And Just Like That.....
Early in 2020, we began hearing about a deadly new virus with the potential to spread like wildfire across the globe, and our world began to change. At first, it all seemed so far-removed, and daily life around here was normal. As the Covid-19 storm clouds began to gather, hand-sanitizing and washing hands became necessary for all entering my studio. Then, we woke up one day to a new reality of self-isolation, social distancing, and the necessity to navigate uncharted waters. My students could no longer join me in my studio.
We have all had to face new challenges, and adapt to new, unfamiliar circumstances. Through all of this; it is has been of the utmost importance to maintain some sense of direction and normality for our children.
Uncharted Waters.....
Having to close my doors to my piano families was a daunting experience. I was then faced with two alternatives – stop teaching all together until the “new normal” was established; make the conversion to online teaching. The first could be potentially financially devastating for me and my family; the second presented many logistical obstacles, as well as ethical and practical issues.
Most of my families were open to the idea of online learning. The burning question for me was would my students benefit from online teaching? If my students did not respond well to and grow through online teaching, I would not, in good conscious, be able to continue with it.
A Work In Progress.....
For the balance of the 2019/2020 term, online piano lessons became the "new normal". Spending six to eight hours a day, staring at a large screen TV, wearing headphones, "Zooming" with my students taught me much, not only about the technology of video streaming, but also about how the curriculum I had spent the last three decades creating would perform.
The Verdict.....
I have always been amazed at how malleable children are. Online teaching has been no exception! Initially, I was quite apprehensive about attempting to teach online, but I was soon pleasantly surprised.Overall, students responded amazingly well, with most showing consistent growth. This is indeed, a testament to their abilities and the dedication of their parents.
Therefore, studying piano online is a feasible option.There are variables, (Internet connection and speed, audio considerations, video quality, etc.) which may need to be addressed, but with minimal effort and expense, online lessons can be productive.Most importantly, students ranging from toddlers to seniors responded extremely well to my curriculum. Mother Tongue teaching is based on carefully mastering small steps, which combine to create ability. Fortunately, these assignments translated seamlessly to online study. This lead me to make the decision to offer online lessons for the 2020/2021 term.
This year, about forty percent of my students continued with online lessons exclusively, with another five percent splitting their studies between online and in-studio, the remainder visiting me here every week.
Thus, the literally thousands of hours I have spent online Zooming since the onset of Covid-19, have provided me with a wealth of knowledge about the pros and cons of this service.
Audio Quality.....
Over the past several months, there have been constant and consistent upgrades to Zoom. As a result, the streaming of online piano lessons has seen many improvements in bandwidth and audio quality. There is a discernible difference between the quality of Zoom in September 2020, as compared to that of today. In an effort to improve online musical instruction, Zoom has created audio-specific settings for its application.
In an effort to improve its online musical instruction capabilities, Zoom has created audio-specific settings for its application. This has been a very positive benefit. The only downside is that configuration varies from device to device.
