Filming lessons for absent students – Neil Moore
Found in: Claiming Territory
Neil Moore
Hi everyone. I just wanted to address something and make sure that this is clear. It was brought to my attention today that there are at least a few teachers who, from time to time, are filming their lessons and making a video available to their students who are unable to attend their lessons in any given week.
I absolutely appreciate the intention behind this, however, recording lessons and making these available is outside of the scope of the Simply Music License Agreement. Over the years, we have considered and explored this issue at length, and there are simply far too many problems and complications that arise from us allowing this to happen. This is why we have the clause in our License Agreement (last sentence in the “License to Teach the Program” section) that specifically states that it’s not OK to make any recordings, at all, of your lessons.
I think this is pretty straightforward, but naturally I’m happy to discuss this, in person, if any further clarification is needed.
Heidi M., Canada
Just one another question, Neil Moore 
🙂 Actually 2: First, what about them recording me slowly playing an arrangement after I taught it (there are no SM videos for arrangements, only notes) for them to take home for their learning. – just playing it NOT doing any teaching/explaining (she just found it helpful to watch what my hands were doing). Second question, what about a song that is not part of SM curriculum that I am teaching by the SM method . I broke down O Canada into SM-style patterns etc and made a video of it for my F2 student who wanted to learn it, I explained the patterns etc… this song (done by SM patterns/tools) is not on the SM curriculum. The video REALLY helped her to learn it though I explained it to her beforehand. I hope you can be understanding towards this situation. Thanks
Laurie Richards, Nebraska
Heidi, I’d like to address your question about recording arrangements. Just from a SM-philosophical viewpoint, I would never record arrangements for students. The intention of the Arrangements program is that students learn them with NO support materials. They will process the learning strategies very differently if they know they will have a video to look at. Knowing there is no support material forces a heightened awareness and application of the playing-based clues. Your students will use every trick in the book to convince you that they cannot do it. When they start down that path, I always ask them “Are you willing to consider the possibility that you are capable of doing more than you think you are?”. And we go very carefully and specifically over the playing-based clues of a very SMALL section of the arrangement. There are lots of great posts in Simpedia on this topic as well.
Jacqui G., Canada
So how do you handle it when a parent (or adult student) pulls out their cell phone and records you as you play – or requests that you play it again so they can film the fingering? It is not always a Simply Music piece – might be something else we are working on.
Laurie Richards, Nebraska
I have always handled that scenario by saying I don’t allow it! They have adequate tools and strategies to use without filming it.
Sherri A.
This happened at the very beginning with one parent and I was a little uncertain about it. I expressed my concern about it and the parent said it was just for them (the parent) so they could help their child later. They promised they wouldn’t actually show it to their child. I didn’t quite know how to handle it, but asked her not to…luckily we have a good relationship. Now I know I can tell her that it would be most helpful for the parent to learn using the same strategies as the student. And now I realize that I can add in that it is against my license agreement to allow anything to be recorded! That really makes it easy to put my foot down!