Private music teachers are blessed with a vast range of individual students who enter through their studio doors.

Have you met a student similar to Jack, Ruth or Ali?

Case Study One

Jack* was a dreamer. At school, his teacher would often catch him looking out the window. Upon catching his attention, it would become evident that Jack had no idea what the class had been talking about and worse still, the page in front of him was blank. At home was no different, unless he was engaged in music. He lived and breathed music, particularly jazz, and could recite the names, jazz styles, works and dates of the world’s best jazz artists. He had a particular fascination for the saxophone and wanted to learn how to play it. After realising the school band lessons were just not working for Jack, his parents enrolled him in group lessons at the local music school. Jack wasn’t happy and his group instructor was finding it hard to keep him on task. Jack’s parents were at a loss.

Case Study Two

Sarah* was a bubbly, confident and friendly young lady. Her parents often received comments about her verbal ability and confidence with older children and adults. At school, Sarah loved giving presentations. They were often detailed, showing that Sarah had deeply explored her given topic and that she had a passion for learning. In fact, most of her work was presented through speeches and she learnt through listening and doing. When Sarah asked to learn the piano, her parents invested in private piano lessons. Sarah’s enthusiastic character shined through her new found interest and the first few lessons were great. She would often be found at the piano at home, tinkling away at a new piece or experimenting with one that she had just made up, whilst her piano book sat closed. As the music became more detailed, Sarah began to struggle in lessons, becoming distracted and frustrated. Her piano teacher lamented as to why Sarah, with such enthusiasm and high IQ, was not progressing through her learning as would be expected.

Case Study Three

Ali* loved music. He was always listening to music, would often hum to himself and he jumped on any instrument he could lay his hands on. Ali’s family had an old drum kit sitting in the garage. Ali had researched how to put it together, watched a few Youtube clips and was now playing the kit with a strong beat and complicated rhythm patterns. At the suggestion of a friend, Ali’s parents signed him up to Rock School. Ali wasn’t really interested in sharing his love of the drum kit with other children, but he went along anyhow. During the first lesson, Ali couldn’t understand why he had to keep waiting for the other children to have their turn. The band co-ordinator found that Ali wouldn’t look at him during rehearsals and struggled to hold his focus. As the term continued, Ali made no attempt to socialise with the members of his new band and they become frustrated when he just played his own thing- even though he was exceptionally good! The band co-ordinator suggested to Ali’s parents that perhaps Rock School wasn’t the best place for Ali’s musical development.

2E Music Studio builds an understanding of the learning disabilities affecting Jack, Sarah and Ali and provides research-based suggestions as to accommodating these disabilities within the private music studio. Click the link through to Action in the Studio to read further. 

*Names changed for privacy reasons.