Studio Resources

Resource Gems: July 2022 (Open Access)

Do you need fresh ideas to invigorate your studio this fall? Perhaps you are wanting to fine-tune a few of your studio policies as you go into a new school year. These podcasts and blogs provide the most current tips and tools that private teachers are considering in their fall planning.

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Top Five: Time to “Tune Up” Your Studio Business Practices!

Establishing an effective policy is integral to running a studio smoothly and efficiently. But how do we actually enforce these policies to make sure we get paid on time, aren’t run over by pushy parents or aren’t allowing our lives to be consumed by resentment toward those who don’t respect our boundaries? How can we enforce our policies while still giving attention and appropriate grace to those in need? How can we be kind and understanding of our families while making sure we maintain healthy boundaries? …

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In the Spotlight: How Do I Actually Enforce My Policies?

Establishing an effective policy is integral to running a studio smoothly and efficiently. But how do we actually enforce these policies to make sure we get paid on time, aren’t run over by pushy parents or aren’t allowing our lives to be consumed by resentment toward those who don’t respect our boundaries? How can we enforce our policies while still giving attention and appropriate grace to those in need? How can we be kind and understanding of our families while making sure we maintain healthy boundaries? …

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A Matter Of Time: The Big Rocks

A common resolution at this time of year is vowing to make more time for things that are important. Wouldn't we all love to improve our time management, including the efficiency of our business practices? …

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The Ins and Outs of Independent Teaching: Guiding Prospective Music Teachers

There are hundreds of excellent musicians graduating yearly from wonderful institutions around the country, many with advanced degrees. Some percentage of them, but certainly not all, will find full-time employment upon graduation. … Young teachers just starting out, as well as those who teach music school-bound students and college music majors will benefit from these observations and suggestions for how a performing musician can maintain a successful career in independent teaching. …

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Legal Landscape: Business Structure Options for Music Teachers (Open Access)

Are you trying to decide on the best business structure for your teaching? OR are you looking for ways to upgrade or change your current teaching situation? Besides the two traditional platforms (independent studio and university faculty) there are other attractive choices available. Offered here are descriptions of several options, their pros and cons, and the legal/tax pluses and minuses of various business types. …

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Think Outside The Home: Teaching Options And Opportunities Teaching In Students' Homes…

Early in my teaching career, I moved to a nearby town and sustained my studio by teaching former students in their homes. Parents loved this idea for its convenience and continuity. It was a bit of a drive to get to town, but once there, all homes were within 15 minutes of each other. This arrangement started as a financial necessity, but I discovered how enjoyable it could be too.

Financially, teaching in students' homes can be a lucrative position. …

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A New Calendar, A New Paradigm

It is 20 degrees and snow is still on the ground here in the Midwest; what better time to think summer, or better yet, re-think summer. The superintendent of my state's largest school district, Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) … is championing a new "balanced" calendar … to counter the documented "summer learning loss" of children who are away from a structured school routine for two to three months. I can almost hear music teachers cheering! Our profession has long advocated that taking the summer off from music study results in skill and learning loss and the need to catch up in the fall. …

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EXCEL-ling Your Music Studio (Open Access)

Have you ever wondered how to create a beautifully designed recital program with a minimum amount of effort? Join us in this short two-part series to first learn how to sort and organize student information in Excel and then to use the mail merge feature in Microsoft Word linked to Excel to produce a professional recital program.

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Resource Gems: July 2022

Do you need fresh ideas to invigorate your studio this fall? Perhaps you are wanting to fine-tune a few of your studio policies as you go into a new school year. These podcasts and blogs provide the most current tips and tools that private teachers are considering in their fall planning.

Read More      Back to Top

Technology Tips and Tools: Google Drive Can Do All of That?

When you think of innovative technology tools, Google Drive may not be the first thing that comes to mind. However, Google Sheets, Slides, Docs and Forms are powerful tools that can be used to create interactive PDFs, drag-and-drop worksheets, clickable choice boards, escape rooms, auto-corrected worksheets, registration forms and so much more.

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Top 5: Must-Haves for Creating a Dynamic Website

OK, you have 7 seconds. That’s right! Research shows that we have only seven seconds to grab someone’s attention and make a good first impression. Don’t miss out: learn the Top Five Must-Haves for creating a dynamic website, increasing traffic, and getting found online.

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Web Design with Your User in Mind

A website is essential to every business. But, simply going online isn’t enough to be successful. You also need to provide an excellent User eXperience. In this article, you’ll learn the key principles of UX web design through industry examples and how to apply them to achieve your objective, whether that’s selling your sheet music or filling your music studio.

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Meet the Entreprenuer: Davis Dorrough, NCTM, Online Teaching is Not Just for Pandemics

After most of the music profession was thrown into online teaching during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, Davis Dorrough found plenty of reasons to not go back to in-person lessons. Learn why he chose this path, how he pivoted his business to an entirely virtual model, where he found new students, and how he enhanced the online experience with innovative technology.

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