music so simple
  • Home
    • student/parent login
    • Student Gear
    • Blog
  • REGISTER
  • About
    • Our Studio
    • Our Policies
    • Teachers >
      • Stathia Orwig
      • Robin Coolidge
      • Logan Herod
      • Chiara La Ferla
      • James Landrum
      • David Large
      • Meredith Manley
      • Astrid Morales
      • Lynne Nevill
      • Employment
    • Testimonials
  • Lessons
    • Babies & Toddlers
    • Preschool
    • Private Lessons
    • Group Piano
    • Studio Kids: Ensemble Piano
    • SUMMER 2022 >
      • Your Summer Classes & Camps
      • Summer Private Lessons
    • Calendar
  • CONTACT

We've got a lot to talk about

What do we do right? (Part 2)

5/19/2020

0 Comments

 
-Stathia Orwig

We love celebrating the things we do right, but sometimes you need to hear about what people think! Starting this past February through March, we did our first-ever parent survey! The results were great! I think we got some REALLY good and honest feedback from our parents at Music SO Simple and we would love to share our results with you. 

THE TEACHERS
Here are the averages on our teachers (scale of 1 to 5, 5 being the highest)
  • I think my teacher has a high level of professionalism 4.9
  • My child and teacher have a good relationship= 4.86
  • My child’s teacher is able to meet the particular learning needs of my child=4.82
  • My child feels comfortable talking to his/her teacher=4.76
  • My child’s teacher regularly gives feedback/has good communication with me=4.76
  • My child's teacher runs on time=4.74
  • My child's teacher motivates my child=4.68
  • I am happy with the expectation level of our teacher=4.68
  • I feel like my child is learning and progressing well=4.62

THE STUDIO
Here are the averages on the studio as a whole (scale of 1 to 5, 5 being the highest)
  • I feel like the lesson environment is inviting and conductive to learning=4.84 wohooo!
  • I feel like Music So Simple has a good reputation=4.76
  • How would you evaluate the payment and billing process?=4.76
  • I am happy with the recitals that Music So Simple provides=4.6
  • How would you evaluate your child's lesson assignments?=4.6
  • My child understands how to practice=4.46 I think this is definitely something we need to work on as teachers!
  • I am happy with the Dallas Music Teachers Association opportunities that Music SO Simple provides=4.4 From some of the comments, a lot of our parents did not know what DMTA was.
  • I feel that I get enough communication from the studio and am well informed of registration, payments, billing, scheduling, recitals, etc. =3.78 This is a question that 3 was not too much and not too little. Some families think we send out too much, and others are still confused. Definitely a tricky one for sure!

Comments that really stood out are:
  • Mr. Large is very patient. The violin can be ear piercing in the early learning stages and he is careful to use positive encouragement in those moments (much better than I am able to do thus far).
  • Mr. James has a good temperament for my son.
  • Ms. Chiara's passion for music is contagious!
  • Mrs. Coolidge is so caring and will do anything to help her students 
  • Ms. Ellie really understands how to connect with each of my kids in very different ways, she learned what motivated them and how they learned, and adapted her teaching style to bring out the best in each of them.
  • Ms. Logan is very patient and kind, always has a positive attitude, communicates well, sets appropriate expectations
  • Ms. Lynne is obviously driven to pass along all her knowledge/love of music and piano to children. She is a great communicator, juggler of all things music/theory/reward/scheduling/planning she has to check off each lesson. I have observed her be firm, yet gentle with my boys (which they need-the firm). She is encouraging with also being real with them about the need for practice, etc.
  • Ms. Meredith is kind and wonderful and all the great things- too many to name on this evaluation. We love her! 
  • Ms. Stathia is very professional. She is always on time and explains thing well to my daughter. And, she always communicates her expectation after each session. 
  • I love all the teachers that I have had the opportunity to meet. I would recommend this studio to many people.
  • The studio is beautiful and very inviting. The energy in the studio is electrifying. The pianos are wonderful quality. The binders are very helpful. 

And, to address the concerns:
  • I will like to have a more detailed invoice email/would appreciate knowing if I am paying for a service or item that is not under my usual tuition fee (i.e. books, recital fees, etc). 
When you open the PDF that is in the invoice email sent on the first of each month, there is a detailed description for books, recitals, festivals, etc. It is on the left of the item. But, you have to open the PDF to get this!
  • Soundproofing the practice rooms would be awesome!
We have thought about soundproofing the rooms more than they already are, however, we love hearing each other and what's going on in each studio. From the waiting area, it "feels" like a music school! So, for now, we are going to enjoy all of the different music and learn that we don't always need quiet to make progress!


And to end with a few random comments: We definitely have some cheerleaders out there!!
  • Love being able to refer y’all to my friends - you’re the best!
  • Love it! Grateful!
  • Special kudos to Stathia Orwig, being professional and organized school.
  • We are so proud of the progress of Music So Simple!! 
0 Comments

All about our May Awards

5/6/2020

0 Comments

 
-Meredith Manley

Our May Awards Recital is always something we all look forward to at the end of each school year! Due to the circumstances, our May recital this year looks a little different: instead of performing for a live audience, our students are submitting a recorded video of themselves performing at home. They have been working so hard on their recital pieces, and we wanted to give them a chance to still perform in the safest way we could. We will be putting together the videos to make virtual recitals and sending them out to all of our families!

At the end of the May recital, we call up students one by one and present them their bag of yearly awards. Most families head home with their awards, but don’t always understand what they are for or how their child earned them. So I thought this blog would be a great way to explain all the different types of awards students can earn!
The 40 piece challenge award is perfect for beginning students in their first or second year of study, or for students who love to learn pieces on their own between lessons. Students have between September to May to learn 40 pieces- that’s a lot of pieces!! The longer a student studies their instrument, the harder it is to complete the challenge because their pieces are more complicated, so for the past couple of years we have extended the deadline through the end of the summer.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Honor Roll is another big award, and is difficult to achieve. For 15 weeks in the spring semester, students track their individual progress every week, and earn points for 5 different categories; practice, 40 piece challenge, theory, materials/attitude, and extras. Students set a practice goal for themselves based on their practice habits from the fall, and if they meet their practice goal for the week, they receive one point. The extras column is for students who learn a piece on their own, memorize a piece, do extra theory work, or who participate in spring DMTA/TMTA events such as the State Theory Exam and/or Achievement Auditions. The hardest part about Honor Roll is staying consistent for that long of a period. Oftentimes I see students start out strong, but at the halfway point they fizzle out. Or a student may be great at practicing, but they never complete their theory assignments. It really takes focus and discipline, and we feel it’s important to recognize those students who go above and beyond. There are two different Honor Roll awards: the composer bust (55+ points) and the metal treble clef bookmark (45-54 points). Honor roll students do not compete against each other, but rather with themselves to meet their personal goals. The only time students compete with each other is during MusicBall in the fall, when we split everyone up into teams and we have weekly matches.
Many of our students participate in DMTA events, so there is potential to earn awards for those as well. Students may earn ribbons for certain scores at the Sonatina Festival in December and at Achievement Auditions in April. Students who score a 90 or higher on the TMTA state theory exam either earn a bronze, silver, or gold medal depending on their grade, so their medals are included in awards bags each year as well. 
Picture
Picture
Our last category of awards has to do with how long a student has been studying their instrument. Awards start at half a year of study all the way through their senior year.
  • Students who have been studying less than a year earn the First Year Award (treble clef plastic bookmark), and students who have studied over a year receive the Noteworthy Award (clef and eighth note pin).
  • 2+ years is the Novice Award (MSS pen),
  • 3+ years is the Piano Star Award (small engraved trophy),
  • 5+ years is the Musician Award (one of my favorites- teacher and student go out on a snack date!),
  • 7+ years is the Brilliance Award (teacher/student lunch date).
  • The last award is for seniors, who receive a framed picture with their teacher and a plaque. 

Our intention is never to hurt anyone’s feelings if they didn’t receive many awards. We know how challenging it is to earn some of these, and we feel that students who achieve them should be recognized and celebrated. Reflecting on the quality of a student’s work is a valuable lesson no matter the outcome because it shows them how far they’ve come in the last 9 months, and shows them what could be improved so that they earn a certain award next year. We think awards are the perfect way to end the school year, and we really are so proud of all of our students! 
Picture
0 Comments

    Archives

    January 2022
    September 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016

    Categories

    All
    40 Piece Challenge
    About Our Teachers
    About Us
    Contests
    DMTA
    Ear Explorations
    Early Childhood
    Festivals
    For Our Parents
    For Our Students
    Goals
    Honor Roll
    Music Bucks
    Music Library
    Policies
    Practice
    Recital
    Research
    Student Of The Week
    Summer
    Theory
    Theory Test
    Voice Lessons
    What To Expect At A Recital
    Written Work

    RSS Feed

MUSIC SO SIMPLE
469.778.2121
​
info@musicsosimple.com
​
1144 Plano Road, suite 142, richardson, texas 75081

Music So Simple, Music Schools, Richardson, TX
  • Home
    • student/parent login
    • Student Gear
    • Blog
  • REGISTER
  • About
    • Our Studio
    • Our Policies
    • Teachers >
      • Stathia Orwig
      • Robin Coolidge
      • Logan Herod
      • Chiara La Ferla
      • James Landrum
      • David Large
      • Meredith Manley
      • Astrid Morales
      • Lynne Nevill
      • Employment
    • Testimonials
  • Lessons
    • Babies & Toddlers
    • Preschool
    • Private Lessons
    • Group Piano
    • Studio Kids: Ensemble Piano
    • SUMMER 2022 >
      • Your Summer Classes & Camps
      • Summer Private Lessons
    • Calendar
  • CONTACT