Checklist for an Online Violin Lesson
Are you looking at teaching your students online violin lessons? Here is a checklist to help you prepare for an online violin lesson. Life is changing for the next few weeks as the U.S. is facing the coronavirus outbreak. Limiting our physical interaction in order to help protect the vulnerable and limit the spread of this virus.
This outbreak is touching so many aspects of life, from how we do education to our entertainment. The Philadelphia Orchestra performed their concert last night to an empty hall and it was broadcast on facebook live. It felt so weird to hear no applause when they finished. I’m so glad this isn’t the norm for concerts!!! Our local symphony postponed their gala event. Schools and universities are moving to online classes. If you are looking to teach your violin lessons online for the next few weeks here is a pdf with information to help your students prepare for their lesson.
I teach online lessons weekly and with some students periodically when they travel. With the availability of video chatting and video conferencing, this gives us the opportunity to continue to study and learn. What an amazing gift this technology is! In previous decades, you either looked for another teacher when you were out of the area for months at a time, or your instruction ended. I’ve used online lessons for snow days, when parents didn’t feel comfortable driving to the lesson. I’ve used them when students were on extended trips out of town in the summer. I’ve used them when parents are sick and can’t give the child a ride to the lesson.
Preparing to teach an online violin lesson:
- Have a copy of the music. Either your own personal copy needs to be ready or have your student send you a picture of their music or assignment. Students text me pictures of their completed theory assignments weekly. I also have either physical or digital copies of the music they are working on.
- Don’t play while the student is playing. The technology doesn’t allow for the microphone and speaker to work simultaneously. You will play, and then the student will play.
- Turn off email and texting notifications. This allows you to be completely present mentally and not distracted. Close other browsers that don’t relate to your lesson.
Benefits of an online violin lesson:
- Verbal Clarity – I have learned to use my words to describe what I want the student to do rather than relying on fixing it myself. Whether it is adjusting their pinky on the bow, or touching their wrist to remind them to keep it straight. Using words allows them to fix it and to feel the motion of fixing it.
- Specific Goal – I find for myself that I give clearer assignments and am more specific in my instruction. This might be just me, but online teaching has helped me clarify the goal for each lesson. In Suzuki we strive for one point lesson segments. Something about doing the lesson through a screen helps me be more specific in my goal for that lesson segment.
- Student Engagement – It’s good for students to mark their own music, and write things down in the lesson. Often out of convenience I do it for them in the lesson. Online teaching forces the student to make the notes, mark the fingering, circle the hard spot. It helps students to interact with the page of music in front of them.
Online Violin Lesson Checklist
Piano pedagogues Carol Matz and Carly Walton have put together some resources for online teaching. While not everything applies to violin teaching, there are some good ideas and pointers that we can transfer from piano teaching to violin teaching. Visit their site: https://www.teachmusic.online/online-teaching-starter-kit to see their resources.
