How We Keep Investing in Teachers

Choosing the right person is only the beginning. Once a teacher joins our faculty, we keep investing in them — because your child deserves a teacher who is always still growing too.

We bring in guest artists to work directly with our faculty. Instructors like Christy Hodder of The Practicing Pro have led workshops with our teachers, sharpening not just musicianship but the craft of teaching itself. This isn't a one-time training weekend — it's an ongoing habit of learning from people at the top of their field each month.

https://youtube.com/shorts/qMsSKy7gEg0?feature=share

Bi-weekly I meet with each teacher for a check-in that is a standing conversation, not a formality — a chance to talk through what's working with a particular student, what isn't, and what needs to change.

Every single lesson, for every student, all teachers submit notes from the lesson. Our assistant director reads every note which means there's always a second set of eyes on your child's progress — not just the teacher's.

And when it comes to choosing repertoire, we don't leave it to one teacher working alone. Repertoire for each student is chosen collaboratively across our faculty, so the piece your child is handed reflects more than one person's judgment — it reflects the collective experience of our whole teaching team.

None of this is visible from your living room during a lesson. But it's happening in the background, every week, for every student.

Why I'm Sharing This

I built New Song Music Academy around a simple observation: there are phenomenal musicians who are also specially gifted teachers and genuine role models — but those people aren't everywhere. That's part of why New Song Music Academy intentionally stays small and operates on a waitlist. After 15 years of teaching in this one-on-one capacity, I've learned that talent can be auditioned and teaching can be trained, but character has to be there from the start, and growth has to continue long after which is a substantial

committment from an organization of our size. I'm proud that we keep investing in our teachers for as long as they're part of our team — in this industry that is rare.

So the next time your teacher walks through your door, know it wasn't just their performing that got them there — it’s a reciprocal willingness to keep them showing up prepared, supported, and improving, week after week.