Check out the latest edition of our newsletter!
AS SEEN ON:
763-432-9713 www.mnschoolofmusic.com AUGUST 2023 THERE’S NO SINGLE DESTINATION IN MUSIC EDUCATION ARE WE THERE YET? THE MONTHLY MUSICIAN
My grandfather was a long-haul truck driver; he mostly made runs to Milwaukee and St. Louis. He had a big green and white cab on his giant 18-wheeler filled with frozen baked goods he delivered to distribution centers. Sometimes, he’d take me along with him. It was exciting for a small child to sit up high on the big rig, see all the knobs and switches on the dash, and hear the crackle of the CB radio. But it was also pretty boring. The drives were long, and there wasn’t much to see. Most of my memories involve driving past endless, identical-looking cornfields for hours on end. Inevitably, I asked Grandpa the question everyone with kids is all too familiar with: “Are we there yet?” Children ask because they haven’t yet developed an advanced perception of time. Their understanding of distance is even shakier, so they seek clarity and reassurance from adults with more experience. Parents of music students often do something similar, asking teachers, “How long until my child is good at music?” They’re unfamiliar with the process, and their request for guidance is understandable. But
unfortunately, we can’t provide the same type of answer as an adult behind the wheel because there is no set destination.
Imagine you embark on a road trip without planning what city you’ll visit — you just want to have fun and figure it out along the way. That’s all well and good, but when your child asks how long until you arrive, you won’t have an answer. You don’t know if you’re “there” yet because you don’t know where “there” is. And your child’s teacher doesn’t know when they’ll be good at music because they don’t know what “good” means. Do you want to know how long it will be before your child can play their first three-note song? How long until they can read music or be ready for a recital? Or maybe, you wonder when they’ll be able to listen to a Taylor Swift song on the radio and figure out how to play it themselves. Those are all different goals, and they all have different answers. And to reach the advanced goals, you must start with the smaller ones. We encourage kids to create a vision tunnel to help them develop the skills they need to get where they want to go. (See Pg. 3 for more.) But no one picks up a guitar for the first time and wins first place in a talent show in a few months. So, when parents ask me when their child will be good at music, I encourage them to be more specific with their goals and consider how much they’re willing to invest. My grandfather knew how long until we would reach St. Louis because he dedicated himself by buying a truck and knew how fast it could go. But the answer would have been very different if he had walked, biked, or flown. No matter your or your child’s goal, getting there will take a long time with only 15 minutes of practice each week. But if you’re willing to commit to the process and provide the encouragement, patience, and support your child needs, they’ll arrive much faster. And like a road trip, everyone will have a better time if you focus as much on the journey as the destination.
–Eric Nehring
763-432-9713 • 1
Published by Newsletter Pro • www.NewsletterPro.com
UNLOCK A WORLD OF OPPORTUNITIES How Extracurricular Activities Benefit Your Kids
As children return to school in August, they’ll likely be interested in one or more extracurricular activities. Opportunities both in school and in the community can pop up, such as participating in a local play, joining a school club or sports team, and countless others. Extracurricular activities are perfect for getting kids out of the house, but these ventures will also help them gain valuable experiences along with these three benefits. IMPROVES SOCIAL SKILLS One of the biggest concerns parents have had since we experienced lockdowns during the pandemic is that their children struggle to communicate with others. Most of these kids were away from their peers for a year or more, which weakened their social skills. Participating in an extracurricular activity gives your kids a chance to communicate with others outside of a school setting. They’ll learn how other people think and how to best respond to certain situations. BOLSTERS COLLEGE APPLICATIONS If your child wants to attend college after high school, joining a club, team, or organization will give them a leg up on other
candidates. College admissions officers love to see students who participate in extracurricular activities because it shows they are
involved in their community and possess leadership and teamwork skills. While extracurriculars are not as important as other factors for college admissions, they still play a decisive role in the college’s choice to accept your child. HELPS THEM DISCOVER THEIR PASSIONS There are countless examples of kids discovering their true passion from participating in extracurricular activities. Your child might not become a professional athlete, but they might discover an alternate career path, like becoming a physical therapist or personal trainer by playing a sport. If your kid likes animals, they might find a prospective career path by volunteering at the zoo. If one activity doesn’t appeal to them, try another. Before long, you’ll find the perfect interest for your child.
A RECAP OF OUR APRIL EVENT MNSOM’S SHOWCASE CONCERT WAS A SMASH HIT!
On April 23, 2023, more than 150 concertgoers attended MnSOM’s Showcase Concert at Le Musique Room in St. Michael. Eighteen of MnSOM’s most talented and stage-ready performers wowed the crowd with their renditions of songs by artists as diverse as Beethoven, Led Zeppelin, and Bruno Mars. Before the event, performers and their families got the star treatment and photo opportunity on our red carpet! This was MnSOM’s second annual Showcase Concert, following our 2022 debut in Graceland. The Showcase is one of the school’s three concert series. Bravo Concerts allow students of all levels to perform short pieces, while Music in the Park provides a relaxed atmosphere for families to gather. The Showcase Concert is for our advanced students who want more stage time, each spending 3–5 minutes on stage. MnSOM would like to thank everyone who came out to support our 2023 Showcase Concert, and we look forward to announcing what we have in store for 2024!
2 • www.mnschoolofmusic.com
Sailor S. Jessica R. Juliet H. Clara W. Adaline H. Kenna M. Rafael F. Chloe B. Blake B.
Josie L. Shesleigh E. Jerry T. Jude N. Peter N. Annareine N. Trevor S. Nickolas R. Mac B.
At the end of each lesson, our teachers ask their students a critical question: “What would you like to accomplish for next week?” How a Vision Funnel Helps Us Achieve Goals CREATE THE FUTURE YOU WANT It isn’t just a habit; it’s part of the goal-setting process at MnSOM. Setting goals is vital to success in any part of our lives, especially in music, because concrete goals drive us to keep moving forward and growing. At MnSOM, we help our students set goals with a Vision Funnel, a goal-setting strategy inspired by author Dave Ramsey. START WITH A DREAM. Everything we do in life starts with a dream, like “I want to play piano,” or “I want to be an author.” That dream motivates us to study music lessons or take creative writing classes. We want to achieve something, so we must work to make it a reality. DISTILL YOUR DREAM INTO A VISION. While dreams can inspire us, they’re often too vague. When you have a dream, it’s essential to distill it into a clear vision to create a plan. Give your dream details. For example, “I want to play piano” can become “I want to be a classical pianist.” When you recognize the specifics of your dream, making decisions to help you pursue it is easier. WRITE DOWN TANGIBLE GOALS. Once you identify your vision, break it into smaller, tangible goals you can pursue to achieve that vision. These goals need to be specific and measurable. For example, “I want to write a book” is vague and open-ended. A tangible goal might be: “I will write a YA short story and submit it to publications before December 2023.” Once you determine your tangible goals, physically write them down and put them somewhere you’ll see every day. Regularly remind yourself of your goals to reinvigorate your motivation. Adults and children can use this strategy to set meaningful goals that inspire them to follow through. As parents of music students, you can help your child make the most of their education by asking them to dream about the future and distill those dreams into visions and tangible goals. They’ll feel proud of their accomplishments and more likely to make music a lifelong endeavor.
IS YOUR TEACHER SOLD OUT?
Mrs. Bunish: SOLD OUT
Ms. Ferbuyt: 2 SPOTS LEFT
Mrs. Lehner: 2 SPOTS LEFT
Mr. Martin: SOLD OUT
Mr. Nehring: SOLD OUT
Ms. Rotvold: SOLD OUT
Mr. Nistler: SOLD OUT
Mr. Popken: SOLD OUT
Mr. Spears: 3 SPOTS LEFT
Ms. Hsu: SOLD OUT
763-432-9713 • 3
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
3533 88th Ave. NE, Blaine, MN 55014 763-432-9713 www.mnschoolofmusic.com
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
What’s Your Child’s Musical Destination?
Unleash Your Child’s Full Potential
Relive the MnSOM Showcase Concert
Set Successful Goals With a Vision Funnel
A Guardian Angel Covered in Fur
A CAT’S NOSE KNOWS HOW WILLOW SAVED HER OWNER’S LIFE
We all wish our pets would be there for us in an emergency. Dogs, cats, and other animals can accomplish amazing feats when provided with enough love and
care, and a cat from Liverpool named Willow recently proved that many times over. A cat’s sense of smell is incredibly effective at detecting when something is abnormal, and Willow used her nose to save her owner in the nick of time. For many with diabetes, falling into a diabetic coma is a constant concern, and they regularly check their blood sugar levels and take insulin shots to avoid that scenario. Amanda Jameson, a 51-year- old woman from Liverpool, received a diabetes diagnosis years ago but had always stayed on top of it. In April 2023, she fell asleep while her blood sugar was dangerously low. Thankfully, her cat, Willow, noticed something was wrong and sprang into action. Willow went to the living room, where Amanda’s husband had fallen asleep watching television. Willow proceeded to bite his leg and jump on him until he woke
up around 4 a.m. He could tell something was wrong, as this was abnormal behavior for Willow, so he followed her to the bedroom, where he spotted his wife. She was slumped over and unresponsive, and he immediately called her an ambulance. Doctors informed Amanda’s husband that she was moments away from slipping into a diabetic coma, but Willow had smelled something off and gotten help before it was too late. Most pets would get a few extra treats for their heroism, but Willow’s feats earned her a more prestigious award. The National Cat Awards named Willow as a finalist for their “Moggy Marvels” category. If Willow wins, she’ll receive a trophy, a £200 pet store voucher, and a year subscription to Cats Protection’s “The Cat” magazine. Although Willow likely doesn’t care about the trophy or the subscription, she’ll be happy enough with £200 worth of goodies and her owner safely by her side.
4 • www.mnschoolofmusic.com
Published by Newsletter Pro • www.NewsletterPro.com
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator