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Teaching

08 Apr

Planning a Summer Camp Part 2: Putting Together a Plan

by cconrad
in Finances, Hiring Staff, Marketing, Program Development, teacher resourses, Teaching
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summercampThis year I will be offering my third summer camp at my studio. The past two years, my camps have been small. I’ve only opened camp up to current students already taking from my studio — more as an encouragement to keep them learning during the summer months. I would see six students at a time in my group studio at my house, offering 1.5 hour camps throughout the day for students.

This year, I’m going full throttle, offering a half day camp for the entire community. I’m renting a venue, hiring helpers and advertising. I’m nervous, but I’m also super excited. Here are some things I’ve had to spend the last few months thinking through in order to plan my summer camp:

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06 Apr

Avoiding Burnout with the Conference Experience

by admin
in Finances, Program Development, teacher resourses, Teaching
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Cloudgate
Every March, I attend the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Conference to refuel, recharge and reinvigorate my studio and my teaching. After a particularly brutal winter, I found myself frazzled, stressed and on the brink of Teacher Burnout!! Thankfully, I had scheduled time off to attend this year’s conference in the “windy city” of Chicago. The trip was just what I needed to replenish my energy, giving me a fresh perspective as well as gratitude for all that I do have!

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09 Mar

Planning a Summer Camp Part 1: A Round-Up of Resources

by cconrad
in Marketing, Program Development, teacher resourses, Teaching
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I know it’s only March, but I like to take advantage of the time off during spring break to begin planning my studio summer camp so that I can begin advertising in April. (And I can’t exactly advertise unless I know what it IS that I’m advertising.) In years past, I’ve offered camps where I work with one group (based on age/ability) for a couple of hours a day for the week. This year, I’m expanding my camp and bringing in a large group of all ages and abilities at the same time, dividing them up into smaller groups and hiring older, advanced students to oversee crafts and activities while I take turns working with students in the lesson portion of camps.

There are so many fantastic resources available for teachers and studio owners in the way of innovative crafts and musical activities. I’ve reached out to a talented group of bloggers from the Kid Blogger Network and rounded up some of their fabulous teaching ideas to provide a helpful, go-to list for crafts and activities as you work on your summer camp schedule:

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27 Feb

10 Steps to Organize a Masterclass in Your Studio

by admin
in Performance, Policies and Procedures, Program Development, teacher resourses, Teaching, Uncategorized
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In a recent post, The Masterclass: Then and Now, I discussed the purpose and importance of a Masterclass. Masterclasses are an integral part of my studio and I usually hold two or three per studio year. I enjoy the benefits of having my teaching validated by another colleague and it is so helpful for students to hear the some of the same ideas reinforced...

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27 Feb

Thoughts as Music Teachers

by admin
in Teaching
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By Julia Kossuth This month, I've asked a few of our teachers to comment on what they love the most about teaching. As teachers, we do far more than just instruct kids about the various facets of music, but also love the one-on-one interaction and relationships we get to build with each child. One of the most rewarding parts of teaching music is being a part of...

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