Opinion: A+ score for distance learning

Thirteen days into distance learning, and there’s one overriding theme that has emerged. When forced to stay at home, kids will jump on their instruments and practice.

Yes, that’s right, I said it. Whether they loved their lessons or were just lukewarm to them in the past, the majority of students have come to their online lessons prepared and eager to learn. Okay, so we’ve heard a lot of, “I didn’t have anything else to do but practice on my instrument,” but regardless, all of the teachers have reported that individual progress has stepped up. Maybe this is partially due to the frequency of practice. (Haven’t we always said that practicing 3-4 times a week for 10 minutes is much more effective than forcing your child to sit with their instrument for one hour the day before class?) Perhaps it’s down to actually having the time to connect with music. Or maybe this is just about interacting with someone outside of their own four walls.

And here’s another thing we’ve noticed, our students are much more inclined to reach out to teachers in between classes with questions or seeking advice because they have discovered that they can. Now, before you start thinking this is a new feature of distance learning, think again. This has always been an aspect of our lesson program through our online platform. Up until now, only a few have taken full advantage of being connected to their teachers, but not anymore. It’s that sense of being connected we always hoped to achieve, and hopefully, when we emerge from social isolation, it’s a trend that will continue. 

One more thing…

Parents, take note: Kids have overwhelmingly embraced distance learning, and as adults, this is something we will have to accept and support. Technology has changed our lives, and we as a generation can’t hold our kids back just because this method of learning is different for us. 

Kids don’t fear technology like we do. They have grown up with tablets in their hands, so they’re much more adept at navigating through it, but more than that, they have the ability to focus on online activities because they’ve always done it. If we take a step back and allow them to take the lead, I guarantee we will be pleasantly surprised at the outcome.

Today, some of our students blew me away with their music! I’m excited to be able to share that with our MusicWorks Family in the coming days. In turn, if there’s anything you’d like to share, your favorite take out place, services you or your company provides, a secret source for rice and toilet paper, please pass them along and I’ll happily share it with our community. 

To everyone… stay safe and stay healthy!