Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
ISM-Period 7
DeFazio, Robert. "Private music teaching a business." American Music Teacher Feb.-Mar. 2013:
35+. Academic OneFile. Web. 2 Oct. 2016.
In this passage, Robert DeFazio writes about what the value of private music teaching is,
how it can be made affordable, and what impact technology has on it.
DeFazios son and wife both teach cello lessons so he has had a birds eye view of
private music teaching.
One of the questions brought to attention is how much an hour lesson should cost.
The fee for private lessons should not just be based off of the knowledge that is acquired
during each lesson but on how it affects their life.
By affect on life, this means that whatever the student is being taught is also being related
back to the broader spectrum of music.
Teaching is not just teaching a student how to successfully play a song with the right
technique, fingering, and dynamic, but it is a practice of drawing out from the client a
bigger view of life and a desire to work with others to create something that is larger than
the mere sum of the individual efforts of the people involved (Para 8).
Some teachers create waiting lists for when their business has too many students and
cannot take anymore, which can increase the potential for a higher customer base/
Because older adults have specific needs, group lessons may be better for them because
older adults tend to want more socialization opportunities.
65% of all teachers within a particular statewide music teacher organization did not have
a website for their private-teaching business.
A website creates and ensures credibility.
Having a website for your business connects a face to your business and goal
DeFazio then goes on to explain the importance of technology within a private musicteaching environment.
Some thing that you can do to incorporate technology within a business is record each
student in the beginning of the year and then play it back after a year to be able to identify
the progress that each student is making.
Another example of using technology is by creating instructional videos for your students
going over things such as technique and theory
One of the most important aspects of maintaining a private music-teaching business is
communicating effectively by doing things, such as emailing students or parents about
upcoming events or keeping schedules on your website so students are reminded of when
their lessons are.
This online journal for professionals taught me a lot about different facets that are essential in
maintaining a private music-teaching business, such as creating a website, communicating
effectively and determining the fee of each lesson based off how you perceive your teaching is
affecting your students life.
Monique Suarez
ISM- Period 7
Pike, Pamela D., and Isabelle Shoemaker. "Online Piano Lessons: A Teacher's Journey into an
Emerging 21st-century Virtual Teaching Environment." American Music Teacher AugustSeptember 2015: 12. Academic OneFile. Web. 1 Oct. 2016.
In this magazine article, Pamela D. Pike explains her experience with technology within
her music lessons and her perspective on technology progression in the 21st Century.
Online-teaching is an opportunity that teachers can broaden their teaching horizons.
Pike has taught group piano in digital piano labs and in 2004, completed a semester-long
interactive distance learning certificate program for faculty which allows her to offer
hybrid online and face-to-face piano classes
These online classes included synchronous and asynchronous learning components (Para
2).
Many have used Skype for their music teaching, however, Pike has used the software
program Internet MIDI which she believes has a better sound quality during the piano
lessons
Online lessons made it possible for Pikes colleague, Kristen Shoemaker to teach students
in Zambia from her home in Minnesota
During lessons, Pike and her students utilize high-quality digital pianos, computers, web
cameras, microphones and the Internet MIDI software.
Pike also used Dropbox to distribute worksheets and materials that her and her student
would be using throughout the lesson
For recitals and performances, a screen and projector was set up in the recital halls which
was connected with the students family over Skype.
After seeing the progression of her student via online piano lessons, Pike discussed with
her student about possibly moving the lesson from digital piano to acoustic instruments in
order to work on tone production and other musical elements
Her student, Isabelles, thoughts on online lessons is that it is neat that this software
connects the teachers piano with her students piano and that it is almost like she is in
the same room. (Para 7).
Isabelle mentions that you are able to hear the dynamics and articulations clearly
Online lessons are affective if the teacher actually personalize each lesson specifically for
each particular student
The ability to still perform at recitals makes the students feel that despite not having faceto-face piano lessons, that he or she is still a part of the studio
Online students tend to display an increased independence both during lessons and in
skill improvement
This full text online magazine article presented me with information about an experience of a
piano teachers online lessons and how technology has affected her students and the way that
they learn.
Monique Suarez
ISM- Period 7
Saint Louis, Catherine. "With Enough Bandwidth, Many Join the Band." The New York Times.
The New York Times, 10 Jan. 2012. Web. 01 Oct. 2016.
This subscription database explores the life of Dr. John McClure who is a pathologist and
how he managed to learn the bagpipes through online lessons.
McClures initial goal was to learn how to play the bagpipes which most people thought
was uncommon and less than likely to actually happen.
McClure now takes online lessons with his teacher Jori Chisholm through Skype.
Many video chat programs, including Skype have paved the way for musical lessons to
be exercised online.
Technology is upending and democratizing the world of music lessons (Para 4).
There are benefits of online lessons such as the fact that parents no longer need to drive
their student down to a private studio.
Another benefit is that parents can just send their child downstairs or in a closed room,
which ensures their safety.
Another benefit of online teaching is that it is a great source to build the teachers
business.
There are some people that will only take music lessons if they are online.
Music teachers should be willing to meet students where they are (Para 6).
Jeffrey Thomas is a music teacher who teaches guitar, bass and the ukulele to about thirty
students over Skype and webcam programs.
Thomas says that if he is able to obtain 10 more students, he will be able to have his
private-teaching solely online which will save him the money it already costs to rent
space for his studio.
Online learning provides more un-missed lessons due to not having to worry about the
weather outside preventing a student from traveling to their lesson
Many online lessons are recorded which makes it easier for students to learn by playing
back each lesson.
Many do not believe that the music learning process is the same if it is given online
Teachers are recognizing that video lessons create more stability for its profession
Online lessons ensure that even if you have to move locations, you are still able to
maintain your business, schedule, and music lessons.
Online lessons can cause problems if the connection isnt working on someones
computer which can eat up a lot of time and cause a student or teacher to have to
reschedule the lesson
If the online lesson is being used via the Internet on a smartphone, it will more than likely
using up your data
Maintaining an online private-teaching business requires affective communication.
Monique Suarez
ISM- Period 7
"Texas Music Teachers Association." Texas Music Association. Texas Music Teachers
Association, 2016. Web. 02 Oct. 2016.
The Baroque/Contemporary and Musicianship Repertoire festivals are hosted and funded
by the local MTA organization.
There is a national music theory exam, as well as various competitions (Young Artist,
Composition, publication, etc.).
This website of the professional organization, the Texas Music Teachers Association, provided
me with information about TMTA including what the value of the organization is, what it offers,
and the duties that teachers must abide by when they become members.