Most music studios offer one recital a year. The students dress up. The parents film it on their phones. The teacher hands out programs. Each student plays one song, sometimes badly, almost always with shaking hands. There’s a reception with cookies afterward. The studio posts photos on Instagram. Done. That’s the cement-the-win moment for theContinueContinue reading “Why We Don’t Just Do Recitals — and Why Most Studios Should Stop Pretending They’re Enough”
Tag Archives: music education
Inside a Real JAM Camp Day
What does a kid actually do for 25 hours at JAM Camp? Here’s a walkthrough of how the week unfolds, hour by hour, Monday through Friday — honest, unromantic, and exactly what every parent quietly wants to know before they sign up.
The Step Most Music Teachers Skip — Letting the Student Enjoy the Win
Last week, a young student of mine made it all the way through Silent Night on piano. (Yes, Silent Night. In April. Don’t worry about it.) He’s a beginner. This was his first complete song — mostly memorized, both hands, all the way through. A real, honest-to-goodness “I just played a song” moment. And here’sContinueContinue reading “The Step Most Music Teachers Skip — Letting the Student Enjoy the Win”
What “Ready for JAM Camp” Actually Means
Parents ask if their kid is ready for JAM Camp. Here’s the honest answer — and it’s almost never the answer they expect. The bar is lower than you think, the ceiling is higher than you think, and skill isn’t actually the thing that matters.
The Part of Teaching Most Studios Think Is the Whole Job
If you ask the average music teacher what teaching is, they’ll describe Acquire. The fourth letter of the ADVANCE method is the part most studios think is the whole job. The teacher introduces a new skill. The student works on it. The teacher gives feedback. The student practices. Eventually, the skill lands. That’s Acquire. TheContinueContinue reading “The Part of Teaching Most Studios Think Is the Whole Job”