The Connection Between Arts Education and Academic Achievement

"If they're worried about their test scores and want a way to get them higher, they need to give kids more arts, not less," says Tom Horne, Arizona's state superintendent of public instruction. "There's lots of evidence that kids immersed in the arts do better on their academic tests."

For more on this article, click this link  http://www.edutopia.org/arts-music-curriculum-child-development

Then call us to find out how you can help your child take a step forward in their academics by adding the arts to their after school activities. 580-256-3262 (Woodward) 580-747-4799

The Value of Art for the Preschool Child

Art is basic. Of course, every subject area is important, but no program for young children could succeed without emphasizing art. Through making, looking at, and talking about their own artwork and the art of others, three-, four-, and five-year-old children are doing the following:

http://www.education.com/reference/article/value-art-preschool-children/

Visit Us At Our Enid Location Today From 2-4 pm

Visit us today at our Enid location to see and hear more about the Music Fun Time program. Parents will be able to see and touch some of the instruments the young students will be using for the program, and many of the instruments actually go home with them to keep!

You will be amazed at how well written this program is. The founder and CEO, Debbie Yakabosky, has done a wonderful job in researching and putting the materials together so that every young child can learn to not only play but read music! Paired with making music and musical crafts that are fun and educational, your child will develop a love for music. Registration for fall classes is now available for Music Fun Time in our Enid and Woodward locations!

Registering NOW for Move-N-Learn Academy in Woodward Location

Postcards by Vistaprint

Our Enid Location!!

The Enid location is coming to life! Yea!!! Yes indeed! Some classes, as we have confirmed and hired teachers, are now live for registration on line! So be sure to go to www.academyoffineartsok.com and go to the online registration page to start checking things out (we have put up a better explanation of how to find the classes for your location!

We welcome students from Enid, Ringwood, Drummond, Lahoma, Bison, Waukomis, Garber, Hennessey, Fairmont, Pond Creek, Cleo Springs, Cherokee, Alva, Carrier, Hillsdale, Kremlin, Hunter, Jet, Nash, Helena, Goltry, Ames, Okeene, Kingfisher, Dover, Covington, Billings, Medford, Deer Creek, Fairview and other towns surrounding Enid.

Watch our website and Facebook pages for announcements of classes enrolling and start dates for fall 2013!

Who Do We Recommend For Pianos?

Many parents ask us about purchasing pianos for their child's lessons. They want to know what will work for their child to learn on. Many have purchased pianos on Craigslist or off of Facebook sites and have been greatly disappointed to find out that they only purchased a worn out clunker that does not serve their child or family well.

For the past several years, we have been using a company out of Hutchison Kansas (yes all the way to Kansas!). The reason has been that we believe that they are specialists when it comes to pianos. We have never been disappointed, and neither have our students when playing on our pianos.

Pianos Unlimited in Hutchison Kansas is also a family owned and ran company. They deliver pianos all over the US. Their website at www.pianosunlimited.com is a great place for you to start looking for a great piano. You will find that they offer restoration services, for those of you that have a family piano that you were hoping to use. They also offer used pianos that have been serviced by their technicians.

We highly recommend Brad at Pianos Unlimited for your source of pianos. They will be happy to guide you through your search for a piano and you will not feel pressured into purchasing something that you are not interested in (at least we have never been).

Do us a favor, when you email or call Pianos Unlimited, please let them know that you got their website address from us. We do not get an affiliate fee or anything like that. What we got from them was a promise they would happily take good care of our students.

Happy piano shopping!

How To Find The Right Piano Teacher

This article has been borrowed from http://kawaius.com/main_links/articles/piano_teacher.html

How to Find the Right Private Piano Teacher

Are you looking for a good piano teacher? Great! Nothing can be more rewarding than learning to play the piano. Plus, there are many real benefits to playing piano. Players often talk of the stress relief of playing their piano and about “getting lost” in the experience for hours.
The eductational benefits of music education for children are well documented.  And few other activities can stay with your child for as long as they live. Think about it. How many ninety year olds are still running around on the soccer field?

3 Keys to Success
There are three keys to having a successful experience with piano lessons. First, you need a good instrument in proper working condition. Many people have failed at lessons due to a poor instrument, mistakenly thinking that they “just didn’t have the knack”
 Next, you (and your child) need a firm commitment to faithfully go to lessons and practice at home. Give yourself at least a year or two. There will definitely come a time when a tricky exercise or difficult new song will frustrate you and make you (or your child) want to give up. But imagine the sense of accomplishment that you will get when you finally master that troublesome piece of music.

What Kind of Teacher Do I Look For?
   The third key to success is finding the right piano teacher. But, not all piano teachers are created equal. Some teachers specialize in teaching children; others prefer adults. Many take on beginners while a few focus only on advanced students. Some teachers use a classical-based curriculum, but others teach jazz and pop music. Armed with the right questions, you’ll be able to filter through the choices and find the best piano teacher for you.

Getting Started
The first step to finding a good piano instructor is to think about your goals. Do you want your child to experience music by learning piano basics? Do you want to be a professional pianist or to just be able to play for your church or social club? Did you take lessons as a child and quit, but now want to play again? Do you want to play classical, pop, jazz, worship, etc.?
Having an idea of your basic goals will help you ask the right questions and guide you to the best teacher for you.

Ask Around
Next, ask around for referrals from anyone you know who takes or has taken piano lessons. Also, check with local music and piano stores, as they may offer lessons or keep a list of reputable teachers. Professional pianists in churches and restaurants often teach lessons or know some good teachers.
One important point to remember is that being a great player doesn’t necessarily make you a great teacher. And there are many good piano teachers who aren’t great players. The question is, do they have the qualities and skills necessary to help you progress as a player?

The Internet
As with everything else, there are many lists of teachers and sources of information about piano lessons popping up on the Internet. Some sites even offer online piano lessons. You may be able to find a good local teacher from a list on the Internet. But it’s safe to say that nothing beats the experience of learning to play while “face to face” with a good piano teacher.

What to Look For In a Good Piano Teacher
Unless you’re opting for a group piano class, you’ll be spending a lot of one-on-one time with your piano teacher. So, the most important thing to ask is “do I feel comfortable with this person?” As you talk with your prospective teacher, do you get a sense that you can connect with him or her? If you’re a beginner, do they seem patient and empathetic? If you already an experienced player looking to “get to the next level”, then is this teacher as focused and driven as you?

Use a Professional!
As with most endeavors requiring skill, you should look for a professional teacher. Taking lessons from a friend or family member who “plays a little” is no way to get off to a good start.
Carole Roach, a respected piano and vocal instructor puts it this way. “I find the biggest mistake parents make with beginning lessons is not going to a professional teacher at the very onset of lessons.  They have a neighbor who can play and think that ‘we'll see if she/he likes it first’.”
 “Not only does that person not know what will be important later on, but they don't have the experience to try another approach if that student doesn't ‘get it’ with the first explanation. For example, some students are naturally good (music notation) readers.  Others cannot seem to make the connection until much later.”
“A professional teacher can assess the student’s needs and adapt their teaching style to match.  Just because someone can play an instrument, it doesn't follow that they can teach that information to someone else.”


Here are some qualities to look for in your teacher:

• Empathy
• Patience
• A positive attitude
• Uses positive reinforcement
• Knows how to push when necessary
• Knows how to recognize and reward accomplishment
• Knows when to “lighten things up”

While some of these qualities take time to show up fully, you can get a glimpse of them during an interview. Some teachers also offer a “trial” lesson (but expect to pay for it).


Here are some of the basic questions you should ask:

• Where do you teach? (Home, studio, store, church, etc.)
• Do you use a standard piano teaching method, a mix of methods, or do you use your own material? (Many teachers have their favorite methods but will use different ones depending on the student’s needs.)
• Do you specialize in teaching ___________? (Kids, older adults, etc.)
• What musical genres do you specialize in? (Classical, Jazz, Pop, etc.)
• Do you put on recitals? (Many teachers have student recitals, but some do not. There are valid reasons both for and against recitals.)
• Do your students compete in contests or go to Guild? (Make sure this is not the driving force behind the lessons rather than the student progressing musically and enjoying the experience.)
• Do you use recordings in your lessons? (Recorded examples of lesson songs, exercises, and even verbal instructions on a CD or MP3 player are great tools for practicing at home.)
• Do you offer enhancements to the regular lesson? (Student collaborations, bands, Pop music, improvisation, composition, etc.)
• Do you belong to any professional associations? (Membership in a teachers’ organization, such as Music Teachers National Association (http://www.mtna.com), is not required to be a good teacher. However, it is an indication that the teacher is a professional with a commitment to the craft.)

Here’s a great suggestion from well-known piano teacher, Virginia Campbell:
“I suggest that parents ask about their teaching background; not the number of years, necessarily, but if they are constantly adjusting and learning new concepts and methods.  Having taught for 30 years might really mean only one year of teaching experience replicated 29 times.” 

Fee$
Only after you’ve found a qualified teacher who seems right for you is it time to ask about the costs. (Good point, Virginia.) Fees for private piano lessons are set by the teaching studio, music store or by the teacher themselves. Fees vary from region to region and can even vary within your town.
After a few conversations you’ll start to get a feel for the price range in your area. There may be smaller additional charges for special materials (CD’s for recording, for example) and music books.
Fees are usually paid month by month.  Also inquire about the teacher’s policies, including make-up lessons.

Now Get Going!
There you have it. Armed with this information, a few questions and a little due diligence, you should be able to find a great piano teacher perfect for yourself or your child. It’s safe to assume that, if you’ve read this article, you probably have the right level of commitment to lessons. And don’t forget about the piano itself.

Let’s Be Fair
 Don’t get an old clunker or a cheap little keyboard. That’s not fair to the student, as they’ll never be able to learn the finer points of playing piano.
As Carole Roach says, “A good teacher is going to begin talking about touch within the first three or four lessons – even with young students. A clunker cannot allow them to practice that aspect of the piano lesson at home.”
Check out Kawai’s web site (http://www.kawaius.com) to learn more about our excellent pianos and digital pianos. Every instrument shown would be an excellent choice for learning to play piano.
TL
About the author –
Tom Love is a former professional musician and jazz piano instructor. He is currently the Senior Manager for Electronics for Kawai America and Kawai Canada. If you have any comments or questions about this article, you can reach Tom at tlove@kawaius.com
About the contributors –
Carole Roach has taught piano and vocals both privately and at the college level for many years in Texas and Georgia. Carole is a past president of two local MTNA chapters and a past Chairperson of the Georgia State Voice Auditions.
Virginia Campbell has been teaching piano for 49+ years in nine different states. Virginia was an early advocate of using digital pianos and music technology in piano lessons as a means to enhance the learning experience.  She also served as National Independent Chair for Music Teachers National Association.