I started teaching virtually the third week of March, and there is no way that I would have felt as prepared as I did if it wasn't for observing my wife, Dr. Amanda Kemp, conducting her daily meetings and seminars via Zoom. I was able to take tips and tricks that I learned from watching her, and translate them into my lessons. It was a true adrenaline rush being able to teach someone from Hong Kong, and then teach someone from San Francisco an hour later. It makes you appreciate the amazing things that technology can do, and how it connects us to people all over the world. Although the nuances and energy of a live lesson are irreplaceable, here are some positive reflections from moving to a virtual teaching model:
At first, it was an adjustment not seeing a lot of my students face to face, but seeing my students play in the comfort of their own homes gave me more insight as to who they are, and that has been such a cool experience as an instructor. Many students would introduce me to their pets, or their siblings might wave from the background or make an appearance every now and again. This could be viewed as a distraction, but it had a tendency to make the learning more relaxed and interactive. I honestly believe that many of my students are more engaged with their lessons via the virtual platform, because they don’t have the distractions they usually do in their normal face-to-face lessons. For example, in what was live group lessons, virtually they don’t have the other students in their lessons anymore, so they really have to zone into their lesson as an individual participant. I also believe that this levels the playing field for students. They no longer have the pressure of their classmates, and I am really able to provide them with tailored tools they need to grow as a violinist. I can do this by providing references to videos, music, and other materials that are easily accessed online.
With Zoom’s capability to easily record sessions, I feel that students are retaining what they learned throughout their lesson at a much higher rate than they did during the face-to-face lessons. I also believe that transitioning to a completely virtual platform has allowed me to grow as an instructor, and I don’t feel so one-dimensional anymore. This has opened up a huge door to incorporating different exercises, like breathing techniques, to help bring mindfulness and gratitude into each lesson.
Throughout the summer, I was able to host a virtual Music for Everyone Camp. This was such an incredible experience and we had a fabulous turnout of 65 students. With the camp being conducted virtually, we had access to so many education and recording platforms that truly made the camp remarkable. We were able to provide them with homework assignments that really helped their retention and involvement throughout the camp. Given the circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was a nice escape to see all of the kids' smiling faces and eagerness to learn and grow as a musician. I have included the link to our highlight video at the end of this post!
Overall, my experience with teaching virtually has been a very positive one, and I believe that this has opened so many doors for me to expand my teaching capabilities, as well as my accessibility to students around the world. Even with the occasional minor drawback such as internet connectivity that affects audio and video, I believe that this is going to play a huge role in the future of musical instruction. I highly recommend that if you are not already exploring the possibility of experiencing music, both through lessons and teaching virtually, you should definitely start looking into it.
Additionally, due to Covid-19, Music For Everyone has made the decision to provide our after school offerings in a virtual format for the Fall and Winter of 2020. While this was a difficult decision to make, our student’s and staff’s safety is MFE’s number one concern. Though the BanginStrings will not have “in-person” sessions this year, we are inviting your child to participate in the Virtual after school program. Please click here to learn more!
For more information on lessons, click here!
To watch the Virtual Music for Everyone Camp highlight video, click here!