Questions Every Parent Or Student Should Know Before Choosing A Music Studio

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• Consult with friends, family and others who are acquainted with teachers in your community.
  
  
• Ask for recommendations from local music teacher organizations, music stores, schools or churches.
  
  Arrange to visit prospective studios, in person if possible, before making a commitment.
  
• Studio directors are willing and eager to explain their techniques and objectives. The following are types of questions to ask during the interview:
  
• What is the professional and educational experience of your teachers in music?
  
• What is the teacher's experience? What age groups do they teach?
  
• Do you regularly evaluate student progress?
  
• Does the studio have a written studio policy? Will the studio manager review it with me?
  
• What instructional materials do you use?
  
• What kinds of music do you teach?
  
• Do you offer recital performance opportunities for your students?
  
• Do you use technology in your studio, such as computers, music instruction software, digital keyboards?
  
• How much practice time do you require each day?
  
• What do you expect of your student? Their parents?
  
  What Is The Parent's Role?
  Parental support in the learning process is vital. Whether or not you know anything about music, take time to listen to your child play, provide exclusive practice time on a quality instrument, and celebrate his or her continued accomplishments.
  
  How Is Music Beneficial For All Learners?
  Today there are unprecedented reasons for making music a part of everyone's life. Students taking music lessons now will determine the place of music in America and the value society places on music tomorrow. Regardless of what these students ultimately choose as a profession, music making will become a part of their lives, whether it's making music, listening to music, attending concerts or serving as leaders in arts councils and community and church organizations.
  
  

• Hearing music stimulates the mind. Music instruction enhances abstract reasoning skills.
• Grade school students who take music lessons generally score higher on cognitive development tests.
• In older people, music helps lower depression and decreases loneliness.
• Playing an instrument strengthens hand-eye coordination and fine tunes motor skills.
  
  Music lessons teach discipline, dedication and enable students to see the direct link between effort and the achievement of short term and long term goals.