030 - Five Myths About Music Teaching & Learning
You know those things you’ve heard that seem true? I mean, they sound plausible. Plus, if enough people say it, it must be true, right?
Before long, we find ourselves buying into the hype, retelling the story, believing something we’ve heard without stopping to ask questions.
This is how myths begin.
Sometimes, there’s simply a lack of information—nothing to disprove this theory or that idea. Other times, they sound good on paper but are only surface-level with no substance to back them up.
Whatever the case may be, we’ve all encountered myths (big and small) in various parts of our lives.
But have you ever stopped to think about myths related to teaching and learning?
029 - The Cost of Perfection (A Teaching Story)
Music and perfectionism often go hand-in-hand, don't they?
In music school, we're trained to pursue excellence, to strive to be the best. We're taught to set high standards for ourselves, to work hard, and live up to the high standards our teachers have for us.
The thing is, there are two sides to perfectionism.
The value of perfectionism is that it's a commitment to achieving at a high level. But the cost of perfection is a crippling fear of failure, an unwillingness to try new things, negative self-talk, and an unrelenting pursuit of something that may not always be attainable. In fact, it might not even exist.
I mean, have you ever had a perfect performance? What does that look like? Of course, there's technical perfection — the right notes and the right rhythms with the right fingering at the right tempo and the right dynamic level, whatever that might be for you — but is that what we're aiming for, technical proficiency? Or is there something more?
023 - How to Practice Efficiently in 30 Minutes Or Less
Playing your instrument helps keep your musicianship skills sharp — your aural awareness and reading abilities, your commitment to a beautiful tone and balance and expression. It helps you stay in shape technically, and it makes you a better teacher — you know what practicing requires and you know how to pick and choose the strategies that will help you be most efficient with your time.
With that said, here are a handful of quick tips for practicing efficiently in 30 minutes or less:
022 - On Being a Lifelong Learner
As lifelong learners, we get to discover new things, new people, and new ideas. We explore things that are new and unfamiliar, whether that’s reading a short biography about a composer or sight-reading a new piece; outlining a new learning sequence or figuring out how to use a new app.
But what does this look like as a music professional? Here’s a personal and practical look at what lifelong learning looks like for me in this season.
020 - Asking the Right Kinds of Questions
As teachers, we ask a lot of questions.
What’s the first note?
What’s your hand position?
Which finger plays the black key?
What kind of note do we sing in m. 8?
Are these notes stepping or skipping?
But, did you know there are different kinds of questions (or ways of asking questions) that can actually promote learning?
A good question does more than assess student learning or mastery of a concept; it can actually foster a deeper level of understanding, open space for productive dialogue, and promote self-reflection.
019 - The Benefits of Rote Learning & How to Use It in Your Teaching
When we learn something by rote, we start by listening, then experiencing it ourselves — imitating what we see or hear, listening again, and repeating it until we can do it on our own.
Today, I want to talk about why rote learning is important and three of the primary benefits of rote learning in music education, and offer some practical, step-by-step techniques for incorporating rote-learning into your teaching approach.
017 - How to Channel Your Inner Child and See the World Differently
I love working with five-year-olds.
I love their creativity, their fearlessness, their willingness to try new things, their crazy imaginations, and the way they make everything silly and fun.
Of course, we were all five once. But it’s all too easy to forget what that sense of wonder feels like, to be curious and inquisitive, to ask questions and seek out the answers, to try something you’ve never tried before. Today, I’m sharing eight ways to channel your inner child and see the world differently.
014 - What Will You Learn This Summer?
One of the things I love about summer is the slower pace: the invitation to create a new routine, a new rhythm, the opportunity to learn and work and rest at my own pace. And despite a global pandemic and public health crisis, that hasn’t changed. Looking for a few ideas for how to spend your time this summer? Here are a few things to explore:
011 - Zig Zag: The Surprising Path to Greater Creativity
In his book, Zig Zag: The Surprising Path to Greater Creativity, Keith Sawyer outlines 8 stages of the creative process but rather than following a clear and direct path forward, starting here and ending there, the path to greater creativity has more zigs and zags; it’s unpredictable, erratic, and yes, surprising. Here are my three biggest takeaways from this book:
003 - The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us
The book, "Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us" by Daniel H. Pink is based on scientific research by people like Edward Deci and Richard Ryan, Carol Dweck, and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, among others, and provides insight into the role of motivation in our lives. Here are my three biggest takeaways:
I'm Ashley—musician, educator, writer, and entrepreneur. Here, I share creative ideas and practical resources to help you in your teaching and creative work. Learn more...
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