Check out the latest edition of our newsletter!
AS SEEN ON:
763-432-9713 www.mnschoolofmusic.com THE HEDGEHOG CONCEPT AS A PATH TO EXCELLENCE SPIKY SUCCESS THE MONTHLY MUSICIAN MAY 2024
People are often tempted to try to be all things to all people. We tried that for a while here. Like most music schools, we accepted students of all ages and all experience levels and taught all styles of music on all instruments. The risk of that strategy is that you spread yourself too thin and perform at a mediocre level on all fronts. I recently received a phone call that reminded me why I decided to refine our focus to a single mission and stick to what we do best. I answered the call the way I always do. “Thank you for calling! This is the Minnesota School of Music. My name is Eric. How can I help you?” “Are you Eric Nehring?” the woman caller asked. She declared excitedly that she was the mother of a high-school friend of mine. She had heard I owned a music school and wanted to take piano lessons herself. Instantly, my thoughts flashed back to a decision I had made years earlier.
I had an opportunity around that time to hear the author of “Good to Great,” Jim Collins, speak at a conference. Collins recounted the parable of the hedgehog and the fox. In this simple story, the fox sneaks, pounces, plays dead, and races around trying to capture and devour the hedgehog. The hedgehog does only one thing, the thing it does better than anybody else: Curling up in a ball and exposing its spiny back. The hedgehog wins every time. The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing. In his speech, Collins challenged listeners to apply the Hedgehog Concept to our businesses: To identify the one thing we did best, were passionate about, and was profitable enough to drive our economic engine. Then, focus all our attention on that one thing. That one thing for us, I realized, is teaching children. If we wanted to be truly excellent — not just a good company but a great one — we had to refine our focus to that one thing. So, in 2017, we converted to a kids-only business model. We believe our hedgehog- like focus allows us to be the best in the industry at teaching music to kids. It also means we have had to turn dozens of people away to stay focused on that purpose. The call from my friend’s mother was a test for me. Am I really all-in on the Hedgehog Principle, or am I still trying to be the fox? I remembered our defining purpose: Minnesota School of Music is a passionate team of mentors committed to empowering youth through personalized, parent-inclusive music lessons. With the hedgehog in mind, I thanked my friend’s mom and explained that while I would love to welcome her to our school, we only offer children’s lessons. She was astonished. “But I’ve known you for 30 years! I would be a really serious student,” she insisted. I referred her as graciously as possible to other schools. She was taken aback by my response, but I think she respected it. I believe our hedgehog-like focus makes us even better at what we do. And if referring people to our competitors is what it takes to continue serving our students with the best instruction in the industry, we are perfectly fine with it.
When I opened the company in 2014, we offered guitar lessons for children. People soon started calling for piano, voice, and other kinds of lessons for both children and adults. I decided then that if I wanted to stay in business and feed my family, I had to branch out. As the school’s only teacher, I bounced from teaching a 4-year- old to sing “Frozen” in one hour to teaching an adult in their 60s to play “Love Me Tender” on the piano in the next. I felt like a musical ping-pong ball. Still, we were making more money, and I was tempted to continue.
–Eric Nehring
763-432-9713 • 1
Published by Newsletter Pro • www.NewsletterPro.com
PARENTING WITH EMPATHY The Gentle Parenting Philosophy
behind your rules and what breaking them means. This can encourage children to feel empowered and respected in the discipline process. At its core, the most important aspect of gentle parenting is rejecting traditional punishments. Gentle parenting is about teaching children appropriate behaviors through positive reinforcement and intentional understanding of emotions — inspiring good behavior by acting as a positive example rather than by fear of punishment.
Parenthood is the greatest challenge many people will ever face, and raising children today is tougher than ever before in the technology-laden and constantly shifting state of the world. There are many parenting methods, and the latest viral one, gentle parenting, deserves a closer look. This parenting philosophy focuses on a strong parent-child relationship, offering a compassionate alternative to traditional physical disciplinary methods. Gentle parenting emphasizes building a deep, intentional understanding of a child’s needs and the emotions that stem from them. Rather than punishing a child for acting out, gentle parents encourage their children to voice their concerns so they can get to the root of challenging emotions. They view
behavioral challenges as opportunities for connection and growth instead of corrections to be made. Active listening, open communication, and constructive problem-solving foster a positive
environment where children feel valued and understood.
This empathy doesn’t mean that children can mistreat parents, either. It’s still important to set boundaries. Instead of strict rules supported
By prioritizing empathy, open communication, and nonviolent discipline, you can raise children who are able to recognize, inspect, and voice their emotions in a peaceful manner.
by physical punishment, gentle parenting invites parents to collaborate with their children on decision-making. Involving children in discussions about expectations and consequences will ensure they understand the reasoning
As parents embrace these principles, they contribute to the
development of emotionally secure, confident, and well-adjusted children who will grow into great global citizens.
A TEENAGER’S LIFE MEET VLADIMIR DITTA
HOW MUSIC TRANSFORMS
Vladimir Ditta had been taking guitar lessons for over five years when he began to tire of the work. “The toughest time was when I was 10 or 11,” says Vlad, who is now 15. “It was hard to find motivation to keep playing. I wasn’t sure where I wanted to go next.”
The skill of his MnSOM instructors inspired him to stick with his lessons through painful stages of growth. “My teachers were playing some cool stuff, some very complex pieces. I thought that maybe if I kept going, I could be as good as them one day,” Vladimir says. “Now, I’m really motivated to keep playing.” Vlad, MnSOM’s longest-tenured student, started guitar lessons when he was 6. He was one of two MnSOM students chosen recently to perform at the Mall of America’s MusicLink Playathon, a fundraiser to support music instruction for low-income children. Vlad played a long guitar piece by Ferdinando Carulli that required intense concentration for more than 10 minutes. “I practiced the piece over and over and over. It was hard to feel prepared,” he says. When he arrived at the mall, he had little time to warm up, too. Nevertheless, the performance went well, he says. “I felt good about the fact
that I got to help people who want to play music gain access to instruments.”
Honing his music skills has other rewards. “My grandparents like to listen to me play during family visits,” he says. “Knowing that other people enjoyed hearing you play gives the music more meaning.” Also, Vlad says the concentration required to play the guitar well has helped him focus on his studies in school. Vlad’s long-term goal is to keep learning more complex classical pieces, experimenting in other genres, and learning about music theory. “I think maybe one day I might make a career out of music — probably not a full-time career, but a part-time career,” he says. What advice would he give to students who tire of taking lessons? “Stick with it. There are definitely going to be ups and downs, but if you stick with it and put in the effort, it will be worth it in the end.”
2 • www.mnschoolofmusic.com
All too often, well-intentioned music teachers make the same mistake: They try to cover too much in a single lesson by talking too much and offering too much information. Their students often leave confused and disengaged. The art of teaching is not just knowing what to teach. It is knowing what to teach, when . As described in our cover article, the Hedgehog Concept requires identifying what you do best and focusing on that one thing. In addition to using it to set an overall direction for our school, we apply it to our instructional techniques. Here’s how. GO DEEP, NOT WIDE. We don’t try to teach every student everything we know about music. Instead, we try to identify and teach the one thing the student needs to know today to move the ball forward. Just as “Sesame Street” taught only one “Letter of the Day” in each show, we focus on the one skill or concept the student needs today. Is it setting a tempo? Is it mechanics? We may even exclude valuable information that would benefit the student because today is not the time they need to know it. SET SPECIFIC GOALS. Our teachers encourage students to set SMART goals, an acronym educators use to describe goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Asked to set a goal, a student might say, “I intend to practice this song until I can play it better.” To guide them to set more achievable goals, ask targeted questions such as, “What do you mean by ‘play it better?’ At what tempo? When do you want to achieve this?” The result is a clear, specific outcome, such as “I want to be able to play Tale of the Troubadour from memory at 72 beats per minute by next Thursday.” This strategy brings success within a child’s reach. ENSURE SUCCESS. We believe music teachers are directly responsible for whether students succeed or fail. If a child is unsuccessful, it is simply because we have asked them to do the wrong thing. If the teacher sets the stage correctly by going deep on essential concepts and helping the student set well-defined, achievable goals, the child will be successful. These three strategies bring the Hedgehog Concept to life within MnSOM. Over time, this approach has enabled our students to enjoy repeated successes, build their confidence, and ultimately derive the greatest possible enjoyment from making music. The Hedgehog Concept Ensures Student Success HARMONY UNLEASHED
Alivia Y. Jacob V. Leela K. Charlotte J. Kate J. Lincoln M. Nahilera K.
Wesley H. Patrick N. Olivia E. Geneva E. Sarah C. Brielle E. Sammy M. Sydney M.
Payton M Deklyn G.
IS YOUR TEACHER SOLD OUT?
Mr. Barrett: 2 SPOTS LEFT Mrs. Bunish: SOLD OUT Ms. Ferbuyt: SOLD OUT Ms. Hsu: SOLD OUT Mrs. Jahnke: SOLD OUT Mrs. Lehner: SOLD OUT Mr. Martin: SOLD OUT
Mrs. Morris: SOLD OUT Mr. Nehring: SOLD OUT Mr. Nelson: SOLD OUT Mrs. Nemirova:
Mr. Smith: 1 SPOT LEFT Mr. Spears: SOLD OUT Mrs. Tomlinson:
SOLD OUT Mr. Tubbs: SOLD OUT
SOLD OUT Mr. Nistler: SOLD OUT Ms. Possert: SOLD OUT Ms. Rotvold: SOLD OUT
–Eric Nehring
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 Focus, Flourish, and Succeed: The Origin of Our Business Model
The Art of Gentle Parenting
Meet MnSOM’s Longest-Tenured Student
How We Use the Hedgehog Concept to Empower Students
Bubble Bonanza!
BOUNCING BUBBLES 101: A FUN AND EDUCATIONAL TWIST ON A CLASSIC
Every parent wants to engage their kids in playful and educational activities. One exciting and easy-to-set-up activity is the bouncing bubble. This activity promises an afternoon of fun while exploring the science behind bubbles. To start this bubbly adventure, you need a simple concoction: 4 tablespoons of water, 1 tablespoon of liquid dish soap, and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Gently mix the water and soap, then add the sugar and mix until dissolved. (You can easily scale up the recipe for a larger crowd using cups instead of tablespoons in the same ratios.) Now, the real magic happens. Kids can dip their bubble wands into the mixture and blow bubbles into the air. Now, though, the bubbles won’t pop. The secret lies in wearing knit gloves or long sweater sleeves. Watch the magic happen as kids try catching and bouncing the bubbles with their gloves or sleeves. It’s
unpredictable and exciting to see when the bubbles finally burst; you can even make it a counting game. The science of this bouncing is an excellent opportunity to explore how bubbles form. The kids will question why these bubbles bounce, so why not make it educational? Explain that sugar fortifies the bubble’s elastic surface (thus raising surface tension); this answer may lead to other questions, and kids won’t feel lectured because you’re answering their questions. This activity requires minimal resources, making it a convenient option for impromptu fun. As children revel in the joy of catching and bouncing bubbles, they can learn about this science, which fosters curiosity and discovery. So, grab your bubble wands and dive into this activity that turns ordinary bubbles into bouncing balls and curious kids into scientists to create lasting memories.
4 • www.mnschoolofmusic.com
Published by Newsletter Pro • www.NewsletterPro.com
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator