In my experience I have taught a wide variety of students. Some have had child prodigy style skills, while others have to work their fingers to the bone to get it done. In all the wonderful variations from old to young, skilled to unskilled, there are few lessons more rewarding than teaching children with special needs.
In my business teachers tend to shy away from this, and I can understand. I've known fantastic teachers that don't have the patience or heart required to teach these wonderful kids. There's nothing wrong with that, and any teacher should stick to teaching what they are most comfortable with. However, these teachers are seriously missing out. I've had few students more into music than those with special needs. They. Love. It. Music can speak to and for them in ways that words can't. There are many wonderful studies that denote the benefits of learning music as a child. So, why would we leave out the children that could benefit the most from it? We're scared that's why. Getting music to reach any student on a personal level is an accomplishment. It takes mountains of patience to let a child learn at their pace, and not the pace you set for them. There is a lot of gentle redirection to keep things on task, and some days you feel like you're spinning your wheels or repeating the same thing for the thousandth time. That's where the patience kicks in. Parents have always been amazed by my incredible patience with their children. Most of them can't last more than a few seconds while their child searches for the answer to my question. It's always different when it's your child, and it much easier to teach someone else's. These great students need to be met where they are and guided to what they can become. Everyone has limitations, so there's no reason to count them out before you even begin. They're amazing, funny, and incredibly unique. I do my very best to give them the lessons they deserve. A teacher that listens to them and has fun with them isn't too much to ask. I learn from them just as much as they learn from me, and it's better that way. When we both learn and play we get more out of a lesson than just piano keys or guitar strings. It's a little glimpse of heaven coming from the purest souls around.
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There are few things that will matter more for the success of your business than a good name. It has to be catchy, personal, and not easy to wear out. You want it repeated by everyone, liked by as many people as possible, and very easy to remember. Let me tell you a little story of how we came up with ours, and maybe gain a little insight along the way. Turn the wayback machine to 2014. My beautiful wife and business partner (Angelle for those of you who haven't read the About section) has a large project during her senior year of college. This project was to create a believable business complete with a website, motto, name, etc. The main topic of this course was to 'be your own brand.' Let me shed a little light on the history of the business. It was originally created as a recording studio since my degree largely consisted of audio engineering. I was always set on opening up a recording studio, and the name that she came up with was Studio J. For the obvious reason that, well, my name is Jay. I'm as big of a fan of my name as the next person, but the sheer amount of branding that you need to do to run a business would really wear my name out. That's not something I was keen on doing. We needed a name that was easy to repeat. Also, just about all the places named Studio J are hair salons, and we didn't need people showing up looking for a fresh perm. Angelle then made a of list of musical terms and tried to connect them to our personal lives. After a good bit of trial and error, and asking people their opinions we found our name. Making a list of possibilities is always a fantastic idea. When you see things written down, especially over and over, you'll get a feel for how it will look after a few weeks or even months of branding it. The Octave's name is a lot more personal than it seems. The name sticks because I am the (wait for it) eighth kid in my family. Yes, you read the number correctly. A sister, four brothers, two sisters, then myself made for a very interesting childhood. I will, however, save those stories for a very different blog. We're not going there today. The musical term mixed in with an interesting amount of personal flair makes the Octave name perfect for what we do. We like the personal touch. I'm a huge fan of knowing what my students like, when their birthday is, what are their thoughts on Taylor Swift, so on and so forth. It's different for everyone, but it's always important to know who you are when you choose a name. I hope this gives you that extra bit of insight that you were striving for. From the beginning we were all about the student, and we'll be like that till the end. Which, with any luck, won't be for a long long time. There are endless possibilities when you name your business. Your options can change based on your location, market, and even your personality. The important thing is to be original and true to yourself. Know where you're going and pick a name that will get you there. That will give your business the best leg up above the rest of the competition. So get naming folks, and brand on. Once upon a time I saw a wonderful little movie by the name of Ratatouille. Long story short a smart rat controls a clumsy waiter to cook delightful food. A testament that anyone can cook. On the same token I get people coming in to the studio saying that anyone can sing. I have a few thoughts about this.
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AuthorsJay Broussard- Avid musician and teacher at The Octave. ArchivesCategories |