“More than Music Lessons: A Studio Teacher’s Guide to Parents, Practicing, Projects, and Character” by Merlin B. Thompson - Canadian music educator, pianist, and scholar. Written for teachers of today’s culturally diverse generation, More than Music Lessons breaks new ground with its timely vision of inclusive music studio instruction and practical steps for bringing student-centered teaching to life. Filled with stories, solutions, and ideas for music teachers of all levels and disciplines, this must-read guidebook demonstrates how teachers may thoughtfully break through barriers and empower their students in meaningful musical journeys.
With a framework of Parents, Practicing, Projects, and Character, Merlin Thompson shows how having compassion for parents and the dynamics of students’ family home life is vital. Practicing fulfills our basic needs for autonomy, fluency, relatedness, purpose, and reflection. Non-performance projects bring fresh energy to students’ musical journey and amplify their musical persona. Character - an interweaving of authenticity, calling, soul, life force imprinted from birth - adds depth and integrity to musical explorations.
Readers will appreciate the following unique features:
- Teaching Tips - over fifty practical and inspirational tips for vocal and instrumental teachers
- From MBT’s Studio - real life experiences with students and parents
- Your Thoughts - ongoing reflective explorations
- Frequently Asked Questions - thoughtful answers fill in the gaps
- Research from the fields of Self-Determination Theory, Humanistic Psychology, and Project-Based Learning
More than Music Lessons gets right to the heart of the matter by inviting music teachers to link their teaching with notions of humanity. When music teachers value others for who they are and what they do, they change the world for the better. They showcase making music as the resonant mechanism ideally suited to achieving something most remarkable - the flourishing of our shared humanity.
guest post by Merlin Thompson
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