“Do as I say, not as I do.” The old adage rang in my ears as I was talking to a colleague and friend of mine. She had been lamenting over the fact that her students (a lot of them transfers, others lazy), could not play their scales well. She’s very passionate about foundation and …
Author: McKenzie
Living Life Well
We are deep in the thick of a COVID-19 world. And I don’t know about you, but my Facebook feed, the blogs I follow, and just about every other email that has arrived is pinging me on new ways to teach, how to communicate with parents in the midst of the chaos, and how to …
Game-Based Learning: The Classics
I grew up in a game lovin’ family. We had a huge closet in the foyer of my parent’s house that had shelves lined with games. We had family game nights, hosted game nights with other families, and attended game nights at church. The holidays were (and still are) filled with competitive spirit. We pull …
Resource Roundup: Improvisation
Do you use improvisation in your studio? I do … starting at lesson one! What I’ve learned from a lot of teachers is that improvisation is not something they were taught growing up, and it intimidates them quite a bit. I get it – new things are always intimidating! But we have to take a …
The Perfect Method Book
There is no such thing as the perfect method book. There. I said it. Now please hear me out on this one before you head to your next task … Besides teaching, I also have the amazing job of working at a music store. I have learned so much working behind the desk and meeting …
Game-Based Learning: Valentine’s Day Edition
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner … and I’m here to show you how easy (and cheap!) it can be to prep a versatile game to work on notes, intervals, and creativity 🙂 A quick recap – why are games so important to use in your teaching? Because we are working towards not passive …
Continue reading Game-Based Learning: Valentine’s Day Edition
Mental Energy… Friend or Foe?
I’m coming up on my ten year teaching anniversary. This definitely makes me feel old, but has also had me doing some serious soul searching. I never want to reach a point in teaching where I feel as though I’ve mastered it all, because I believe there are always going to be new things to …
Game-Based Learning: Football Edition
In my initial post on Game-Based learning, we talked about the MANY benefits of beginning to implement games as a regular activity in your studio. If you missed this … please check it out here! Knowing where to start the journey in your studio can be the hardest part. There are so many resources available …
Game-Based Learning
~ “Repetition is the mother of all learning” ~ (Roman Proverb) … and yet, repetition can be one of the quickest and most un-enchanting ways to bore our students. Phrases like “play it again”, “let’s do flashcards”, and “one more time” become the core of our teaching as we slip into the familiar and monotony …
2020 Reflections …
As one year fades into the distance and we shift our attention to making the year ahead somehow better, the world puts an emphasis on “reflecting”. I am not a huge fan of New Year’s resolutions. Likely because the true changes I’ve made in my life are not the result of anything I start on …
