Articles - Music Teachers National Association

Career/Professional Development

Category: Career/Professional Development

Towards a Higher Definition of Professionalism

We owe a great deal to Beth Klingenstein for the many business columns she has written for the AMT. Her knowledge, research, and insights have contributed greatly to our profession. Thanks, Beth! In her last column (April/May 2007), Beth provided a list of essential elements of a professional studio. If you haven't read it, I urge you to do so. It is an excellent summary of professional tasks that we should embrace, and then revise and enhance as we start a new year of teaching. All are equally important; this column will explore only the first one, "Professional Attitude."
Category: Career/Professional Development

Toward a Deeper Definition of Integrity

Professionalism was the topic of my initial column in the August/September 2007 American Music Teacher. I intentionally chose professionalism as a debut topic because I believe it is an essential element of all successful studios. As I re-read that column recently, I was inspired to take a deeper look at integrity, an element of professionalism.
Category: Career/Professional Development
Top Five: MTNA Professional Development Resources

Have you checked out these MTNA professional development resources recently? A vast amount of experience and insight is right here at your fingertips. Peruse these pages and come away with new ideas, helpful tools and creative ways to change up your studio.

This section of the website offers a wealth of information for all aspects of running an independent music studio or school. Although some items are available to nonmembers, access to all Business Resources is one of the benefits of MTNA membership. Sign in with your MTNA username and password to access the complete list.

Music teachers have some tough legal questions—here are the answers! Another benefit of MTNA membership, sign in with your MTNA username and password to access the complete list.

These high-quality webinars are here to help you build your studio and enrich your teaching. This link takes you to the complete list of archived webinars. Nonmembers View allows nonmembers to view a small portion of each webinar. Members View allows signed-in members to view each webinar in full.

These archives offer valuable articles; for example, check out the compelling February 2021 article: "Near, Far, Wherever You Are: Implications and Considerations for Remote Piano Instruction." Access to the e-Journal is another benefit of MTNA membership. The articles can be read, downloaded, printed or listened to aurally.

This section of the MTNA website contains a wide variety of helpful resources for independent teachers with varied interests. MTNA membership is not required to view these resources.
Category: Career/Professional Development

Keywords: Entrepreneurism

Five Ways to Engage Your Network

Networking, networking, networking: it’s an essential tool for professionals in any industry. But where should you start and how do you know if you’re doing it well?
Category: Career/Professional Development

Keywords: Business Planning

Five Ways to Afford a National Conference

Professional development can be expensive, but well worth the investment in yourself and your career. A national conference is a known expense that can be planned for in advance. The MTNA Business Network members offer the following tips for affording a national conference.
Category: Career/Professional Development

Keywords: Entrepreneurism, Business Planning

The Three-Box Solution for Innovation

Unprecedented. Fluid. Evolving. Uncertain. Pivot. We have heard these words many times during the past nine months and may be feeling paralyzed or overwhelmed—unable to even consider innovating our studio or association.
Category: Career/Professional Development

Keywords: Entrepreneurism, Business Planning

The Entrepreneurial Mind

"Failure is simply an opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently." —Henry Ford
Category: Career/Professional Development

Keywords: Entrepreneurism, Business Planning

Studio Strategic Planning

As creative, entrepreneurial-minded teachers, we are very good at studio organization—policies, scheduling, curriculum. Whether starting a new studio or revitalizing an existing studio, attention to these details is essential for success and largely under our control.
Category: Career/Professional Development

Keywords: Entrepreneurism

So You Want to Start a Podcast? A Podcasting Primer

Have you been curious about starting a podcast? Do you have a message to share and wonder if podcasting would be a good medium with which to do that? Whatever the case may be, today we’re pulling back the curtain and demystifying what it takes to start a podcast.
Category: Career/Professional Development

Keywords: Entrepreneurism, Business Planning

Smart, Single, Successful! Making a Living as an Independent Music Teacher

How can I make a living as an independent teacher?" To answer this question, three young professionals shared their stories at the 2011 MTNA National Conference during the session "Smart, Single, Successful! Effective Business Strategies For Young Professionals." We met Kristin Yost in a previous column, "Earn $100,000 As An Independent Teacher? Yes!" (April/May 2010). In the October/November 2011 issue, we met Becky Baker, a young professional in Indianapolis. In this issue, we'll meet the third panelist, David Husser, who has followed a different path to creating an independent studio. Veteran teachers interested in succession planning will find his story of interest too.

Career/Professional Development

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