Do you run a music school? Perhaps you’re a professional music instructor tasked with teaching students as well as attracting new ones in the institution. What strategies do you use to increase music school students? Today, many people are realizing the benefits of music education in schools.
Still, getting more students to enroll in music lessons can be an arduous task. In this post, we shall discuss the different ways of attracting more music students in your institution. First, however, here are the benefits of music in schools.
Benefits of Music Lessons
In the quest to enhance scores, governments in many countries have eliminated art-related subjects from the curriculum. This, however, doesn’t take away the fact that the arts are critical when it comes to creating all-rounded students. Here are some of the benefits that both adults and children stand to gain from learning music.
Improved Language Skills
Studies suggest that music lessons play an important role when it comes to the development of the left part of the brain responsible for language processing. Further, music lessons can stimulate brain circuits in various ways. When students learn how to play a musical instrument they train their brains how to interpret human language, a concept which comes in handy to help them learn and understand a second language with ease.
Improved Cognitive Skills
Music education is a critical component which music instructors can use to enhance spatial intelligence, or the ability to envision related elements. Spatial intelligence is a critical component that helps students solve computer, engineering, art, and math problems. Further, music lessons can influence how the brain functions. Studies indicate that students who engage in music lessons enhance their neural activity as opposed to students who don’t take music lessons. Remember, playing music involves the use of various parts of the brain. This explains why music students have enhanced fine motor skills and can differentiate sound better.
Promotes Psychological and Societal Effects
The benefits of learning music are diverse with studies indicating that students who took art lessons showed more cooperation with their peers and teachers as opposed to those who didn’t. Further, they expressed themselves better and were more confident. Various other studies indicate that students who would otherwise have dropped out of school opted to stay on due to their engagement with the arts. One of the most encouraging benefits of music lessons are students who are involved with the school orchestra or band are not predisposed to tobacco and alcohol addiction or even the use of drugs.
Bettering Test Scores
According to research, students who take music lessons in school post better results than those who don’t. Further studies have shown that elementary school students who are enrolled in a robust music school program get better scores in both English and math as opposed to schools that have no music program at all.
How can you Increase Music School Students?
There are various strategies you can adopt to increase students in your music school as seen below.
Spread the Word
One way of ensuring that your music institution reaches a wider audience is by spreading the word. Marketing has been a powerful concept for brands, businesses, products. and even institutions to spread their wings and reach many potential customers. For your institution to get recognized, you need to tell people who you are and what you specialize in. people won’t know you if you don’t market your institution.
Adopting a marketing strategy will go a long way in helping you carve a reputation for your institution. A powerful marketing strategy that you can adopt for your music school is by publishing a monthly or even weekly school newspaper. If your school or the institution you work for has a monthly publication, leverage on the same to let the readers know about the music program offered in the school.
This will not only make people aware of the program, but it will give people who are interested in learning music a reason to call in or visit the institution for inquiries and clarifications about the same. One of the best concepts of marketing your music program is through:
Outlining the Benefits of Music Lessons
Both students and adults can gain a lot from learning music as we’ve seen above. Collaborate with a popular online publication and outline the benefits of music lessons. Spice up your article by collaborating with music artists and have them leave their sentiments about the importance of music and how students can use it to transform their lives.
Students will be convinced that music lessons can help them gain confidence, improve their grades, develop dynamic skills, and contribute to their overall success and they’ll convince their parents to enroll them for music lessons in your institution. Marketing your music program also comes in handy for teachers who are interested in launching their music schools in the future.
Develop interest
If you’ve been a music teacher for some time, you understand the long term benefits that come with using a musical instrument to express yourself. Many teachers will leverage on their ability to play instruments to teach young music enthusiasts while encouraging them to become skilled musical instrument players.
If you play any musical instrument well, you can leverage that ability to trigger interest in your music class. It’s worth mentioning that one way of encouraging students in your school to take music lessons or even attracting more students from external sources is by word of mouth. In this case, if your class students are happy about your teaching style, if they enjoy their classes and are always having fun, they’ll discuss it with their peers. This will trigger interest in their peers and before you know it requests to join your music classes will start trickling in.
By ensuring that your music lessons are entertaining and engaging, you make your class shine especially during school activities. There are numerous ideas available online for teachers who want to improve the way they conduct their music lessons. Take time to conduct research and master different strategies to make your classes as interesting as possible.
Get more involved with Community Related Activities
Check out your local community and identify various activities you’d be interested to participate in. Collaborate with the organizers and make plans to demonstrate what the music program in your institution involves. Some of these activities include parades, fairs, trade shows, and even public gatherings. Prepare for the event and have your students prepared to give their best show.
You can distribute free themed items such as caps and pens complete with the name of the music institution and contact details. Be open to interaction with potential students and give out as much information about the program as possible. You will be surprised at the number of interested people who had no idea that such a program existed within their locality. Other strategies revolving around this concept include organizing free concerts in the school during the school break.
You can also hold open-air concerts outside the school. With the latter, you will likely reach a wider audience. You may also choose to visit different membership societies within your region or collaborate with groups and senior clubs and hold demonstrations to showcase what your program entails.
Where possible, discuss your idea with local businesses for possible sponsorship opportunities. Of course, you may be reluctant to try this method. However, you never know how much support you may get. Trying goes a long way as opposed to doing nothing.
Design and Distribute Business Cards
Design themed business cards complete with the name of the music institution and contact details. Include your physical address for people who would like to visit the institution. Ensure your business cards are simple, easy to understand, and visible enough. Distribute the business cards everywhere you visit within your localities such as shopping malls, libraries, and sports centers. Avoid appearing pushy while at it but always have your business cards at hand just in case someone asks what the program is all about.
Organize a Stage Demonstration Event
Identify a frequently visited hall within your locality and organize a demo event. Invite both the locals and people from other areas to come to watch you and your students showcase what you do and have to offer to interested persons. During the event, discuss your music program and prowess when it comes to playing instruments.
Identify your skilled students and have them demonstrate to the crowds what they have been able to achieve from the music lessons. You could even ask some of the attendants to come on stage and attempt to play the instruments. It’s worth noting that this could be slightly costly. However, you stand to make valuable and long term gains with this strategy.
You can also discuss your program with school heads within the locality and establish whether they can allow you and your students time to hold free presentations in their institutions.
Get Endorsement from Local Celebrities
The idea of getting a local celebrity to recommend your music program can be all you need to triple your music students. Remember, local celebrities have a wide following especially on their social media platforms and they can leverage in their connections and popularity to promote your music program.
Finally
Whether you own a music school or are a music teacher and are interested in increasing students in your institution, these ideas will come in handy to give you long term benefits.
