Free Introductory Session for Transitioning Students
Found in: Free Introductory Session
Sandy L. Nebraska
I have frequently held classes (including the current semester) at a couple of venues where I have no opportunity to do an FIS. I teach at an after school program and a homeschool co-op. In the past couple of semesters, I have then transitioned some of these students to my home studio, but none of them ever had an FIS.
I do not know if any of my current students will be transitioning to my home this coming May, but if they do should I start them off with an FIS? They will have completed Foundation Level 1 by then, or at least very close to completing it.
Have any of you been in similar circumstances, or just have thoughts about it? I am beginning to wonder if my current home studio students would have had a better transition if I had an FIS with them at the time of the switch.
Darla H.
I don’t have any experience with your type of situation, but if I were in your shoes, I think I’d definitely do an FIS with anyone who wanted to continue. I would maybe call it an “information session” rather than “introductory” since they’ve all been introduced to the method already; and let them know that a deeper knowledge about Simply Music and it’s history will enhance their learning experience in the future. It might be a good time to revisit things talked about in the foundation session, as well (goals, roles & responsibilities, long-term relationship, etc.)
Laurie R. Nebraska
There are a few ways to handle that. I think the best way is to plan up front to weave the FIS into the lessons. I did that in a workshop class I just finished. I would plan for about 10 minutes at the beginning to do a portion of the FIS. For example, at the first class, I talked about the breakthrough results and playing-based vs. reading-based. At the next one I talked about the underlying philosophy – everybody is musical, walking/talking analogy. And so on. You would have covered the Student Home Materials (SHM) portion at the first lesson. I don’t do the relationship conversation until they are enrolled in regular lessons. So it is very doable. If you are already into a class without having done that, you can still approach it in that way going forward with the class. You could
relate each section to something they have already experienced in their lessons to that point. I would definitely address the expectations of student, parent, and teacher going forward.
In my opinion, approaching it that way makes more sense than doing a regular, separate FIS when they have already been involved in lessons of some format.