ever thought possible. The best approach is to do your homework. Talk to other parents about their experiences. This way you can be realistic about what to expect. Also, talk to the tutor about how your child is progressing. It might seem to you like your child is not progressing or even paying attention during lessons. But any tutor worth his/her salt can tell whether their student is going to progress or not.

Above all, maintain a positive and encouraging attitude with your little musician. Take them to musical events and show them what is possible with practice and time. Set expectations for practice and follow through right up front, before even the first lesson. Review expectations frequently, but keep it positive and fun at all times. And, never hesitate to invite the grandparents over for a little impromptu concert.

The Best Structure for Music Lessons and Practice Schedules

Staff Writer — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 16:37:51 -0800

There are many different thoughts and opinions about practice schedules when it comes to music lessons. Ask ten different private music instructors and you may find five or more different ideas about this topic. Some will be quite fervent and adamant that their approach is the best and only way that works, but the truth is that it will all depend on the individual student.

Each instrument will pose its own unique set of challenges as well. If your child is taking guitar lessons, for example, then the first months will be the most challenging, and the most frustrating. Guitar strings will dig into the fingertips and hurt, but not only that, the strings will tend to be muted and dull when strummed. It can be difficult to notice improvement when day after day, week after week, he or she simply cannot hear the notes ringing out.

This is why it is strongly recommended to break up guitar practice schedules into shorter increments, rather than hour-long blocks of time. This idea is geared toward beginning guitar students who have just started, or are planning on starting to take guitar lessons.

By breaking up the practice time into ten to fifteen minute increments, for example, the student is given the opportunity to rest his or her fingers as well as the muscles in their hands. When we first start playing guitar, the longer the practice sessions go, the harder we try to press down on the strings, being told to play through the pain in our fingertips. By pressing down harder, though, what happens is that you begin to use the wrong muscles. Even the correct muscles begin to work in a way that isn’t natural or appropriate.

This can potentially lead to other problems far into the future, but we don’t often worry about Carpal Tunnel Syndrome when we’re talking about children. Yet the seeds of positive performance and habits are sown in these earliest days.

Dividing the practice schedule helps the student rest and have time to think about what they were working on, what went well, and what they may have been doing wrong. It also helps with posture. If you’ve ever watched over a child who is taking guitar lessons, as they practice, they slowly hunch over the guitar further and further, which is neither good for their playing habits or their body.

Guitar lessons, as with any music lessons, are like a marathon. Runners of all kinds go through a ritual of stretching that helps get the blood moving through the body and keeps muscles from being damaged during the run. When the student is getting ready to sit down and practice, they should develop a routine that will help get their body ready to play. If you watch some of the worlds best musicians prepare to go out on stage and perform, you will notice that they have a routine they go through themselves.

This routine could consist of stretching the fingers or playing air guitar or air piano, rolling their head along their neck to loosen up, or even doing jumping jacks. Any time the body is going to be straining muscles to perform a task is to spend a good time to warming up and playing music is no exception.

Children don’t offer consider warm-ups necessary as they are extremely limber and active to begin with, but it’s about routine. The body remembers routine and begins to expect it and prepare for it each day. If your child is taking piano lessons or guitar lessons, for example, or any music lessons for that matter, you can help them develop a positive practice routine by exercising with them. Go through some finger exercises and stretch the arms and neck. Once the blood is flowing, a positive feeling will be inherent in the student as they practice and their body will begin to anticipate practicing in a positive way.

As far as what time of day is ideal for practicing, this is entirely up to the family and the student’s unique schedule. Many children play sports or do other after school activities and don’t get home until dinnertime. Homework should always come first, however, but if there is only fifteen minutes available at the end of the day to practice, then it should still be taken advantage of.

There is a school of thought that believes that practicing right before bed is not the best time, and they may be right, but it’s still better than not practicing at all. Whatever time that your child practices for his or her guitar lessons should be consistent from day to day. If it’s at 7pm, then it should be at 7pm every day unless a meeting or special event comes up.

When a consistent schedule is developed, then the student will already be preparing to practice even before he or she gets into the room and picks up the instrument.

How Do I Broach the Topic of Money with My Clients?

Staff Writer — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:39:35 -0800

Private tutoring and providing instruction in an area where your skills and experience set you apart from the rest can be a great way to earn an income. Plus you will work for yourself, which comes with many benefits. Aside from the benefits of getting to set your own schedule and choose the clients you would like to work with, there is also the benefit of potentially earning a higher wage than you would working for a company.

Let's be honest, almost everyone could use a little more income each month. So, how do you set your rates and protect the integrity of what you do to ensure that you get paid what you're worth? Consider the list below as a guideline for establishing good terms with your clients so that you will never have to deal with late payments, lack of payment, or compromising your fee.

1. Be Direct

At the very first meeting with new clients, bring up the price you charge. Do not avoid the issue. Obviously, your clients are aware that any kind of tutoring will cost them something. Just let them know that you are confident about your ability to provide what they need. Your experience and confidence will convey that the price you have set is appropriate.

2. Hold Firm To Your Price

The only time you should ever offer a discount on your price is if you are running an introductory offer or you decide to give a discount when a client books a bulk number of hours at one time and pays up front.

When new clients are asking you to match someone else's price, hold firm. One of two things will happen here. They will either work with someone else because price is the most important thing. Or, they will want to work with you badly enough that they will pay what you ask. The bottom line is, there are only so many hours in a day. Don't fill it up with people who are unwilling to pay your price, when there are plenty of clients out there who will.

3. Explain Important Details

You are the expert at your business. During the first meeting, cover all the 'need to knows' with your client. This way you avoid confusion that could lead to an unwillingness to pay for services provided.

Cover topics like:

Are the lessons billed in blocks?

What are the accepted forms of payment?

How do you charge if a student misses a lesson?

How do you compensate the student if you miss a lesson?

What are the agreed upon holidays/vacations?

What is the best method of communication if schedules move?

Finally, have these points summarized in an Understanding Agreement that is signed by both student and teacher in case problems arise. Have a signature card for each lesson in case there is a dispute. Proper documentation will help you keep things professional. Plus, you will be protected from clients who might otherwise take advantage of you.

How a Student Can Best Develop a Practice Schedule

Staff Writer — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:33:14 -0800

Many children begin music lessons because they have seen a musician on television, and have determined that they want to be like that person. Unfortunately for parents, this may mean that their child aspires to be the drummer for their very own loud, garage band! Whether their child’s goal is to play at Carnegie Hall or to perform at the elementary school talent show next semester, one thing is certain: the only way that anyone can master their musical instrument is through consistent, daily practice.

Like developing a tennis swing or rolling a bowling ball without it landing in the gutter, one learns to play a musical instrument through the development of muscle memory. Muscle memory helps us in all physical activity. When babies begin to learn to walk, they have not yet developed muscle memory for walking. This results in lots of false starts, missteps, and falls. Eventually, as the child repeats the attempts to walk, her muscles “remember” what they need to do, and she becomes a proficient walker. After some time, she walks without even thinking about it, and with no missteps or falls. This is the result of muscle memory. Repetition and frequent practice with a musical instrument result in similar muscle memory. One challenge to achieving repetition and frequent practice is scheduling and structuring practice time.

Children today lead busy lives. Parents remember a time when they (as children) would go to school, come home, play outside, eat dinner, do homework, and go to bed. Today’s children have after-school programs, soccer practice, little league baseball, gymnastics, and private music lessons. With the busy lives children lead, they often need adults to help them schedule and structure their practice time.

Schedule a Time

The first challenge is scheduling practice time. Any child who goes to school all day, then goes to a scout meeting after school, then straight to a soccer match, before arriving home at 6:30 is going to be exhausted, and unlikely to want to practice for their upcoming piano lesson. One solution might be to schedule a practice time before they leave for school each day. Even 15 minutes of efficient practice time before school, if carefully structured, may be more effective than a half-hour or more of practice time in the evening after a full, tiring day. If this is not feasible, then a set practice time each day is also an effective solution. Most children like to have some input in such decisions, so allowing them to set their practice time is often motivating to them.

Practice Structure

Once a practice time is set, children may need assistance with structuring their practice time. Children really do need structure, and developing a specific plan to their practice time is akin to goal-setting (which will help them in any number of ways in other settings as they grow older).

For younger children, it is best to help them structure their practice time in small increments. A child in the early elementary grades might have a 10-minute practice time, while a child in upper elementary school might practice 20 or 30 minutes. For young children, sit with them and develop a written plan for what their practice session should look like. Be mindful that most young children would rather play things a certain number of times rather than for a given amount of time. Consider this example for piano:

Sample Practice Schedule for Younger Children

1. Pick out a new piece and try to play the first line 2 times. (Sight reading)

2. Play the key of C scale 3 times with your right hand, then 3 times with your left hand. Then play the key of C scale 2 times with hands together.

3. Play your new piece for the week. Play it with your right hand 1 time. Play it with your left hand 1 time. Play it with both hands together 2 times.

An older child might structure their practice time in terms of minutes rather than the number of repetitions. They might divide their session in order to address different skills, such as sight reading and exercises or scale. A practice session for this child might look like this:

Sample Practice Schedule for Older Children

1. Sight reading new material (5 minutes)

2. Play old pieces in the key of D (or whatever key of the week they choose) (10 minutes)

3. Exercises and scales (5 minutes)

4. Play new pieces (15 minutes)

Daily practice is important, and although children may not always be 100% excited about this consistent repetition, it is the only way that they will become proficient musicians. To encourage motivation, partner with them to help plan their practice sessions, and allow them to “mark off” what they complete from their list. This feeds their sense of accomplishment, which, along with your positive feedback and support, will result in a strong, well-rounded musician and student.

Special Learning Strategies for Music Lessons

Staff Writer — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:37:37 -0800

For anyone who has studied music, they understand that practice is one of the most important elements of improvement. Without practice, there won’t be any real, measurable improvement and that means that music lessons will mean that you are merely throwing money away. It can be difficult, though, for children especially, to grasp the long-range goals of practice and exercise. Music lessons are different than educational lessons, such as math or English or history, for example. With these traditional school related subjects, they are fully dependent on mental exercise and learning rather than physical and mental.

Having some learning strategies in place for music lessons can go a long way toward getting the most out of piano or guitar lessons or any other instrument for that matter.

One of the most fundamental strategies is to maintain a consistent practice schedule when taking music lessons. The human body is a machine with a built in clock that begins to process information and prepare muscles for the task ahead. If you’ve ever woken up on a weekend at the same time you do during the week but without the alarm clock, then you have witnessed the body’s amazing ability to know what time it is naturally.

Animals are a great example of this, too. Animals are very dependent on routine and you will notice that they wake up at the same time every morning. Their routine is the same; they expect to eat at the same time, they wait for their walk at the same time, and they will even wait by the door at the precise time you are expected to arrive home.

Setting a consistent practice schedule will begin to prepare the body for the routine of music exercises. Not only will this form of expectation arise at a subconscious level, but given enough consistency, the student will soon begin to look forward to sitting down to practice. For younger children, it can be quite a challenge to tear them away from a video game or TV show or time with their friends to practice, but within a few weeks, they will typically be ready to go and start practicing without being told.

Another benefit to a consistent practice schedule during music lessons is that improvement will be seen much more quickly. The student will begin to play passages and exercise with fluid ease that initially caused him or her great frustration or aggravation. It’s far too easy in this modern fast-paced environment to skip a lesson or practice time here or there, but what this does in fact is create a negative pattern. Also, when the mind and hands begin to improve with a task but then miss a day or two, then that improvement can be lost.

Create a comfortable and quiet practice area for your child or student. Practice time should be a time of focus and if the student is taking piano lessons, for example, and the piano at home is in the living room and the television is on or his or her siblings are playing games around the room, then this distraction will hamper progress. If possible, make sure the instrument or practice area is in a room that can be closed off from distractions. If that’s not possible, then find something for the rest of the household to do in another area of the house.

The mind should be completely focused on the exercises and patterns during music lessons so that they become ingrained and integrated at their highest capacity.

Use rewards for effort. These rewards can come in the form of a special treat such as candy or ice cream, or in an allowance, or even being able to choose the television program the family will watch during their next family night together. There are hundreds of creative ways to instill positive reinforcement in a child and often it isn’t thought of during music lessons.

The idea here isn’t to reward improvement necessarily, but the effort. If the student makes a concerted effort to practice, for example he or she sits down and practices for the full half hour or hour that is allotted without being reminded constantly, then this is effort that should be rewarded. Once the effort is made, then improvement will come naturally.

Plan a recital. This can be done through the private tutor or simply by calling friends and family and setting a date for the recital. Recitals give students something to aim for; a goal to achieve that can help motivate them to work harder to be at their best when the recital comes around. Of course, performing in front of people can be a nerve-racking experience so you want to keep it small, light, and extremely positive.

Music lessons open up a world and lifetime of possibility and having the right strategies in place during these music lessons will make all the difference between a positive experience and one that doesn’t quite live up to expectations.

Tutoring Strategies That Work for Math Students

Staff Writer — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:37:22 -0800

Whether you are an algebra tutor or geometry tutor or even a calculus tutor, there are certain techniques and strategies that will help you be a more effective algebra tutor or geometry tutor or calculus tutor. A tutor’s job is not to provide answers to the student, but rather to give them assistance in solving problems and understanding the methods behind the math.

For novice and experienced tutors alike, there are certain strategies that can help them become more effective in the process of tutoring and mentoring their students. For any tutor that feels he or she doesn’t need new strategies, or that their techniques are fine the way they are, all that can be said is that every year scientists and researchers uncover new methods, or revise old methods to be more efficient and effective. Some may actually work for you.

One thing that any tutor can do is to find training sessions and seminars that can offer unique and fresh ideas on the tutoring process. The lifelong learner is one who realizes and understands that he or she is not perfect and that there are countless methods in use today, some being more effective than others. For an algebra tutor, or geometry tutor, or calculus tutor, many students tend to have a difficult time with math. New techniques and approaches, and especially lessons and exercises are being designed that are more effective than the older, more traditional methods have been.

Check with the local school systems to find out if there are any special seminars or instructional courses being offered through them or that they know about. You can also check online for possible courses on tutoring techniques, and even more specific topics, such as algebra tutoring techniques and such. There may be downloadable seminars, or webinars, that will connect you to professionals from all over the country or the world.

Beyond the external factors that can offer fresh ideas and insights into tutoring, there are strategies you can employ directly with your students. First off, establish clear expectations with them from the beginning of the lessons. If you’re tutoring a student, then something brought them to you. It could be a teacher recommendation due to poor performance or understanding or a parent wanting some extra guidance for their child. Let them know what they need to do and what you will help them do during the tutoring sessions. It’s important to let them know you won’t be completing their homework assignments for them, but rather help them work through the problems.

Some students can become frustrated when they can’t grasp certain concepts or ideas, especially in math. Establish an expectation that if they become too frustrated, they will let you know and you two will take a short break to clear his or her head and then come back and start fresh. You may have to move on to another problem, or go back to some more basic problems.

Establish clearly defined boundaries and rules. It’s best if these are written down so that there is no misunderstanding at any time during the tutoring sessions. As an algebra tutor, geometry tutor, or calculus tutor, it is your obligation to provide these rules. Math is all about rules and by setting forth your own rules with the student, the two of you will know precisely what can be done and what cannot be done.

Be sure that the student knows that success isn’t expected to happen right away, but that you do expect them to succeed. If you trap them in a corner and demand that they successfully solve problems right away, you immediately create stress and stress is something that can be detrimental to any hope of long-term success and learning. Encourage them to accept that mistakes will happen and that certain problems will inherently be more difficult to solve than others. If they know this from the beginning, then students generally have more persistence to press forth when they don’t quite understand the problem at the outset.

Build a relationship and some level of trust. This takes time and patience on the part of both tutor and student. Your job as the algebra tutor, or geometry tutor, or even the calculus tutor, is not to change their behavior. Your job is to make adjustments to fit their behavior, methods or learning, and past experiences. You have more experience and understanding with these topics, so it is up to you to accommodate their needs. Don’t be condescending or berate the student for mistakes, or for even giving up on a problem. You can come back to it at another time.

Perhaps one of the most important strategies to consider as an effective tutor is knowing when the relationship isn’t working or that perhaps a different tutor would be best. Tutoring isn’t about you, the tutor, it’s about the student and you need to always recognize this and be aware of it.

How to Choose a Music Instructor that Best Fits You

Staff Writer — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 16:37:08 -0800

Choosing a music instructor is like choosing any other type of valuable service. The buyer should be fully apprised of the nature of the services that he or she will receive. Therefore, the selection of a music instructor should be the result of careful research of the potential instructor and reflection about what the student wishes to learn. If the student picks the wrong instructor, this choice may have a negative effect on his or her perception of music and music instruction for many years. Conversely, if the student picks the right instructor, the student may look forward to infinite satisfaction in learning musical skills as well as a lifelong appreciation for music. Therefore, the student must put forth time and effort in order to pick the right music instructor. The student should research the potential instructor’s qualifications, evaluate what he or she wishes to gain from the instruction, decide how much money to spend on these services, and be open to trying new instructors as time goes on. Once the student has decided that the instructor fits his or her particular needs, both student and instructor can begin upon a musical relationship that is mutually rewarding and fulfilling.

Before choosing a music instructor, the student should research the instructor’s qualifications. Students should speak with instructor references who may be familiar with the instructor’s teaching methods and qualifications. Students may also contact the instructor and arrange a time to meet and discuss any questions that the student may have regarding the nature and type of musical instruction that the instructor will provide.

In these discussions, the student should clearly state what he or she wishes to learn to ensure that the instructor has the knowledge and desire to provide instruction in this area. For example, if the student wants to learn to play classical piano and the instructor only teaches modern music and has no background in classical instruction, the student should keep looking. Also, if the student performs at the college level, he or she should choose an instructor with experience and knowledge of music at that level. During these discussions, the student should also ask the instructor what type of instructional materials will be required for the lessons and the cost of the materials. The student should ask the instructor on what day and at what time the lessons will be held so that the student can make certain that he or she can attend the lessons at the scheduled time. Further, the student should get a good sense for the consistency of an instructor’s schedule due to any performances and travel they may have.

The student should have a rough estimate for how much they wish to pay for the lessons. Once the student determines an appropriate price, the student should search for an instructor who offers his or her services in that range. The student should keep in mind that specialty, “in-home” and higher level classes may cost more money. The student should also research what these types of lessons usually cost to ensure that their expectations are aligned with what that service costs from a qualified instructor (not just the lady down the street). Students should try to find an instructor that offers a discount for a bulk of lessons at one time, as a commitment to learning an instrument takes time and practice to see results. If things to do not work out, be sure to understand what your instructor’s cancellation policy is to prevent any confusion down the road.

Just as students have different classroom teachers from year to year, a time may come when a change of music instruction is in order. Students should be open to changing music instructors from time to time, as instructors may retire or move to another location. Further, as students grow and their skills develop, they may benefit greatly from the varied teaching styles that are offered by different instructors. Choosing a music instructor is one of the most important aspects of a student’s music education. However, the rewards of this choice far outweigh the time and effort spent on this endeavor.

Playing the Trumpet - Special Techniques for Success

Staff Writer — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 16:36:53 -0800

Are you learning how to play the Trumpet? Novice musicians must remember that sage wisdom that has been handed down from musician to musician throughout the ages – practice makes perfect. The establishment of a daily practice routine is essential to the success of learning how to play the trumpet. Once you learn how to read music, play the necessary notes, and follow the direction of the band leader or the music tutor, the musician should endeavor to hone his or her skills by mastering the following techniques.

Breath Control

As with an Olympic swimmer or a deep sea diver, a novice trumpet player must learn the secret of breath control. The ability to control your breathing is a critical skill that you must master to be able to play the trumpet. A trumpet player must learn to take deep breaths that fill the lungs and expand the abdomen. When the trumpet player exhales, the speed at which the air is expelled through the lips determines whether the volume of the note is loud or soft and whether the length of the note is long or short. The air should be pushed from deep within the diaphragm, so that the resulting notes will be played in tune and with the appropriate volume.

You may practice the correct method of inhaling and exhaling anytime, even when a trumpet is not readily available. To do so, you should inhale deeply and exhale with lips pursed. When it is time to exhale, you should tighten the abdomen and push the air steadily and slowly from the diaphragm. After practicing this exercise, your abdomen may feel as though you’ve been doing sit-ups or crunches. If you happen to be practicing with the trumpet, you should practice by playing a note for a long time while steadily and consistently pushing the air from the diaphragm. The trumpet player should repeat this exercise. Next, the trumpet player should begin playing the note softly and then slowly increase the volume, while always being aware that the air should pushed evenly from the diaphragm.

Mouthpiece Pressure

Another important technique that a trumpet player must practice is the amount of the pressure of the mouthpiece upon his or her lips. Some trumpet players press the mouthpiece of the trumpet much too hard upon the lips when they try to play either loud or high notes. Applying too much pressure hurts and tires the lips. A trumpet player should rely on breath control rather than the pressure of the mouthpiece to control the range and volume of the notes.

The trumpet is a great instrument on which novice musicians can begin their musical career. The techniques and skills that are used in playing the trumpet can be transferred to other musical instruments as well. For example, the French horn is another instrument that shares similarities to the trumpet. The French horn requires the player to utilize the same type of breath control that you use when playing a trumpet. Further, the French horn also has a similar mouthpiece to the trumpet.

Instrument Care

In addition to musical technique, care of your musical instrument also contributes to your success with the instrument. The trumpet has three valves which need to be cleaned and treated often with valve oil. Further, the mouthpiece needs to be cleaned often to keep it free from germs and food particles. You can purchase the necessary cleaning supplies and products at stores that sell musical instruments, as well as online outlets, stores, or locations. The trumpet should also be wiped down regularly with a soft cloth, such as a microfiber cloth or a cotton cloth diaper. This prevents the oil in the player’s fingers from eroding the trumpet’s finish. The trumpet player should always place the trumpet in its case at the conclusion of play to prevent scratches and dents. The case should have the player’s name and contact information clearly displayed in the event that the trumpet is lost.

The trumpet is one of the most commanding musical instruments in the brass instrument family. Its ringing notes grip the melody and hold the listener captive during a rousing concerto. During a jazz selection, the trumpet’s rhythmic slurs and dips can pull people onto a dance floor before they realize they have left their seats. Practice, breath control, and proper maintenance of your trumpet can yield astounding results and can give both player and listener endless hours of enjoyment.

The Right Music Teacher Can Make a World of Difference

Staff Writer — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 16:36:36 -0800

Music teachers and music teaching jobs can be found just about everywhere you look. In the newspapers, on community bulletin boards, and even online is a never-ending list of music teachers, both of high quality and inexperience. Many music teachers have jobs beyond being an instructor and take on this role because of their love and passion for music. Others are defined by the music that they teach as it is their full-time profession.

Many parents seeking music teachers for their children don’t have a great amount of experience in the instrument of choice. Whether it’s piano or guitar or a brass or wind instrument, it can be difficult to gauge whether the music instructor truly knows what he or she is doing or is merely quite good at playing the part. Yet the right music teacher can make all the difference in whether your child enjoys and learns the instrument of drifts away from it over time.

Music teaching jobs can range from fairly inexpensive to outright offensive in price. The more expensive the music teacher usually means that they are more experienced, though this isn’t a tried and true fact of life. It’s certainly up to the individual family to decide whether they’d rather pay twenty dollars per lesson or one hundred, or more. For young students starting out with a new instrument, the more expensive music teachers may not be practical.

Whatever price you choose to pay for private piano lessons, or guitar lessons, or any other instrument, the right teacher will make a world of difference. Some music teacher jobs, in their own philosophy, that is, is to ride the student as hard as they can to get them to practice and learn the material given every week. These music teachers rule with an iron fist and promote discipline and hard work. They will have no compunction to belittle or berate a student for coming to a lesson unprepared. While some parents would find this approach to be passé and offensive, there are others who believe that is precisely what their child needs to get them to practice and study.

Other music teachers will have a different approach altogether and be more relaxed with their rules and expectations for the lessons. The student may arrive to their piano lessons without having practiced more than a few minutes for the entire week and the teacher will simply smile and work through the next lesson regardless. The student in this case won’t be learning anything and in fact will soon become frustrated as the lessons move well beyond his or her ability to perform.

Perhaps the best balance is somewhere in the middle. Music should be something that a student can appreciate and not dread. Of course, for many kids these days, they merely want to come home and play on the computer or their video games or hang out with their friends and the idea of practicing Bach or Chopin or Gershwin isn’t something they care much about. Parents tend to be very busy these days so they may never even realize that their child isn’t practicing.

Having a music teacher who is willing to share with you any concerns he or she may have about your child’s progress can be important. Some music teaching jobs may consist of seeing the student, collecting the money at the end of the lesson, and waiting for next week to add to their coffers. A teacher who is concerned with their student’s progress more than the money the piano lessons, or guitar lessons, or other lessons, brings in every week is an asset to any busy parent.

When the teacher is willing to spend some time with you after a lesson to inform you of the progress made, or lack thereof, can help you keep abreast of your child’s progress. Nothing is more demoralizing to a parent than to find out a year after the fact that the weekly lessons they’ve been paying for have amounted to essentially nothing. Music requires a commitment and a fair amount of practice to become good at it and quality music teachers understand this.

Music teaching jobs are far too easy for some people to find and this opens the door to any number of people who may not be qualified to be effective teachers. The best idea for any parent is to ask around. Other parents will undoubtedly know quality music teachers in the area. Also, you can check with local music stores or go online to find out who is recommended in your area.

Having the right music teacher for your child can be the difference between a lifelong passion that continues to build or an experience they dread every week

Best Approaches to Teaching

Staff Writer — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 16:36:18 -0800

Whether you are interested in part-time tutoring jobs or full-time teaching jobs, you must begin these endeavors with the following question: What are the best approaches to teaching students so that students can maximize their learning potential? The answer is that there is no right answer. There is no one specific instructional practice that fits every content area or subject. However, one objective is clear. Teachers should give students the tools to allow them to become active learners and participants in the world rather than passive learners who simply reiterate facts and figures.

One way to best approach teaching is to recognize that teachers should constantly work on their technique and methods. Teachers should consistently search for ways to improve the quality of their teaching so that students may benefit from an experienced, versatile, and well-rounded educator. However, teachers should also try to avoid falling into the trap of attempting new teaching techniques simply because these methods are touted as new. Of course, the reverse premise is also true

Another way to best approach teaching is to create a setting that allows students to take full advantage of the instruction. This setting is created when the teacher is fully prepared to teach the lesson. Preparation begins with clear objectives of what should be taught and the means that the teacher will use to teach these objectives. Teachers should also create a positive and supportive learning environment where students feel that their opinions are valued and respected. Students are more likely to participate and actively engage in the learning experience if they do not have to worry that their views will be ridiculed or discounted.

In an effort to create a supportive learning atmosphere, teachers should be aware that you often teach students who come from diverse socioeconomic, ethnic, and religious backgrounds. Teachers should be cognizant of the diversity within their student population in an effort to avoid inadvertent statements or actions that could be seen as discriminatory or hurtful to their students.

An additional way to best approach teaching is to realize that there are varied learning styles among students, and you must incorporate these different styles into instructional practices in an effort to help students achieve their full learning potential. For example, some students are auditory learners who learn best when instruction is centered toward discussion and lecture. Some students are visual learners who learn best by the use of visual aids, such as charts and diagrams, to convey information. Some students are kinesthetic learners who learn best by hands-on instruction, such as math manipulatives and models. If teaching styles and methods are targeted to a variety of learners, more students will have a greater chance of academic success.

Teachers can best approach teaching by implementing successful and effective teaching methods. When teaching a lesson, teachers should state the purpose, or objective, of the lesson and also state why learning this material is important to students. If the students feel that the subject of the lesson relates to them, they take an active interest in learning the material. It is very important that the teacher establish this connection between the subject matter to be learned and the students, so that the students do not feel that they are learning in a vacuum. Another way to effectuate active instruction is to encourage student participation in the lesson. Teachers should ask engaging questions that foster discussion and also ask students to research the answers if the students are unable to provide the correct answers in class. Teachers may also provide guided notes for the students in which the teacher provides an outline to the lesson but leaves portions of the outline blank. Therefore, the students must listen carefully and engage in the lesson to be able to successfully complete the outline. Teachers should also provide closing comments or points at the end of the lesson to summarize and review the essential content in lesson.

Effective teachers must continually strive to employ the best approaches and methods for teaching students. Though some teachers seem to have a natural ability to implement positive and successful instruction, all teachers should unfailing endeavor to improve their teaching abilities. When a teacher puts his or her best efforts into actively engaging all students, he or she cultivates learners who will be well-prepared to run the fast-paced and ever-changing course of the next generation.

How Students Can Get the Most Out of Their Private Lessons

Staff Writer — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 16:36:02 -0800

Private lessons can be an effective tool to assist students in achieving their academic and musical goals. The benefits of private lessons include allowing students to work at their own pace during the lessons, scheduling lessons at their own convenience, and working with a private tutor to tailor the instruction to suit the students’ needs. The following hints may help students get the most out of their private lessons.

Select Carefully

Pick a private tutor that is well-matched to the students’ needs and goals. As in all relationships, compatibility between the students and the private tutor is one of the keys to effective and successful private lessons. A private tutor should be someone to whom students can easily and comfortably relate. Students need to select a tutor based on teaching methods and skills – not based on the opinions of others. Private lessons are a personal experience and the quality and effectiveness of the tutor are best judged by the personal opinion of the student.

Be on Time

Be on time. Students need to ensure that they arrive at their lessons promptly. A prompt student shows the instructor that the student values the instructor’s time and wishes to learn. Being on time also guarantees that the student will not miss any instruction thereby maximizing the effectiveness of the lesson. A reliable transportation method is essential in helping students to arrive at their lessons on time.

Select a Good Venue

Confirm that the private lessons are going to take place in an environment conducive to learning. Students need to make sure that the private lessons are not going to be interrupted by ringing phones, other students, or any other distraction that may detract from learning. Prior to beginning private lessons, students should note where the lessons will take place, such as a school classroom, the tutor’s home, or the student’s home. Students should discuss with the tutor what measures the tutor will take to minimize distractions, i.e., turning off the ringers on cell phones, providing a comfortable and quiet place to work, and providing a waiting area for other students to stay while they wait for their lesson to begin.

Discuss Study Materials

Confirm that the private tutor uses well-established materials and methods. Nationally recognized educators and institutions have developed resources and materials that the tutor may utilize in private lessons. These materials usually address a wide range of learners from beginners to advanced learners. These materials are often available nationwide and are usually upgraded periodically to reflect the most recent changes in the practice area. Students should discuss what resources or course of study the tutor plans to employ to make certain that the students receive the most up-to-date instruction available to them. Using well-established materials and methods also ensures that future instruction and learning will occur with little interruption if the student relocates and has to find a new tutor.

Set a Practice Schedule

Set a time to practice at home. In order to maximize the instruction from the private lessons, students need to establish a daily practice schedule at home. Practicing at home is most effective if it is done at the same time everyday to establish a routine that the students can easily follow. Students may benefit from practicing earlier in the day rather than right before bed, as they are likely to have more energy and will be more focused on practicing the skills taught in the private lessons. When determining the most effective time and means to practice, students may find that repeating an exercise is often more beneficial than blocking out specific time periods in which to practice. For example, a student may choose to practice multiplication tables by doing thirty problems per day rather than saying, “I am going to practice my multiplication facts for twenty minutes each day.”

Recognize a Job Well Done

Parents can also assist students in achieving the maximum benefit from their private lessons. By utilizing praise and other positive reinforcement, parents show students that the students’ effort and dedication are valued. If the students’ work is appreciated than the students will continue to exert their best efforts during the private lessons.

As evidenced by the foregoing helpful hints, there are a variety of ways in which students can get the most out of their private lessons. When students work to achieve the greatest benefit from their private lessons, they are rewarded with a keen sense of accomplishment at the acquisition of new skills and improvement of existing skills. As their sense of satisfaction grows, students gain self-confidence and the knowledge that they can tackle any challenge that life may place before them.

Becoming a Private Tutor and the Value to Students

Staff Writer — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 16:35:38 -0800

Have you ever asked the question, ‘What do I need to do to become a private tutor? If so, you’re not alone and you are, in fact, entering into a wonderful world that offers incredible value and benefit to students from all walks of life. Private tutor jobs can be difficult to find for someone who is trying to break into tutoring. Whether it’s high school math tutoring or tutoring part time, the fundamentals are the same. You need to be very comfortable with the subject and comfortable teaching someone one-on-one.

Tutoring, at its core, is private instruction. Of course, you aren’t teaching the student new material. Instead, your job is to guide them through the process of learning something new, typically something that has caused them some difficult or proven impossible to understand up to this point.

So, back to your question: ‘what do I need to do to become a private tutor?’ First of all, check with your community school system. Find out what, if any, certifications or requirements are necessary for you to become a private tutor. Is this absolutely necessary? After all, you’re only planning to accept a few students from friends or referrals. Why would you need to be certified? Well, it depends entirely on the state and the county that you live in, but some states are quite strict about their policies on teaching minors. Children under 18 are protected under the statute of the law much more fiercely than any other age group.

If you begin tutoring students without required certifications or licensers, then you are opening yourself to major legal problems down the road. Of course, if you are only planning on helping a friend’s child or a family member, then usually there will be no issues with this. Nor if you’re a student in high school yourself. In most states, though, you won’t have to jump through any hoops to become a tutor, but it’s best to be certain.

Go to the local schools in your neighborhood and talk with administrators about the process of becoming a tutor. You may be required to go through a background check and other qualifying research. No one wants to send their child to a stranger’s house without being assured that they are safe. Of course, you can advertise in the local newspapers or circulars and wait for the phone to ring, too. Many people find tutors this way. The Internet is becoming a predominant force in connecting people with needs to those that can fill those needs. Become affiliated with locally oriented sites that will put you in touch with parents seeking tutors.

Perhaps the most important thing you need to have in order to be a successful tutor is the desire to help others. Tutoring isn’t about making money, though it’s certainly possible to earn a fair wage tutoring. It’s about helping someone learn the topic that you are an expert in. If you’re a high school math tutor, then you have not only the education and experience to teach math and help students understand this troubling subject, but you love math as well and want others to at least appreciate it.

The value of tutoring jobs to students can be far too many to list in any article or report, but one of the most critical values for students is that they learn that with a little effort and some targeted guidance, they can do just about anything they put their mind to.

We teach our children every day that they can do whatever they want to in life, but as their high school careers move forward, for many of them, obstacles, roadblocks, and unforeseen difficulties arise. Math may have been simple for a student in ninth and tenth grade, but when they started with calculus in their junior or senior year, everything changed. Suddenly they were struggling to achieve passing grades and beginning to doubt their abilities in other subjects as well. Success is contagious and so is failure.

As a private tutor, your job includes helping the student to right their ship as well as showing them new strategies for approaching difficult problems. Some students want their tutors to solve their homework assignments for them and a few can even be quite clever in how they go about this deception. Your job is not to do the work for them but instead to guide them through the process.

Empowerment is an incredible benefit to any young life looking to the future with anticipation and hope. Their difficulties could stem from one topic that isn’t sinking in yet, or family problems at home. Being a private tutor also offers the student an extra shoulder to lean on and to feel that they have someone they can turn to when difficulties arise.

When you become a tutor, you become so much more than just a mentor and the value of that can never be overstated.

What is the Value of Private Instruction?

Staff Writer — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 16:35:23 -0800

Many parents might ask the question: If my child receives academic instruction all day at school, how could he possibly benefit from instruction private instruction from a tutor? If my child plays the clarinet in the beginner band at school, why should I enroll her in private music lessons? There is much value for students who undertake private instruction, either for academics or for music. These may be divided into two categories – learning benefits and social/emotional benefits.

Learning Benefits

The first and most obvious learning benefit for students in private instructional situations is the individualized attention that they receive. Tutors are able to provide specific, individualized help. An algebra tutor may be able to quickly determine that a student lacks the understanding of factoring, for example, and address that first, so that students can take that new learning back to the classroom. A private music instructor may recognize that a student’s fingering technique on the clarinet could be improved easily, and provide suggestions to the child for improvement. Because tutoring is most often a one-to-one teaching and learning situation, a private tutor is able to tailor his or her instruction to the child’s dominant learning style, and address the child’s specific learning needs.

In fact, one of the main strengths of private tutoring is the tutor’s ability to immediately identify student errors and correct them. Consider a typical classroom setting; a teacher has 20 students. She has just taught an initial lesson on long division, and has given her students 25 practice problems. Michael did not completely understand the division process, but completes all 25 problems. Incorrectly. That means that Michael has just practiced the process WRONG 25 times. This procedure is now somewhat ingrained in his memory as the way to divide. A tutor who sits one-on-one with Michael would be able to stop him immediately – right at the point he is making a mistake. That will “break the chain” of misunderstanding, and allow Michael to begin to re-learn the procedure correctly.

A second learning benefit is that children often feel that private instruction provides a “risk-free” environment, so they are willing to “go out on a limb”, even if they are unsure. Often, in classroom settings, students are reluctant to raise their hand to ask and answer questions. They are worried that others may think they are asking a “stupid question”, and they do not want their peers to think they do not understand. However, private tutors and instructors are able to establish that it is all right for the student to admit he or she does not understand. Tutors are able to address any misunderstandings of academic content or music performance in private – a situation to which students are very responsive.

A third learning benefit is that students are able to advance at their own rate of learning, free of competition. In academic classrooms and music classrooms, there is always an undertone of competition, as there are some children who always want to have the highest score on the timed math fact test or who want to be first-chair in the flute section of the band. A student who plays trombone in the 5^th grade orchestra, for example, may exhibit difficulty with scales, exercises, or music pieces. Working with a private instructor will allow him to improve his technique gradually, as he masters skill after skill at his own pace. The student is then able to take those mastered skills and apply them in the classroom or band room.

Social/Emotional Benefits

In addition to the learning benefits of private tutoring or private music lessons, there are also several social and emotional benefits. First, private instruction allows children the opportunity to develop relationships with another adult who is knowledgeable in the area of study. The tutor is just like another teacher, and the instructor giving private voice lessons is just like another chorus director. These relationships provide another facet for rich and meaningful learning of the content.

A second social/emotional benefit to students who undertake private instruction is that they often experience improved self-esteem, confidence, and attitudes. Think how much better Julie’s attitude would be toward math if the “gaps” were filled in for her, and she went from making D’s on her math tests to B’s? These gains in self-esteem and confidence often results from the increased feedback, praise, and encouragement that they receive in one-on-one learning situations.

Perhaps the most significant benefit of all is the ability of a private tutor and his or her student to focus on the mere process of learning, rather than only the outcome. Instead of emphasizing the completion of a project or the grade earned on a paper, the child can focus on HOW to do things: how to solve problems, how to set goals, and how to be proud of his accomplishments.

How Do I Make My Child Practice?

Staff Writer — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 16:42:42 -0800

Hopefully you will never have to deal with the issue of your child not wanting to practice their lessons. But, let's be realistic. There are many things that call out for our children's attention. And while we would like to think that their desires and priorities will always line up with ours, that is not always the case, especially depending on their age.

Friends, video games, television, homework, and any other extracurricular activity you may have enrolled your child in are all competing forces when it comes to regular practice time to reinforce those private lessons. Don't despair. There is hope! By following the simple guidelines laid out below, you can make practice time a cinch for everyone.

Provide Structure

Set a time and place that is free of distractions for your child to practice their lessons and review what they've learned with their private instructor each week.

Set And Enforce Clear Expectations

From the very beginning, talk with your child about the commitment that private lessons require. While encouraging how great they can become, explain that practicing every day is key to their success. Talk about how often and for how long you expect them to practice every day. Of course, this will vary depending on the age of your child. Talk to their instructor about the recommended practice regimen while your child is present, so everyone is on the same page.

Praise Positive Behavior

Verbally recognize when your child chooses to practice without resistance. Also, let them know when you hear them improving. "Wow, I can tell all that practice is really paying off! You sound like a professional."

Model Expected Behaviors

Following through with a commitment and seeing it through to completion is a huge lesson that every child should learn early in life. It sets them up for a lifetime of success, because, they will have a stick-to-it attitude and be less likely to give up when something is challenging.

As parents, we must show our children that there are things we don't always love doing (laundry, working, house cleaning, etc...) but getting them done provides rewards (good feeling, cleanliness, monetary compensation, etc...). When you can point this out, you a leveling the playing field and helping your child to feel like life is "fair".

Reward When Appropriate

Although you may not want to immediately begin a rewards system. If your child does show resistance to practicing, you can set up a tracking system. For every week without a missed practice reward them with an appropriate treat (ice cream, video game time, dinner out, etc...)

Above all, take care not to overload your child with too many commitments at one time. Just like adults, children need downtime. They need time to process everything that has happened in a day and to recharge for the next. Select just a few activities/subjects and really encourage them to excel in those fields so they build discipline, confidence and a tangible skill set.

How to Get a Student Engaged in Piano Lessons

Staff Writer — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 16:35:03 -0800

Many children throughout the world have taken to piano lessons with excitement and wonder, practicing every day and every evening, yet there are still countless children who dread the day those piano lessons roll around. Part of the reason for this lack of interest is in the music selections. Another reason has to do with the music teacher and the jobs, or assignments the student is given on a weekly basis.

Music is the language of the soul and in our modern, high-tech, reality TV society; it can difficult to get a child genuinely interested in piano lessons. For beginners of any instrument, the first few weeks and months can be the most trying and difficult to overcome. This is where the enjoyment and lifelong passion for music rests, and it is also the period of time when that passion can be lost forever.

It’s not the student’s job to make the piano lessons interesting and exciting. It’s up to the piano teacher, whose job it is to find the right balance, the harmony, if you will, between the basic earliest lessons and the core and heart of the music itself. Most of us at one time or another have seen a movie or a television show that depicts the cantankerous elderly female piano teacher sneering at her student who is merely trying to do his or her very best.

Accomplished musicians hear every mistake, every nuance that doesn’t work, in just about every piece of music that their students attempt to play. The student may come to the piano lessons with hope and excitement, honestly believing that they ‘nailed’ it this time, only to leave feeling dejected and that no matter what they do, they aren’t going to ever please their piano teacher.

Piano lessons should be viewed as an opportunity for all piano teachers. There are many jobs that piano teachers must take during this time, but the most important one is that of the mentor. You will find that there are some children who want to learn piano for their own desires and others who are being forced to take them because their parents believe that it builds character and will offer their life even more joy in the long run. While this last statement is completely true, the student will not be able to see that at the time. How many children truly understand the scope of their lessons while they are receiving them?

For piano teachers, it’s important to get their students engaged in the piano lessons, from start to finish. This requires some level of planning for each lesson. One of the most powerful things that any piano teacher can do is practice positive reinforcement. It’s difficult enough to struggle with scales and lesson exercises, but when a student comes into a piano lesson and hears only what they didn’t do right, it can become a chore more than something exciting to look forward to. And this is where many traditional piano teachers have failed.

Instead of pointing out what the student didn’t do right, which is actually negative, focus on the things that they did well and reinforce those accomplishments. For example, if the student played the first two bars of a song with precision, but the rest began to fall apart and they lost their place, don’t mention the other parts. The student will know that and that is what they’ll be focused on, not how well they started. Instead, commend him or her on the beginning of the piece and have them play those two bars several times, giving them accolades once more.

If the parents approve, then you can have a small candy dish near the piano and offer the student a treat after an exercise or at an interval of the lesson. You shouldn’t do this, though, without first speaking with the parents. They may not allow their child to eat candy or the child may actually be allergic to some candies.

Another strategy that can be helpful to keep students engaged in their piano lessons is to find out what music they enjoy listening to, asking them to give you a copy of it, and learning some of the basic note, or chord, progressions. At their next lesson, you can teach them the patterns and they’ll go home excited to play along with something familiar.

Classical piano is a beautiful art form, but many young children get so caught up in the modern music that they can’t quite appreciate it as you do. Giving them a glimpse into what it’s like to play music they are familiar with and love can open the door to a wealth of possibilities. Soon those students will be counting down the days until they can get back to piano lessons with you.

Strategies for Engaging Children in Lessons

Staff Writer — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 16:34:27 -0800

In both the classroom and private instruction situations, teachers face the challenge of engaging students in learning. After all, this is the “entertain me” generation; it can be difficult for teachers and tutors to compete with video games, iPods, and cell phones. Therefore, instructors of all kinds rely on particular strategies to engage students in their specific learning situation, whether it is algebra tutoring or guitar lessons. These strategies may be divided into two categories – instructional and affective (e.g., motivation and attitude).

Active Learning

One instructional strategy that teachers and tutors use to engage students is to design active learning situations for students. Parents may remember (not so fondly) instruction in their elementary and high school years that included reading the chapter and answering the questions at the end, or defining a list of terms. This is decidedly NOT active learning. In active learning classrooms or tutoring, one would expect to see students doing hands-on science experiments and working in groups, and not relying on pencil-and-paper tasks. Fortunately, private tutoring in both academics and music provides ample opportunities for active engagement in a one-to-one setting.

Relevant Examples

Teachers and tutors should strive to make learning as relevant as possible, as students are more likely to participate and engage with the content if they understand the reason for learning. Students are motivated when a clear purpose for learning is provided, and when they can relate to the content. It may be a challenge for students to be able to relate to geometry concepts provided in class, but a private tutor may be able to take the time to develop connections for the student by posing relevant geometry problems (e.g., if you are going to hang Christmas lights for your mother, and the roof is 15 feet high, and your ladder will need to be placed 6 feet from the side of the house, how tall will your ladder need to be?).

Appropriate Challenges

A third instructional strategy that teachers and tutors might use to engage students is selecting tasks that are at an appropriate difficulty level. Nothing is more frustrating to students (of any age) than to approach a task that is far too difficult. Consider this: if you had just started a workout regimen, and your trainer asked you to run a 5K this weekend, that would be too difficult for you, and you might become frustrated and attempt to avoid related tasks. Students learn best when a task is challenging, and they have to “stretch” a bit in order to achieve it. When they do, this success motivates them to continue to learn.

Productive Focus

Private instruction in particular lends itself to a fourth effective instructional strategy: time on task. In a classroom full of students, it is common for children to get “off task” – getting up to sharpen pencils, talking with friends, daydreaming, and searching for materials. In private tutoring, however, the one-on-one attention that a student receives ensures that he or she will remain focused on the task at hand. This individualized attention promotes active engagement by the student which, in turn, increases achievement.

In addition to instructional strategies, there are also strategies that impact the affective domain of students – their motivation and attitude. In many cases, a student’s affect has as much impact on his or her achievement as natural learning ability. The qualities of persistence, responsibility, and self-confidence, for example, serve students well, and may allow them to tackle tasks that are difficult, and remain motivated to complete them.

Set Goals

One strategy that teachers, tutors, and parents can use to help engage students in learning is to set high expectations. It is a well-known adage in education that students will strive to reach the “bar” that the teacher sets. Therefore, if a teacher, tutor, or parent sets a low standard, the students will strive to meet only that; they often lack the maturity to push themselves beyond what is expected. So, setting high expectations, and letting students know that you believe they can reach that goal promotes increased involvement in learning.

Provide Encouragement

As always, the most effective strategy that teachers, tutors, and parents can implement is to offer consistent support and encouragement. If students are positively reinforced for their performance, they are far more likely to repeat that behavior over and over again. Be specific when praising students; “You multiplied those fractions exactly right” is more effective than a simple “Good job.”

Student engagement is a critical component in all learning situations – whether formal or informal, whether in the classroom or private instruction. Use of strategies that promote active learning can ensure increased achievement in all skill areas.

Tips for Teaching Learners who are Struggling

Staff Writer — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:34:07 -0800

It is always concerning to a parent when they discover that their child is falling behind in the classroom. When this happens, it is best to systematically consider possible causes. One common cause of a relatively sudden decline in academic performance is vision or hearing loss. It may not occur to either teachers or parents that a child cannot now see the board, where they were once able to. The change might have been so gradual that the student does not realize it either. Even if they do, they may be reluctant to mention it to their parents, primarily because they don’t want glasses! So, if your child suddenly experiences difficulty, a vision and hearing assessment might be in order.

If a child’s hearing and vision is adequate, it may be time to visit the pediatrician. These medical professionals can assist with identifying attention problems and can provide referrals for others who might be able to evaluate your child for a learning issue. Ultimately, a pediatrician can rule out any organic condition that might be causing your child to have difficulty learning.

If everything checks out well from your child’s medical evaluation, it is wise to consider enlisting some one-on-one help, combined with an effective teaching system. Luckily, there are some effective strategies or teaching practices that can be implemented by teachers, tutors, and parents that can help learners who struggle in academic areas. These strategies involve setting up an appropriate learning environment, providing adequate support, and designing and implementing effective instruction.

Setting Up a Learning Environment

When considering the best ways to set up an appropriate learning environment, we should likely keep in mind the things our mother used to tell us. Find a well-lit, well-ventilated location. Work or study at a table, where there is ample space. Do not attempt to tackle a reading assignment while lying on the bed or on the couch. Most importantly, find a location that is distraction-free. Attempting to learn the causes of the Civil War is difficult to do while watching a reality show on TV!

Providing Adequate Support

When students are struggling with a particular academic task, the worst thing is for them to feel isolated. Many are reluctant to ask for help from the teacher. After all, when the teacher asks, “Are there any questions?”, is anyone actually going to ask one, in front of everyone? There are many ways to provide additional support to a learner. For example, the teacher might do a “progress check” from time to time during an assignment, to ensure that the learner understands the assignment. The teacher might provide a “study buddy” or “peer tutor”; often, children would much rather work with another student in their class rather than with the teacher or instructional aide. Parents may offer additional support to their child by monitoring homework sessions and helping students prepare for tests. They may seek the services of a private tutor for a couple of sessions each week.

Designing Instruction

When designing effective instruction, be mindful that very few students learn easily from information that is presented in a lecture format. Focus on teaching to a variety of modalities. For visual learners (which most children are), use pictures, videos, graphic organizers, charts, graphs, tables, and timelines. For auditory learners, use songs, music, lectures, discussions, and debates. Nearly every child can benefit from kinesthetic, hands-on activities. Isn’t it much more meaningful to learn about anatomy through frog dissection, rather than reading a chapter and answering questions about anatomy?

Implementing Effective Instructions

Besides designing well-conceived instruction, some practices will make instruction even more effective. First, provide frequent breaks for students. There is no point in asking a student with attention difficulties to sit for a long period of time and to focus on a single task. At home, parents should help students break their study time into segments in order for students to be able to engage efficiently in a task. Teachers, parents, and tutors should assist students with focusing on essential information, not trivia. For example, when studying about the Abraham Lincoln, the most important information is related to his presidency and his influence on the outcome of the Civil War, not the name of the theater in which he was assassinated. In addition, one way to ensure that students will retain information is to review often. Rather than beginning to prepare for a test two days prior to it, students should be encouraged to do distributed practice – intermittent sessions of study for more than a week leading up to the test. This prevents “cramming”, and allows students ample time to learn the information well enough to recall it.

Students who have difficulty often do not simply “pick up” on strategies or techniques that help them learn. They need to have these directly taught to them by teachers, tutors, and parents. These tips are easy to implement and teach to students. The best part is that not only students who have difficulty will benefit from these tips – all students will.

Special Learning Strategies for Elementary Mathematics

Staff Writer — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 16:33:54 -0800

Many children experience anxiety related to mathematics to a certain extent, and this may begin as early as kindergarten. This anxiety can result in poor academic performance in math, many misunderstandings in math content and procedures, and negative attitudes toward math. Obtaining a math tutor may be helpful for many students, but often, parents who have a general understanding of learning strategies for mathematics can provide equally effective help. The following information can help parents, teachers, and tutors provide a basis for mathematics learning for elementary school students.

Understanding the Learning Progression

First, we need to consider how children best learn. Think about very early learning for children and the idea of “cat”. When toddlers see a cat, their parent says, “cat”, and pats it, to give the child the name for that object. Soon, the toddler knows what a cat is, from seeing it, touching it, and hearing the name for it. Later, the child draws a picture, points to it, and says “cat”. Eventually, as a child grows, he is able to associate the spoken word “cat” with a mental picture of the animal. This learning progression, from concrete (the real cat) to semi-concrete (the picture) to abstract (the spoken word) is an example of how children learn mathematics as well. To teach a child about triangles, first they need to interact with real triangles – touch them, trace them, see them. This is where manipulatives play a large part in mathematics instruction. Children use hands-on manipulatives to learn the characteristics of math concepts (like a triangle), or use them to show procedures (like adding 4 blocks and 3 blocks). The first learning strategy to use when teaching children new mathematics content, therefore, is to go to the manipulatives.

Learning the Underlying Rules

A second strategy that is helpful for students when learning mathematics is to memorize necessary facts, vocabulary, and rules. Much time is spent in the 1^st and 2^nd grade with students learning addition and subtraction facts, and an equivalent amount of time is spent in the 3^rd and 4^th grade with learning multiplication and division facts. Even with this practice time at school, many students have difficulty committing these facts to memory. It is critically important that students memorize these, however, as most later mathematics learning is dependent upon the quick and accurate recall of math facts. Think how difficult it would be for children to add 358 to 472 if they did not have a firm grasp of addition facts? Likewise, how would a student find a common denominator for two fractions if they could not recall basic multiplication facts? There are many, many ways that these facts can be practiced. One way is the “tried and true” flash cards. A variation of traditional flash cards is 3-sided flash cards. When studying multiplication facts, for example, write one factor in one corner, one factor in another corner, and the product in the final corner. When using these flash cards, cover up the product with your finger, so that the child can see the two factors, and practice multiplying them together. When studying division facts, put your finger over one of the smaller numbers, so they can see the large number and one of the smaller numbers. They have to divide to determine which number is covered. For example:

On your triangle, write 2, 3, and 6 – one number in each corner. When practicing multiplication, cover the 6, so that the child sees 2 and 3, and multiplies them together to get the answer of 6. When practicing division, cover the 2, so that the child calculates 6 divided by 3, to determine the answer of 2.

Helpful Shortcuts

Another strategy that is effective is teaching students the steps of a procedure by using mnemonics. For example, the first letters of Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally stand for the steps of the order of operations (parentheses, exponents, multiply, divide, add, subtract). The “family list” of Daddy, Mother, Sister, Brother, Cousins, Relatives indicates the steps for long division (divide, multiply, subtract, bring down, compare, repeat or remainder). Strategies such as these help students remember procedural steps so that they can perform them consistently.

For conceptual learning, like “What is an equilateral triangle?”, children learn through the processes of explain, elaborate, illustrate. In this situation, a child should define the equilateral triangle (explain), tell what that means in his own words (elaborate), and draw a picture of it (illustrate).

As with any other type of learning, mathematics strategies can only be learned through consistent application and multiple opportunities to practice. You will know that children have become proficient in the use of the strategies when they are able to independently apply them to mathematics problems they encounter in school.

Selecting the Right Math Tutor for Your Child

Staff Writer — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 16:33:42 -0800

Choosing the right math tutor for your child may seem like an easy task on the surface, but selecting the wrong one can mean the difference between a successful and rewarding experience for your child or coming away with no new knowledge.

There are many wonderful math tutors available to choose from, and some can even be fellow students in your child’s school. Age isn’t necessarily the most important factor, of course, but more mature math tutors will have a wealth of knowledge and information that can help relate the lessons to real world scenarios.

Math consists of many different specific topics, including geometry, algebra, and calculus. Each one offers several different opportunities to delve into useful examples and not the general ideations that are often prevalent in school math texts today. A good math tutor will be able to relate the problems, theorems, and solutions into scenarios that your child will be able to understand and grasp with some level of ease. Math is a difficult subject for many students and part of that difficulty arises from the nature of the examples and problems illustrated in the textbooks.

Recommendations of your child’s teacher will certainly be helpful and if they aren’t volunteered, ask. While your child’s math teacher may be willing to stay after school and help him or her learn the lessons of the day, you may wish to seek someone else. Often children feel more pressure when being tutored by their teacher and pressure isn’t conducive to a positive learning environment.

When seeking the right math tutor for your child, seek out a person who has an expertise and fluid understanding of the particular topic that is causing your child trouble, such as an algebra tutor for algebra or a calculus tutor for calculus. It may seem like common sense, but far too many parents choose a math tutor based on their education or experience and not their discipline of study. A calculus major, while certainly adept at many fundamentals of mathematics, will most likely have a different teaching approach to geometry than a person who specializes in geometry tutoring, for example.

While math follows the same rules from one discipline to the other, the approach can be the difference between the ‘Aha’ moment for your child and more confusing, frustrating days ahead as he or she tries to grasp the concepts and ideas.

Personality is also important. You want your child to be comfortable with his or her math tutor. Stodgy, cantankerous math tutors aren’t going to be very helpful, especially when the hour is drawing to a close and you child is still struggling over a certain problem. Your child should feel comfortable with his or her math tutor and feel comfortable asking any questions that arise during the course of their tutoring sessions.

While it can be easy to assume that a child may need a bit more stern of a math tutor because of their own personality, when he or she feels pressured or as though they can’t ask questions, they may have a tendency to close up and keep things to themselves. A tutoring session should not be viewed as punishment or an extension of school. Instead, it should be a place for your child to feel as though they are getting the best help and look forward to finally understanding the fundamentals of math.

While age isn’t necessarily a factor in determining the right math tutor for your child, neither should be the cost. The economy may be tough and money could be tight in your household, but in many instances -most, in fact- the old adage that states ‘you get what you pay for’ still holds true. This doesn’t mean that a young man straight out of college who charges half the price of other tutors won’t be able to help your child learn math. Most people have to start out at the bottom of the pay scale and work their way up. What it means, instead, is that you shouldn’t base your decision on cost. You may find an excellent math tutor for quite cheap, but you also run the risk of hiring an unqualified tutor that will cost you not just the money for the lessons, but also the time your child spends during those lessons.

The best advice is to find several choices of math tutors in your area and interview each one. Don’t take it upon yourself to make the final decision; instead, include your child in the process. That way, he or she will feel that it’s more of an opportunity than a punishment, which it is.

Achieve the Most Out of Guitar Lessons

Staff Writer — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 16:33:28 -0800

Learning the guitar is almost a rite of passage for many children and guitar lessons can either make or break this dream relatively quickly. While many instruments available to students in school can be difficult to learn, few actually pose the same set of difficulties as the guitar. Guitar lessons can be fun and exciting but they can also turn a student off from music altogether. Why?

Learning to play the guitar requires that the student endure some level of pain in the fingers. This has to do with the process of building calluses on the fingertips. Calluses are hardened skin around the area that actually touch the guitar strings and new students taking guitar lessons for the first time will not have any of this toughened skin built up. The strings will penetrate deep into the flesh and cause some tenderness and potentially a little pain.

Young children are especially susceptible to giving up when this happens, so it’s important to encourage them to press forth, especially in the beginning. Within a few weeks of consistent playing time, the calluses will form and soon the student will no longer feel any pain in their fingers. Offer rewards to the student for completing their guitar lessons or practice times.

What can be a bit tricky when talking about playing through the pain for a student is knowing when it’s the muscles in their hands and wrist that are hurting or their fingertips.

Most times during guitar lessons and the process of practicing exercises that are new, muscles need to be strengthened. While this process will certainly cause some level of discomfort, if the student actually feels pain in the hand or wrist, then they should stop and take a break. This can also be an indicator that they are not practicing the proper techniques, or their posture is not right.

Slouching in a chair is a common problem for new students taking guitar lessons. When they are first learning, their eyes will be constantly fixated on the strings and what their hands are doing. This is quite normal and encouraged; they should be certain that they are playing the appropriate notes and begin to learn what those notes are and this cannot happen unless they are watching their hands. While looking down at their hands all the time, though, the student will tend to hunch over the guitar. As time progresses at any one practice session, their entire body will begin to sag over the guitar and this takes their arm out of proper position.

When the arm is out of its proper playing position, the wrong muscles are being used to play certain notes or chords. It’s a good idea to check in on the student as they are practicing and remind them about their posture, as well as the importance of it. When taking guitar lessons, some students can become so enrapt by it that they lose track of time and what their body is doing. They may be learning the patterns and becoming better at playing, but they’ll run into some difficulty when playing upright or standing.

A good music instructor will devise exciting exercises at the guitar lessons for the student to take home. Often, during the first few weeks, while some muscle memory and strength is being built, these exercises will be quite mundane. Ask the music teacher for some music that the student can play along with, preferable something that is popular today. It doesn’t have to be anything tricky or beyond their ability; there are always songs that can be transcribed to suit any level of player, including absolute beginners.

If you break up the exercise routine with play-along time to something they know, when the student begins to hear the results, their enjoyment level will climb exponentially. Guitar lessons are a process of building one technique upon another. It is important that the student maintain the integrity of the exercises, but also find moments of measurable improvement each week.

Keeping a schedule for guitar lessons is also a great benefit for several reasons. First, the body is a machine and when a routine is developed, it begins to anticipate what’s to come. When learning guitar, by creating a consistent schedule of guitar lessons, and practice time, the student will begin to anticipate each day and will look forward to, rather than dread, the guitar lessons.

Also, the right guitar can make a major difference in whether the student enjoys the guitar lessons or not. There’s no need to purchase a $1,000 guitar for a beginner, but try to avoid the Wal-Mart specials. Ask the guitar instructor whom you’ve chosen what brand or type of guitar will be best for the student and their age range. A guitar that is too large for small hands will lead to frustration and a loss of interest.

How to Select a Tutor

Staff Writer — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 16:32:23 -0800

Parents, looking for a tutor? There are a variety of reasons you many be considering private instruction for your child. Your child may demonstrate difficulty in one or more subject areas. Alternatively, your child may be a high achiever in a particular content area, and benefit from accelerated opportunities that are not available in the typical K-12 classroom. In either case, you want to select the best tutor possible to address your child’s particular learning needs. There are a number of considerations to keep in mind when selecting a tutor.

First, it is important to ensure that you and the tutor are “on the same page”. Ask the tutor about their background and their tutoring philosophy. Listen carefully to the tutor’s description of his or her teaching style. If the tutor mentions “active learning” or “student engagement”, he or she is likely to focus on hands-on learning activities that allow students to develop their understanding of concepts. If the tutor discusses “direct instruction”, he or she may focus on skill development, with some drill and practice. Ideally, most students require a mix of these approaches for optimal learning. Depending on your child’s specific learning goals, the tutor’s philosophy and approach may play a large part in your selection decision.

In addition to articulating his/her teaching philosophy, the tutor should be able to describe the instructional program or strategies he or she will be using with your child. Ask the tutor to explain to you how that particular program and those strategies will address your child’s learning needs. In a one-to-one tutoring situation, tutors are able to provide not only extra examples and more practice, but different methods and strategies than what the child is receiving from his or her classroom teacher. If the student is not achieving adequately in the classroom, oftentimes a new approach by a different instructor can move children in the right direction.

One positive “extra” that a tutor can offer is teaching general study skills or test-taking skills. For example, your child might work with a tutor for math skills specifically, but the tutor might use the last ten minutes of the session to provide instruction on a learning or study strategy that would help the student in a variety of contexts. This would be an indication that the potential tutor is concerned with your child’s overall academic success.

Before selecting a tutor, ask how he or she will evaluate your child’s progress, and how that will be communicated to you (and to your child). As a parent, you should receive consistent, detailed updates on your child’s progress. The student should receive immediate, specific feedback on the work he or she does during each tutoring session.

Your selection of a tutor might also be impacted by the tutor’s personality. Be mindful that a quiet, shy student might be overwhelmed by a tutor that has a very strong, outgoing personality; likewise, an extroverted child may provide a challenge for a more reserved tutor. There may be some benefit to matching personalities to a certain extent.

When meeting with a potential tutor, one should always address the expectations for tutoring outcomes – the tutor’s expectations, as well as the parent’s and the child’s. Remember to set realistic goals; tutoring is not a “quick fix”. It often takes quite some time to fill in any skills gaps that a student has. Ensure that the tutor is planning to provide effective instruction of both new skills and specific skills that the student lacks. It is not the best use of the tutor’s time or the student’s time (or the parent’s money, for that matter!) for the tutor to simply be a homework helper; that does not typically address any deficits that a student has. Therefore, make sure that the expected outcomes for the tutor and the student are reasonable and understood by all those involved.

Many parents want to know what they can do to supplement the instruction that the tutor is providing. If this is the case, ask the tutor for suggestions for practice activities you could do with your child at home. An effective tutor should be able to give several ideas that a parent could easily incorporate into the child’s daily routine.

Choosing a private tutor for your child is an important endeavor. Keeping these suggestions in mind may help you select the perfect tutor for your child, leading to high academic achievement and satisfaction.

Worried About Wasting Money on Private Lessons?

Staff Writer — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 16:42:09 -0800

All of the best intentions in the world don't amount to anything if your child does not learn and progress from the instruction of a private music teacher. If you are on the fence about whether or not to pay for private lessons, because you don't want to 'waste' your money. You are not alone. Many parents fear spending their hard-earned wages on music lessons for their child will only end in frustration and money lost. But, there are some things you can do ensure that your money will be well-invested.

1. Find out the average price

There are many sources for finding private music instructors. The most common places are music stores, classified ads, and your child's school music teacher. Price may be part of the equation in your quest to find a good instructor. But, you won't want to look for the cheapest. Remember, you are looking for the best. Do your homework by calling around to find out what the average price is for an hour a week. After a few phone calls you will find a trend.

2. Interview potential teachers

Once you have gathered the information to get in contact with private instructors in your area, write down a quick list of questions and either ask them over the phone or schedule an in-person interview.

Appropriate questions include:

How many years have you taught private music lessons?
What age level have you worked with?
What instrument do you play the most?
How do you help young children to stay on task during a lesson?
Where will lessons be held?
What openings do you have in your schedule?

3. Request references and follow through

Once you have narrowed your search down to two or three candidates, ask for references of current/past students' parents who you can call. Ask them about their experience with the teacher and whether or not their child learned what they expected. Essentially, was it worth their investment?

4. Determine the length and level of commitment you will make

Private music lessons require a commitment from everyone involved, even you as the parent. Make sure you are willing and able to shuttle your child to and from lessons, stay at the lesson depending on their age, require a consistent practice time and supervise if needed.

A major factor in the success of private lessons is always whether or not the students spend time between lessons practicing. Make this part of your daily routine. Also, try to plan other appointments around your child's lesson. Do not cancel unless necessary. It is easy for kids to get out of the habit.

5. Discuss your expectations with your child and continually encourage them.

At every age your child has some ability to understand the expectations that you set. Sit down with your child before their first music lesson and talk about how they will behave during lessons, how much they will practice each day (a timer may be helpful for young children), and the benefit of their efforts (i.e. rewards).

Finally, remember that private tutoring can be more of a lesson about commitment and seeing something through to completion than even the immediate lesson of music or other subjects. If your child can learn this type of character lesson early in life, then you are definitely getting your money’s worth.

Getting the Most Out of Private Voice Lessons

Staff Writer — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 16:31:42 -0800

Voice lessons have always been an integral part of learning to sing and to harness the innate abilities of so many vocalists. In the age of American Idol and other reality competitions that highlight the breadth and power of the voice, countless youths are finding that there is a decided difference between being able to sing along with the radio and being able to compete with the best singers out there.

Parents want the best for their children and while they may hear the natural talent emerging within their child or the angelic quality of their voice, they are also quite aware that voice lessons will be an integral part of polishing that talent into something that they can take with them for the rest of their lives. Since most school systems in America don’t offer voice lessons beyond the general scope of chorus classes, and perhaps a few others, it is incumbent upon parents to find private lessons for their children.

While there will undoubtedly be numerous private instructors in the area for voice lessons, there are some pointers that can help each student get the most out of their time and effort. The first thing to consider when searching for the right private lessons for your child is the experience of the instructor, and the cost. Generally, most private instructors will have degrees in music, especially in voice. This isn’t a tried and true fact, of course, since some will have accomplishments that can be quite impressive, such as stage, theater, or recording experience. There are many different styles of voice lessons, including jazz, opera, and theatrical. Each style will cater to a specific strength or desire within the student.

Any well-trained private instructor will be able to provide effective voice lessons for any student who is just starting out. Proper technique will be one of the first facets covered and focused on and these techniques are generally the same across all genres. Choosing the right private instructor, however, can help in the long-term process because music instruction, especially voice lessons, is a personal and intimate process.

This leads to the second facet of getting the most out of voice lessons. You should interview several instructors before selecting one. The student should be comfortable with their voice coach, whether the instructor is male or female. Being standoff-ish or overly arrogant, demeaning the student when mistakes are made, are the best remedies to a fulfilling and enjoyable experience and music education. Select someone who is open and forthcoming, someone who understands that not every student will have a strong knowledge base on which to build. A positive influence during the half hour or hour-long voice lessons can have lasting effects on the student association to lessons and singing in general.

Another way that a student can get the most out of their voice lessons is to practice the routines and lessons he or she is given at home. It can be far too easy, and tempting, to simply pay attention to the lessons during the paid time, but then go home, start rehearsing them, and be distracted by a song they’ve heard and want to sing along to. When the student fails to incorporate the exercises into their daily routine, they begin to form habits that are not conducive to a positive learning experience.

Exercises in voice lessons, or any private music instruction, are about repetition. This form of repetition can be exceedingly routine and mundane, and at times can be somewhat embarrassing for the student. Imagine standing alone in their bedroom making all sorts of odd sounds that are naturally a part of building strong muscles and proper technique. A sibling teasing him or her can be enough to undermine the entire process. Be sure that the student’s siblings, whether they are younger or older, encourage and support their brother or sister at all times.

In order to get the most out of their voice lessons, students should be encouraged to ask questions at any time if they don’t understand something. This is as true for voice lessons as it is for any other kind of tutoring. If the student doesn’t understand why something is being taught or required of them, the chances that they will continue to do so as the week progresses will diminish. Understanding the philosophy behind certain processes will help the student press forth when they feel that they either aren’t getting it right or are growing weary of the exercise.

To get the most out of voice lessons is a process that belongs not only to the student but also the teacher. A quality teacher will notice if the student isn’t making the effort. If you’re a parent of a student, you can ask the instructor to inform you if he or she believes that your child is not putting in the effort. If they are, then the instructor can reevaluate their lesson plan to maximize their student’s potential.

Grab a Student's Attention During Tutoring Jobs

Staff Writer — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 16:34:49 -0800

I recall some of the most effective teachers and instructors and tutors throughout my life far more often than any ordinary, humdrum ones. And the most effective tutors and teachers understood how to gain the attention of their students. When you have tutoring jobs, the last thing you want to do is treat them like any normal, regular nine-to-five job.

By grabbing a student’s attention during tutoring jobs, it is much easier to have the lessons being taught to sink in. How you go about this wonderful and refreshing task will depend certainly on your own unique and individual personality, and there are definitely going to be tasks and ideas that won’t be comfortable for you. The idea is to think a bit outside the box and also consider what the students today react to, and what will always strike a chord with most students, whether in a group classroom setting or one-on-one.

It’s important to constantly be a learning tutor, meaning someone who is constantly trying to find new and invigorating ways to get the lessons across to the students. By being a learning tutor you put yourself on a similar plane with those you aim to tutor, and most importantly, help. After all, the point of tutoring jobs is to help the student, not change who they are or how they behave.

Below are some ideas that you can use to help grab the attention of students. The best thing is to keep an open mind and possibly come up with your own ideas.

1. Create themes for each lesson. Somewhere in each lesson, whether it’s about history or a mathematical concept, there will be themes running through them. In most cases you will be able to find themes that relate to modern events, things currently in the news, television shows, or even popular music. Come up with a theme and then incorporate it into the lesson through music, videos, or simply by discussing the topics with the student.

2. Videotape the lesson. And remind the student that he or she is on camera. Some students will be shy of the camera in the room, so be aware of their feelings about it beforehand. This is an opportunity to encourage them to be a little silly, to ‘mug’ for the camera, and simply have fun during the lesson. Try to incorporate some elements of the lesson into the idea of having the camera set up, such as creating a fictional (or real) game show and they’re the contestants.

3. Wear a costume. This doesn’t mean that during your tutoring jobs you should dress up like Batman or Ironman. Instead, think about some historical context that will relate directly to the lesson you’re teaching for that day. Perhaps you will be discussing some of Sir Isaac Newton’s Laws and one great way to turn what can be a dreary topic for some students into an engaging one is to dress like Newton, complete with the apple in hand. Remember, if we can’t make fun of ourselves or have a little fun with our jobs, that will translate to the student; they will pick up on it and what happens is that, naturally, the lessons become boring and mundane.

4. Have cartoons related to the lesson available. Almost every day, in every major newspaper throughout the country, there are cartoons. Some are single frame (think Far Side) while others are multiple frame cartoons (think Peanuts). No matter where you look, there will be cartoons that are perfect for just about every subject and topic. Doing a simple Google search will return countless cartoons that will fit the topic. By printing these out and having them ready for the next tutoring job, you will give the student something entertaining to lighten the mood. A lightened mood is very conducive to learning, as you well know. This doesn’t have to be done for every single tutoring lesson, but if you establish a pattern, stick to it.

5. Use a change in surroundings to stimulate the mind. Being stuck in the same room, whether it’s in a private home or a classroom for every lesson can be a drag. If the weather is nice outside, have the lesson there, or bring them to a local cafe or bookstore. Just avoid the library since it’s not advisable to talk inside a library.

As you can see, tutoring jobs don’t have to be dull and boring and in fact, when you bring some excitement to the table, then you inspire your students to learn and remember the lessons they’ve learned. It’s no secret that association improves memory retention and recollection. On your next tutoring job, try something new and different. And always remember to keep it appropriate, not just in content but also for the age of the student.