Living the Hybrid Studio Life

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Laura Dean, WSMTA IMTF Chair

I’ve been reflecting on just how different our teaching lives have become since the pandemic. For example, most of us have taught some of our lessons online since 2020. Perhaps you are continuing with online lessons in some form or another.

Personally speaking, I teach a few lessons online every week in addition to in person lessons. The reasons for teaching online vary widely. For example, one of my former “in person students” moved away from the Seattle area, where I have my private studio, but now continues with weekly online lessons. Another example, I may deliver an online lesson to a considerate student who is feeling under the weather and chooses to have an online lesson rather than risk getting me sick. (Thank you, considerate student!).  Snow day? You guessed it… online lessons. Yet another example is where I don’t see a student because of a scheduling conflict, and in that case, I may prepare an asynchronous (on demand) lesson for them to complete at their convenience. This all adds up to a hybrid studio – a combination of in person and online teaching.

Perhaps you’ve already worked out a system for organizing your teaching if you also find yourself in the hybrid teaching boat. I thought I would share some strategies that make my job easier when conducting online lessons via Facetime or Zoom. For one, I keep careful records of my students’ practice assignments. I create their weekly assignments on my computer, send home a printed copy for the student, and store the assignment on my hard drive. I also keep duplicate copies of my students’ books and sheet music in my studio library.  That way, if I find myself suddenly in the position of teaching an online lesson, I can easily pivot to the virtual realm.

For synchronous online lessons (in real time), the lessons work similarly to in person lessons. I open the computer file with the student’s assignment, gather the duplicates of their books, sign onto the computer, greet my student on the other end of the line, and away we go.

In addition to working on their normal lesson, we enjoy playing online musical “games” such as improvising, working out popular melodies by ear, call and response playing between the teacher and the student, and/or watching music education videos together via screen sharing. The videos range from the piano comedy of Victor Borge to musical performances, meet the orchestra tutorials, music history, and music theory videos.

Asynchronous (on demand) lessons, on the other hand, require a different approach. If a student knows well in advance that they will be missing a lesson, or if I know that I have a scheduling conflict coming up, I’ll ask them to send me a video recording of what they are working on prior to their lesson time so that I can make comments and suggestions during the video recorded lesson. I also ask the student to send me any questions or concerns about anything they are working on so that I may address those during the video lesson

For creating an asynchronous lesson, I use Zoom where I record a meeting (the meeting only has one person, and that is me, conducting a lesson for my absent student). During the lesson, I explain the assignment, demonstrate (with the aid of an overhead camera that provides a birds-eye view of the keyboard), and give practicing recommendations to the student. The recording is stored on the cloud, and I send the parent the link to the recorded lesson along with an assignment sheet for the week.

One thing that we all learned during the pandemic, is that WE CAN work online with our students. For some of us, that may not be the first choice, but in my opinion, it can be quite a rewarding educational and creative experience for both the student and the teacher. The ideas described above have helped my students stay on track with their musical development and preparation for upcoming events without missing a beat (pun intended). This seems to be the happy medium that works for me and my studio; perhaps some of these ideas will work for you and your studio as well in your hybrid studios.

Independent Music Teachers Forum: Fall 2023 Update

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Laura Dean, WSMTA IMTF Chair

Don’t you just love the fall? I’m talking crisp mornings, colorful leaves, and getting back to a “normal schedule” after summer vacations.  A few seasonal traditions in my studio include booking recital spaces, creating yearly student action plans, ordering new materials, and a taking photos of each student for the famous “studio door.”  These annual traditions feel comforting and grounding.

At the same time, fall offers us opportunities for new experiences, and challenges. As music teachers, this may mean practicing new repertoire, volunteering for a position in your local chapter, taking a class, attending a workshop, or scaling up your business (no pun intended).  One of my new experiences is stepping into the position of IMTF chair on the heels of the previous chair, RoseMarie Tamburri. I’m speaking on behalf of all of us when I say, thank you, RoseMarie, for entertaining, educating, and inspiring us for the past seven years!

As the new IMTF chair, in the style of the previous chair, I plan on addressing topics that relate to the business and art of teaching music. Throughout the year, I’ll be reaching out to different teachers from around the state to weigh in on a wide variety of topics such as studio policies, online teaching, helpful teaching web sites, 21st century music, inspiring books, and more. Don’t be surprised if an email shows up in your inbox asking your opinion on a selected topic.

Here’s a little bit about my background: I’ve been teaching piano and voice in the Seattle area since 1995. In addition to teaching in a private studio setting, I’ve also worked as a teaching artist in Montana, Alaska, and Washington – presenting musical programs and workshops for K-12 schools, and small communities. For the past three years, I’ve been delighted to serve as a WSMTA visiting artist.

Originally from a rural community in Montana, I’ve always harbored a fascination with the music of the American West, and in 2022, my first book, Music in the Westward Expansion: Songs of Heart and Place on the American Frontier, was published by McFarland Publishing. The book examines the roles of music in the Westward Expansion and the diverse cultural landscape of the Old West, including northern Cheyenne courtship flute makers, fiddle-playing explorers, dancing fur trappers, hymn-singing missionaries, frontier flutists, girls with guitars, wagon-driving balladeers, poetic cowboys, singing farmers, musical miners, and preaching songsters. For the past year, I’ve been presenting programs featuring live music and narrative from the book.

It is my honor to serve you in this position, and as I mentioned, I’d like to incorporate YOUR ideas and viewpoints. If there is something you’d like me to write about, or dig into, please email me at the address found below.

Warmly,

Laura Dean
M. Music Education, NCTM
lauramusic@comcast.net
www.lauramusic.biz

IMTF: Collaboration – Better Together!

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RoseMarie Tamburri, IMTF Chair

The theme of the 2023 WSMTA Conference, “Collaboration in the Cascades” was in action at the IMTF (Independent Music Teacher Forum) session at the Sun Mountain Lodge.

The topic? Dealing with change – one of many challenges we face as independent music teachers. Whether a change is planned or unexpected, it’s important to be as prepared as possible to navigate the change.

The How-To? The group practiced using “SLOT,” an analytic tool used by businesses of all sizes since the 1960s to maintain success through changing circumstances in the marketplace. First, select a change you want to make; then identify your Strengths to accomplish the change, and the Limitations that might impede the change. Second, look for Opportunities to help you make the change and identify Threats or Obstacles that might prevent you from making the change.

The Goal? Brainstorm ways to turn your Limitations into Strengths and Threats (or Obstacles) into Opportunities.
Members shared their unique situations with each other, whether it be a change of teaching venue, a reduction or increase in their student roster, or even creating a performance space. The room was alive with discussion, brainstorming and true collaboration!

Resources: There are many books on the topic of Change. Here are a few I shared with the group:

  • “Who Moved My Cheese?” by Dr. Spencer Johnson
  • “Change is Everybody’s Business” by Pat McLagan
  • “How to Survive Change You Didn’t Ask For” by M.J. Ryan

CODA:
As many of you may know, I have stepped down from the position of IMTF Chair. It has been a pleasure and a privilege to serve the WSMTA community in this role for the past seven years. I have enjoyed meeting so many dedicated teachers from across the State and have learned so much from each of you. The Independent Music Teacher Forum will continue under the leadership of our new IMTF Chair Laura Dean (Seattle Chapter). Her energy, creativity, and dedication to teaching will support all of us on our professional development journey.

Until next time,
RoseMarie