Author: cconrad

If you look at my almost 4-year-old son you would agree that he is a happy and healthy little boy. He is almost always smiling, has an incredible memory, and is almost as tall as his 6-year-old big sister.

If you observed him at his preschool or in a swimming lesson, you might jump to the conclusion that he is a brat or that I am a terrible mother who must let my child do whatever he wants.

You see, my son has an array of diagnoses and special needs that aren’t visible to the typical eye.  His special needs are the result of early trauma that have affected his brain deeply. His needs manifest themselves in his behavior, his struggle to focus, his ability to transition from one activity to the next, his ability to keep his body in check and many other ways that make nearly every moment a struggle because his brain has difficulty processing all the information and stimuli around him.

We haven’t been able to just sign him up for any activity we think he might enjoy, and we often don’t attend group events, Sunday School or story times at the library. We have to be very thoughtful about what will allow him to be successful, and discuss with the teachers and group leaders whether or not they are equipped and open to learning about how to deal with a child that has special needs.

You might say that having a son with some extra challenges has created a soft spot in my heart for working with kids who have developmental delays or need a little bit of “outside the box” thinking to work with them. In my years of teaching piano lessons, I have worked with kids on the Autism Spectrum, children who struggle with Sensory Processing Disorder, ADHD and even one who had vision difficulties. Often times, these kids have tried piano lessons before and had a negative experience.  They have a teacher who is not willing to adjust expectations, or perhaps one who has labeled them a “bad kid” instead of understanding that the child’s brain might just be wired differently.

anxietynervesIt’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.

Actually, not really. If you’re a music teacher, you may find that this is a pretty tricky time of the year to keep students motivated.

It’s the time of the year when students who were new in August start to lose some of their initial excitement about learning a new instrument.

It’s that time of the year when parents are stressed out with all their holiday obligations and getting their kids to practice is just “one more thing” on the list.

It’s that time of the year when students’ after-school schedules are picking up — sporting seasons have begun in earnest, girl scouts is underway and school holiday performances are on the calendar.

NewYears_It’s September, and chances are, you’re kicking off a new year at your studio! Perhaps you have a group of enthusiastic new students, an amazing group of skilled returning students — or a blend of both. Whatever the makeup of your student load for the year, it’s important to set them up for a successful year of progress and enjoyment. Here are a few ideas to help you get started:

If you have been experiencing any issues recently with the below list of features, we have addressed and fixed them: Corrected a bug that caused Credits to double on statements for some studios. Solved an issue that caused some recurring invoices to bot be sent. Solved a permission issue with uploaded files. Fixed double booking check to not include cancelled lessons. Updated events reminder process to solve a customer issue. Solved a...

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If you have been experiencing any issues recently with the below list of features, we have addressed and fixed them: Fixed a bug with the recipient list on the mass email history page. Solved a problem with double booking warnings. If you have any questions about using Studio Helper, please email support@studiohelper.com. Have a great week!...

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