I had a reminder this week of the need to monitor my own coordination when I am teaching voice lessons. I found myself consistantly physically tired after a day of teaching singers and not in a way that made sense to me. I play piano during lessons, but not intensely or throughout and I do move about during lessons in order to model. Am I tensing in order to listen to my students? Am I concentrating? Tightening to think?
My real clue came when I realized I was starting to mouth the words of my singers' songs while they sang. Since I am a singer also, I was calling on my singing coordination in order to teach, rather than calling on my listening coordination! No wonder I was tired at the end of the day; it was as if I was singing for 6 hours or more.
Calling on my listening coordination to teach was an entirely different experience in the studio. Most particularly, my breathing stayed relaxed and everyday, rather than expanded for singing. I became more of a n observer and less of a participant in the students' process.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Teacher with dysphonia, named Mary, part 2
Mary is making such lovely progress in her speaking. Her breathing coordination is clearer, her head/spine balance is much better. Mary was preparing to give a workshop last week to educators. It was also a review for her, so there was a lot of pressure on her. She had to talk from a script and use a powerpoint presentation that included directed activities for the workshop participants. The last time she was reviewed, she was told that she had to be more formal in her approach and pitch her voice lower for greater authority. Mary is naturally a petite and bubbly woman and very relational, so these instructions were difficult for her.
When Mary started to give her presentation to me in her session last week, I noticed she was pressing down on her larynx a lot, which increased her dysphonia to the point where her entire sound stopped. I asked her if she could speak a little higher in her range, which is when she told me about her last review. I suggested that she use more formal, direct language since she would be talking to adults instead of children, instead to trying to drop the pitch of her speaking voice. Mary's voice has a lot of head resonance and it flows and carries naturally just a few half-steps above where she was trying to talk. The more direct form of communication increased her poise and confidence.
Mary came back this week feeling like she had achieved a personal best in her presentation. There was no mention in her review of needing to pitch her voice lower for authority. Success! :)
When Mary started to give her presentation to me in her session last week, I noticed she was pressing down on her larynx a lot, which increased her dysphonia to the point where her entire sound stopped. I asked her if she could speak a little higher in her range, which is when she told me about her last review. I suggested that she use more formal, direct language since she would be talking to adults instead of children, instead to trying to drop the pitch of her speaking voice. Mary's voice has a lot of head resonance and it flows and carries naturally just a few half-steps above where she was trying to talk. The more direct form of communication increased her poise and confidence.
Mary came back this week feeling like she had achieved a personal best in her presentation. There was no mention in her review of needing to pitch her voice lower for authority. Success! :)
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Personality profiles continued: Priorities...
One of the most helpful elements in the application of personality profile information to teaching is the understanding of different goals and communication styles.
A student who's primary is a D (dominant) wants results and direct communication. "Give it to me straight" they might say, or "just tell me what I'm doing wrong and I fix it". They will ask direct questions of you and expect improvement fairly quickly. They will ask "what?" a lot.
A student who's primary is an I (influential) will be relational and want enthusiastic feedback. They will make small-talk at the start of the lesson in order to feel connected to you and this is very important to them. While singing, they do the best under encouragement and they are your best advocates in your community :). If you ask them to participate in a music recital, chances are they will ask "who?" else is involved.
A student who's primary is an S (supportive) looks for security and stability. A voice that performs well one day and poorly the next will often be what brings them to your studio. Like Influentials, they are relational in nature and will want to feel connected to you. They will want to be supportive of you as you teach and will encourage you to share personally with them. They will ask "how" in the process of a lesson.
A student who's primary is a C (conscientious) is concerned about quality and details. They will be listening to the quality of their voice and looking for the best tone possible. They are not very concerned about small-talk or being relational, but can get into lively discussions about "why?" something is the way it is. They delve into the details and need to be encouraged to see the big picture. They will practice diligently.
Remember: everyone has a primary and a secondary style and they can switch in the middle of a lesson if they get emotional or are under more stress than usual. This is only one factor of many available for understanding how your student learns. Learning styles (aural, visual, kinesthetic, etc), education and cultural background all play a part.
A student who's primary is a D (dominant) wants results and direct communication. "Give it to me straight" they might say, or "just tell me what I'm doing wrong and I fix it". They will ask direct questions of you and expect improvement fairly quickly. They will ask "what?" a lot.
A student who's primary is an I (influential) will be relational and want enthusiastic feedback. They will make small-talk at the start of the lesson in order to feel connected to you and this is very important to them. While singing, they do the best under encouragement and they are your best advocates in your community :). If you ask them to participate in a music recital, chances are they will ask "who?" else is involved.
A student who's primary is an S (supportive) looks for security and stability. A voice that performs well one day and poorly the next will often be what brings them to your studio. Like Influentials, they are relational in nature and will want to feel connected to you. They will want to be supportive of you as you teach and will encourage you to share personally with them. They will ask "how" in the process of a lesson.
A student who's primary is a C (conscientious) is concerned about quality and details. They will be listening to the quality of their voice and looking for the best tone possible. They are not very concerned about small-talk or being relational, but can get into lively discussions about "why?" something is the way it is. They delve into the details and need to be encouraged to see the big picture. They will practice diligently.
Remember: everyone has a primary and a secondary style and they can switch in the middle of a lesson if they get emotional or are under more stress than usual. This is only one factor of many available for understanding how your student learns. Learning styles (aural, visual, kinesthetic, etc), education and cultural background all play a part.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Studio teaching and the application of Personality Profiles - intro
Happy New Years! everyone :). I'm going to begin this year with a big topic: the application of personality profiling to the teaching studio. There are several personality profile systems in use in the business and clinical sector. The one I have had experience with is the DISC personality profile system, used mostly in business as a tool for sales/marketing and for personnel management. DISC divides personality characteristics into 4 areas: D for direct, I for influential, S for supportive and C for conscientious. The DISC profile has about 100 questions to it, designed to map out a person's personality pattern. Each one of us has all four elements to our chart, one element is usually primary, then a secondary. DISC is also environment-specific, so a person taking the profile would answer according to one setting; ie, work, or home or school. I'd like to give an overview in this blog, then go in-depth in subsequent blogs.
I don't give the personality questionaire to my students, if that's what you are wondering, but I have taken it myself. I map out as a C primary, with either D secondary or an S secondary, depending on my environment. As a Conscientious primary, I value quality, details and usually ask the question Why? first. When I am teaching students, my secondary is Supportive, which values stability, safe environment and asks the question How? a lot. When am I Direct? In a confrontational situation :).
How is relevant to teaching in the studio? Each personality type has different values, different things that are important to them. If I only taught from my own perspective, then I would always tackle the Why and the How with each student. But what if a student is a Direct? - they won't care about Why? as much as they will want to know What? Or an Influential? They respond to enthusiasm and relationship. I would do great with the C's and S's and eventually lose or alienate the D's and I's.
Of course, personality traits are just one aspect or layer of any person. They will also have learned skills & character, background experiences and environment, etc. that make up a very complex picture. Understanding their personality type allows me to choose a teaching vocabulary that will resonate with them, making me more effective as a teacher.
I don't give the personality questionaire to my students, if that's what you are wondering, but I have taken it myself. I map out as a C primary, with either D secondary or an S secondary, depending on my environment. As a Conscientious primary, I value quality, details and usually ask the question Why? first. When I am teaching students, my secondary is Supportive, which values stability, safe environment and asks the question How? a lot. When am I Direct? In a confrontational situation :).
How is relevant to teaching in the studio? Each personality type has different values, different things that are important to them. If I only taught from my own perspective, then I would always tackle the Why and the How with each student. But what if a student is a Direct? - they won't care about Why? as much as they will want to know What? Or an Influential? They respond to enthusiasm and relationship. I would do great with the C's and S's and eventually lose or alienate the D's and I's.
Of course, personality traits are just one aspect or layer of any person. They will also have learned skills & character, background experiences and environment, etc. that make up a very complex picture. Understanding their personality type allows me to choose a teaching vocabulary that will resonate with them, making me more effective as a teacher.
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