Private Lessons for HS Credit (Educational Advantage)

[matzentrpt]

Hi Everyone

My name is Max Matzen and I am professor of trumpet at Utah State University. For the last few years some colleagues of mine and I have been working on an online private lesson curriculum (intended for high school students) for all instruments, with the idea that the courses could be taken for actual high school fine arts credit.

With the help of Educational Advantage (for more info please visit: http://educationaladvantage.com/), a fully-accredited online school that offers High School courses, we have actually managed to do just that. Educational Advantage is accredited through Advanced-Ed (for more info see here: http://www.advanc-ed.org/). Point being ... The credits earned here transfer directly to their schools and onto their transcripts.

I am the writer of the trumpet courses, and let me just say I was as much of a skeptic of online instruction as anyone, particularly with brass instruments. However, the two courses I have put together (so far) focus on traditional, time-tested materials that will hopefully bring clear and desirable results.

So far, I have compiled two courses: a beginning level one called Basics I and another course called Basics II. The first course (Basics I)is designed for beginners and is built to get students at home up and running with a trumpet. Students learn the parts of the instrument, basic maintenance, the first notes, basic literacy, simple melodies, intro to trumpet history, critical listening assignments, and additional things meant to set students up for the long haul.

The second course (Basics II) is designed to keep things going for a student who is beyond beginner-level on the instrument. Some of the things we cover here are: Clarke studies, Getchell etudes (from Book I, with accompaniment), major scales, famous melodies, flexibilities, simple improvisation and composition assignments, trumpet history lessons (Egyptian trumpets, baroque trumpets, bugle calls, famous player bios, etc.), critical listening assignments where students focus on select performers and/or topics, practice routines, and other things.

In both of these courses, the etudes and performance pieces we present we include accompaniment, as well as actual examples. I will soon be adding two courses that are for more advanced students called Essentials I and Essentials II where students will continue into more advanced studies and repertoire (Arban, Schlossberg, etc).

A quick note about taking the courses: We set things up in such a way that a young student working on their own can work their way through the lessons. It's our hope, however, that students would work through this material alongside qualified private lessons teachers.

It’s my hope that private teachers can use this material in their own private studios so that they, if they choose, may offer high school credits for their students ... hopefully aiding in recruitment, motivation, and retention. I also hope that students in rural areas who don’t have access to private teachers can work their own way through this material, learn a bunch, and also earn high school credit.

Since many of you that are reading this are pro players and teachers.. I am very happy to read any comments or concerns about our efforts at Educational Advantage. This whole thing is new, and with that, will come mistakes and concerns. If you have comments or ideas that can help make us better, please feel free to share them with me so we can keep the ball rolling in a positive way.

Thanks a ton for reading this. I hope to hear from you guys with questions/comments/concerns via PM, below, or email.

Max Matzen
Assistant Professor of Trumpet
Utah State University
max.matzen@usu.edu
Course Creator - Educational Advantage


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Max Matzen, DMA
Associate Professor of Trumpet
Utah State University

[okeyjeff]

What a terrific idea!

[dkwolfe]

That's a fantastic idea!!

Best of luck!
D
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Nullius in Verba.

[Craig Swartz]

Seems to me you might be able to offer some actual college credit in the guise of "post graduate" credit. While not necessarily music credit, a number of colleges and universities in MN were doing just that quite a while back. Not sure if they still do as I've been out of the public school racket for 5 years or so, but HS kids around Bemidji were actually entering college with some credit already under their belts by taking college credit in HS. Most of the kids I taught in public schools didn't have any trouble making HS credit, which could be had if one acted somewhat alive and attended at least half the time. Anyway, good luck! Personally, I believe smart kids and kids with engaged and intelligent parents will be doing all of their formal K-12 education online within the next 10 years.

[grieshoptrumpet]

Terrific idea - thanks for posting. I will certainly read into more when I get the opportunity.

[matzentrpt]

Thanks so much for the kind words!


The Basics II course is nearly complete. I believe it will be launched by January 1st. I'm very excited about this whole project and anticipate some good things!

Should anyone like more information on how to use these courses or just have general questions or concerns about any of this please feel free to shoot me a PM. I will do my best to keep you updated here as things unfold.
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Max Matzen, DMA
Associate Professor of Trumpet
Utah State University