Happy Nearly New Years

Why you need to set goals this New Year!

Blog entry by Alissa for the Alissa Strople Music Studio

Happy Nearly New Years!  The start of a new year is the perfect time to set new goals!  Yes I am talking about that ever cliché, goal setting, or resolution making.  But how can we use this cliché to make our studios run even better in 2017?

 

Which goals and Why?

We all have goals for the New Year, both personal and professional.  Personally, in life I want to balance fun with responsibility better, find more patience when dealing with my two toddlers, and make time for exercise. But enough about me!  And enough about personal goals.

Today I am talking about professional goals for students and studio.  A great way to grow our studios, improve our businesses, and reconnect with our students is goal setting and what better time but now!   Here are the three goal categories to ensure a successful 2017:

1. Student Goals
2. Teaching Goals
3. Studio Goals

 

Goals for Students

“To achieve great things, two things are needed; a plan, and not quite enough time.” – Leonard Bernstein

I love how this quote is presented on classicfm check it out!

If nothing else students should be setting musical goals for lessons.  This is priority number one.  Whenever I have new student in my studio I like to establish goals in the very first meeting.  Last week I talked about this in my post First Lessons, First Impressions and included my free printable Student Information Form with space reserved for goal setting.  The start of the New Year is a great opportunity to reassess these goals with students and set new ones!

I recommend students set 3 kinds of goals:

1. Easy accomplished short term goals,
2. Year-long goals, and
3. Dreams, of course!

Short Term Goals for Students

For vocal students, short term goals can be as simple as identifying keys on the piano, focusing on the breath, or remembering to bring a recording device to lessons.  These Short Term goals should be something they could work out in a single lesson and can bring home with them to work on independently.  A successful short term goal can be achieved quickly but can also transition into a longer-term goal through mastery.

Year-long Goals for Students

More substantial Year-long goals could include establishing a steady practice routine, participating in an upcoming audition or mastering a particular song.  Longer term goals take more time, more work and more dedication from the student.  Students should understand that these goals will require that effort and time.  Whether setting these Year-long goals January first, in the first lesson, or at some other annual time it is important to set an end date for accomplishing it.  This encourages self-lead practice and motivation in students.

Dream Goals for Students

Dreams of course are just that, dreams!  What is the big picture for the student?  Do they want to sing on Broadway or at the Met?  Do they want to conquer their stage fright?  These are the big goals that may take many years to accomplish with lots of hard work.  Dreams are the end goal for the student, and thus the teacher.  As with anything while dreams are a far way off they do change and should be reevaluated annually.  Not to mention that end dates for dreams should be kept in perspective, as in the case of age restrictions, college application deadlines, etc.

How is student goals setting beneficial to teachers?

Students who set their own goals are more likely to work hard to achieve them.  Most importantly this encourages practice and student self-motivation.  Student lead goal setting gives structure to your lessons.  It lets you know what your student is aiming for and what they expect you to help them with.

This is the hard part.  Students will, and should, expect you to help them accomplish these goals.  Making them attainable is really important.  This doesn’t mean they aren’t a stretch but let them succeed.

Choose your Words

Ensuring success in goal setting can be tricky.  Typically this is all in the wording.  There are many many many available resources for how to set goals, in fact entire books have been written on the subject!  In my own studio I make sure to use positive future statements. For example:

Instead of: “I want to get into get into the Los Angeles Master Chorale”

Try: “I will audition for the Los Angeles Master Chorale this year with confidence”

In my studio I made sure the root of the goal was the same but not out of the student’s control, like the adjudication.  Here the goal is to audition with confidence.  Above all this goal is specific, attainable, motivational, and sets a deadline.  Not only will setting goals help your students but it will help your lessons run more smoothly.

Goals for Teaching

Now that your students have goals for music lessons… how about setting some goals of your own.  New Years is the perfect time to set personal teaching goals too.

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Start by accessing your teaching habits.  As a vocal teaching assistant at UCSB we were required to video record and evaluate our teaching from time to time.  This was horrible!! And so helpful!  Just as any performer would record and evaluate their performance for next time so should any teacher.  As a singer this has always been common practice to better my performances but as a teacher this was scary territory.  Somehow it felt more personal and authentic because it wasn’t a show.  The first time I did this I found that I asked a student “does that make sense” over ten times in a single half hour lesson!  Looking back it’s pretty funny but at the time I felt pretty awful.  I also discovered that I gave too many pointers instead of focusing on a specific goal and (in my opinion) didn’t smile enough!

Another way to access your teaching habits is to ask students or parents where they think there is room to improve.  As music instructors we are not in a corporate structure so we have to find unique ways to get annual feedback.  The client is the best source for this information.

Next follow through!  After watching the video or talking to students decide how to best move forward by setting teaching goals.  Last year my teaching goal was to time manage better in lessons making sure to start and end on time.  So far I think I have accomplished this but there is still room for growth!  This year my teaching goals will emphasize musicianship and sight reading in all my students.

Goals for your Studio

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” C.S. Lewis

Finally, as a business owner, and yes you are a business owner, you should have goals for your business.  This past year my goals were:

1. Officially open my own music studio
2. Create business tools to support my studio
   1. Website, business cards, email, PayPal, etc.
3. Start a Blog about Music Lessons!

I am not a tech savvy person so all this was a pretty difficult task but I have been really proud of myself so far. And the success of achieving these goals has motivated me and reminded me of the power of goal setting.  Feeling encouraged, I have set even greater goals for this next year …

1. Plan and execute 2 recitals for my students per year,
2. Host Saturday master classes for students every other month,
3. Join Nats and get active!,
4. Double the number of students in my studio by the end of 2017, and
5. Build a network of other music teachers both locally and afar.

Start countdown to goal realization in … 10, 9, 8, 7, …

Now that you know what my goals are … I’d love you to keep me accountable! And I’d love to hear your goals!  I hope you find this post both helpful and encouraging AND I hope to see you back here reading again soon!!  Please feel free to contact me with any questions you have, ideas you would like to see posted in the future, and of course to sign up for lessons!

Until next time!

~ Alissa

“You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don’t try.” – Beverly Sills, opera singer