Why Teaching In My Students’ Homes Really Did NOT Work For Me. There are so many options when it comes to deciding where to teach. Should you rent a space at a music store, church, or office building? Maybe you could teach at a local school or at your own home. Each option has pros […]
How to Improve Your Students’ Violin Posture
5 Ways to Say “Stand Up Straight” Without Saying “Stand Up Straight” Yet Again… I’m still waiting for the day that teaching the violin becomes easy for me. It has definitely become much easier than it used to be, but I still struggle. Last week I wrote a blog post, “Are You a Strict Teacher […]
Are You a Strict Teacher or Nice Teacher
Which One Are You? I’m a bookworm. (Which is one of the reasons Brecklyn and I have started The Plucky Violin Teacher Book Club.) My latest book is The Smartest Kids in the World: And How They Got That Way by Amanda Ripley. The book is about three countries (Poland, Finland, and Korea) that consistently […]
When Transfer Music Students Come Knocking
What To Do With Your Transfer Music Students With Serious Technique Issues…. Have you ever sat in your chair during a first lesson with a new student and struggled to come up with anything positive to say? Their posture is sinking into the ground, their tone is crunchy (or wispy), their shifts and vibrato are tight, and […]
5 Easy Music Lesson Games
How to Make Lessons Fun Without Spending Any Money! It is really easy to get in a teaching rut. Do you feel that way, too? Some weeks I just get into my routine, say the same things (bend your thumb, that’s sharp, blah, blah, blah), do the same activities, and even I get bored. And […]
The Plucky Violin Teacher Book Club
Join Us In Our Quest for Continuing Education One of my favorite ideas of the Suzuki Philosophy is the “three legged stool” of parent, teacher, and student to create an ideal learning environment. I also believe that there is another three legged stool that I have to keep balancing. These three legs are business owner, […]
What Do I Really Need in My Violin Studio?
A Minimalist Guide to Equipping Your Violin Studio… by McKenzie Clawson I’m a minimalist. Did you hear that faint sound in the distance? Yup, that was my husband laughing. Okay, okay, I’m not a minimalist, but I want to stop being a packrat. I like the idea of a streamlined, organized studio. This summer I […]
Common Shoulder Rest Mistakes
And Why You Should Fix Them! by McKenzie Clawson When I went to institutes as a young Suzuki student, I came up with a theory that you could tell who belonged to what teacher by their shoulder rest. It seemed like every student in a particular studio would have the exact same shoulder rest to the […]
You Are Going to Make Mistakes
How to Incorporate and Embrace Failure in Your Music Studio by McKenzie Clawson Failure is difficult for my many of my students. Every time I try to stretch them by asking a difficult question or introducing a new technique I can see the fear in their eyes. Their minds freeze and their muscles tense and all of […]
5 Fun and Easy Violin Practice Games
5 Fun and Easy Violin Practice Games How to Avoid Music Practice Battles with Your Kids Guest Post by McKenzie Clawson Practicing sometimes feels like a dirty word. When I bring up the subject of practicing with my students they look away, shuffle their feet, and try to avoid the question. (Does this sound familiar?) […]