Welcome to Music Teachers Insightful Practices (MTIPS) Newsletter!
Written and Published by Nicholas Ambrosino
www.musicsimplymusic.com
director@musicsimplymusic.com

June 5, 2005

Table of Contents:

1. MTIPS Theme
2. Welcome Notes
3. MTIPS Development
4. Golden Nugget
5. Notable Quotables

MTIPS is sent only to those who have requested it.
To Subscribe, please send an email to mtips@aweber.com with the word “subscribe” in the subject line of the email. Or go to http://www.musicsimplymusic.com/newsletters.htm


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1. MTIPS Theme

Give your students a solid foundation for creating Mastery Feelings™, a.k.a feelings of success, and you will see your private practice shoot through the roof! You will have more students then you will know what to do with!
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2. Welcome Notes

Welcome to Music Teachers Insightful Practices (MTIPS) Newsletter!

Hello Everyone! What a incredible week this has been on Long Island! The weather has been superb! I encourage you to take some time to literally “smell the flowers.” They are in full bloom and add a simple delight to any day. 

Thanks to everyone who sent an email last month asking more about Mastery Feelings™! It appears that this topic has hit a “key note” for many of you (as it did for myself!) As I continue delight at the wonderful results that the idea of Mastery Feelings™ is creating in my students, I would love the opportunity to speak with your group. I have had several inspiring experiences with teachers and parents alike, in promoting the success of our young people through Mastery Feelings™. If you would like me to speak with your group and get them charged up about turning people onto learning, please contact me at 631-863-2069 or email me at nambrosino@musicsimplymusic.com

Also, thanks for your feedback on the FREE REPORTS! I am glad many of you found the one about having the time to practice useful in ending this eternal debate with your students. If you want to view more of the FREE REPORTS go to
http://www.musicsimplymusic.com and follow the links to the FREE report page. This page is only accessible if you are a registered MTIPS subscriber. We have lots of information, and resources you can use. 

My goal for MTIPS is to provide you with practical tips and insights that will make your career or education in music more fulfilling, rewarding and enjoyable. Please feel free to contact me if you would like to see a certain topic covered in an upcoming issue of MTIPS. My email address is editor@musicsimplymusic.com

In this issue, we are going to explore how you can increase your studio population (and thus, your bottom line!) by giving your students a clear process on how to create Mastery Feelings™ for themselves! 

And a REQUEST: If you enjoy MTIPS, please encourage your friends and colleagues to subscribe. Our growth over the years simply comes from "word of mouth." Anyone can subscribe by simply sending an email to: http://www.musicsimplymusic.com/newsletters.htm

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3. MTIPS Development

Last month I mentioned that I would be devoting the next several issues of MTIPS to creating autonomy in our students. Again, it has been my experience that by providing students with an accurate compass for self-directed learning (not to be confused with permissive learning, which is allowing the student to do whatever he wants) we are developing a person who is capable of creating his own goals and more importantly, in achieving them! This creates a student with a high degree of self-esteem, as well as one who is self-motivated and self-assured. What more could a teacher ask for?!

One point of confusion that can arise is the difference between creating mastery and creating Mastery Feelings™. When working with a student, I am not so concerned with how perfect he played his assignment – there is always something to improve. I am concerned, however, with how he feels about his preparation and performance. Did he create feelings that he is genuinely proud of? Did he create feelings that he wants to continue to re-create? Feelings of pride and success will most likely be indicative of actual performance mastery of the piece. Best of all, however, is that Mastery Feelings™ will be a better yardstick by which the student can measure success. Will a teacher always be able to hear what can be improved over the student’s perception? Certainly, but the student must be taught to develop his own guidelines for performance success and feelings are the safest and surest landmarks!

Think about it for a moment. People lose weight because of how they feel when they accomplish their goal. People climb mountains because of how they feel when they reach the top. People constantly, throughout their lives, seek out ways to create feelings of success and feelings of mastery for themselves. Why do some students continue their music studies for many years, while others stop after a short time? Because of how they feel!

Those that continue have created a certain level of success, or more accurately successful feelings, in their accomplishments at the piano. Those that do not continue, are avoiding, and rightfully so, feelings they don’t want to have. Most specifically, feelings of defeat, feelings of “I’m not good enough.”

People want to be around situations and other people that show them how to feel successful. Show your students how to create Mastery Feelings™ for themselves and they will never leave you!

Give your students a solid foundation for creating Mastery Feelings™, a.k.a feelings of success, and you will see your private practice shoot through the roof! You will have more students then you will know what to do with!

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4. Golden Nugget

Feelings are the motivator for most actions. How can you assist your students in creating feelings of success and self-esteem through music? 

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5. Notable Quotable

“…trying to control children makes them fight back,…making them responsible for their own learning promotes their internal motivation.”

From Motivated Minds by Deborah Stipek, Ph.D and Kathy Seal


Copyright © 2005 Nicholas Ambrosino. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to reproduce, copy or distribute MTIPS so long as this copyright notice and full contact information about the author is attached. The author of this issue is Nicholas Ambrosino and he may be contacted at director@musicsimplymusic.com or reached by telephone at 631-863-2069

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