I have been coaching and consulting for music schools for years now... and I consistently hear teachers and school owners say:
"I was thinking of starting a group program but..."
"...Parents don't want group programs"
"...I don't know how to implement a program"
"...I wasn't sure which curriculum to use"
"...I don't want to create an impersonal, boring studio"
"...I don't know how to address student needs in a group"
"...It sounds like a stressful scheduling nightmare!"
These are common concerns... ones that I dealt with early on.
These days, however, I don't much think about those things.
On a work day, I walk into the studio at 3:15p with a drink in my hand. I'll eat a snack... organic imported chocolate or cashews.
I turn on the digital pianos. I look at my texts and emails to see if there any last minute adjustments.
I calmly wait for students to come in... when they do, I joke around with them. They get to work... we do the work for an hour... and they leave.
It's fun, it's peaceful, it's relaxing. I don't carry stress into the studio room. After a few hours of fun with the kids, I don't take any stress with me into the rest of my life.
It's far better than I could have imagined when I had all those questions and fears a decade ago!
What helped me move past these concerns? What helped me make the decision to do group?
Trial and error!
I had no mentor. And so I struggled for years to get my questions answered... while teaching my group lessons!
I made several discoveries during that time: