How often do classes meet?
Practice Monkey classes meet four days per week. M, Tu, W, Th.
What time is my class?
Most classes meet 3pm EST and following. Class times sometimes change per teacher's schedule, but we try to accommodate as many students as possible in scheduling classes. Since most students are available to practice after school, this is when we try to make our classes available. Those who cannot attend every class can take part in a previous class recording in their Treehouse.
What instruments and levels do you offer?
Violin Classes are offered through Book 7 Suzuki. Piano Classes are currently offered through Book 3 Suzuki (Books 4-7 are in development). Guitar is offered through Suzuki Book 2 (Books 3-7 are in development). Cello is offered through Suzuki Book 3 (Books 4-7 are in development).
What if I am not available for my class time?
No problem, each class is recorded and uploaded to your Treehouse after each week. You can just take part in a recording in the same way as class. When you get a chance to join the live class, we love to see you!
Does my student need to practice in-between classes?
Not at the very beginning. As the student progresses through our levels, the after-class practice grows at a rate that is appropriate to the skill level. At the same time, we are teaching and supporting the necessary habits to help the student make his independent practice effective and efficient. REAL practice, REAL progress is our motto.
What about practice on the weekend?
We encourage students to strictly follow our program 4 days a week and add 2 days of fun practice for a full week of study. We believe that exploration and experimentation in music is an essential part of the development of the Poetic Knowledge of their instrument.
Do I need a private teacher/tutor with your program?
No. You do not need an outside private teacher with our program. Of course, if you are already studying with a private Suzuki teacher in your area, our practice program can only greatly support your learning goals by providing the accountability of daily, live practice sessions with our teachers. Because our practice program is both live and thorough, most of our families do not need regular private tutoring to augment. However, students do need individual help or instruction from time to time and because of this, we offer private lessons with our teachers whenever parents or students feel it is helpful.
Why is your motto REAL Practice, REAL progress?
For every 1/2 hour spent in the weekly private lesson, a student is expected to practice at least 3 hours during the week. If that practice doesn't happen, progress doesn't happen, and the weekly private lesson assignment repeats itself. Eventually the student "loses interest" and quits. Without proper support for practice, progress (which is already "one-step-at-a-time") becomes an endless cycle of starting over. No one can sustain this. A student trapped in this cycle is doomed to lose sight of their original goal, believe themselves incapable, and quit.
We believe students quit an instrument largely because of lack of progress. We believe students need someone to lead their practice sessions with vision. We believe that students need solid support in their learning. We believe students need to be set up to succeed. Therefore, we designed our curriculum to revolve around the practice room. Every day learning WITH the teacher and friends, too! Parents are amazed at how much their kids want to practice and how fast they progress. It's very cool to see.
We believe students quit an instrument largely because of lack of progress. We believe students need someone to lead their practice sessions with vision. We believe that students need solid support in their learning. We believe students need to be set up to succeed. Therefore, we designed our curriculum to revolve around the practice room. Every day learning WITH the teacher and friends, too! Parents are amazed at how much their kids want to practice and how fast they progress. It's very cool to see.
Can I try your program for free?
Yes! Please register on our site (LogIn/Register in the upper right hand corner) and fill out this form. You will be invited to meet with Mrs. Sarah Van Kleeck for a Free Family Placement Assessment. She will place your students in the best class for them to try. Trying our classes is totally free, you will not be expected to give any payment info until you decide to enroll.
Do I have to sign a contract?
There is no payment contract to sign. You may pause or cancel enrollment at any time depending on the needs of your family.
Do you offer classes for anything other than instruments?
Yes! We offer a classical, liberal-arts, high-school academic program through the study of the Great Books of the Western World, based on Mortimer Adler's "Great Ideas" program. Most classics programs are only available in ivy-league colleges with massive price tags, but we believe, as Mortimer Adler presented, that high-school is the best time to pursue the liberal arts education (education of a free men and women). You may read more on about our Great Books Conversation program in the link below.
What's Suzuki?
No, not the motorcycle. The man, Shinichi Suzuki. He revolutionized music education almost 100 years ago. Americans couldn't believe that these little tiny kids could play so beautifully at such a young age. He was as much a philosopher as he was a educator. His philosophy and method inspire so many still. For a good overview of the Suzuki philosophy and method, take a look at the Suzuki Association of the Americas. And treat yourself to his book called: Nurtured by Love. Inspiring!!
Do I need to buy books or materials for these classes?
There are a few books and materials needed for classes. This list of materials and books needed for levels are in your Treehouse that you gain access to upon enrollment.
How many of my kids can I enroll?
Enroll them all! We love big families. Each student will need to be registered, and each student will need an Individual Assessment to progress through the levels.
How does Practice Monkeys compare to traditional one-on-one tutoring?
It's everything a private teacher would give, just more. More frequency. More support. More organization. Did we mention more friends and more fun? Really. What could be more fun than an online meeting of 3 & 4 year olds learning the violin? Right?!
Why online?
Because it's awesome to be able to utilize an internet connection and see our students EVERY DAY! Like SUPER awesome, actually. And did we mention you practice with friends?? Double awesome. We believe it is only the most logical extension of the Suzuki philosophy. After all, Dr. Suzuki was utilizing cutting-edge, modern technology in his day. Why not use the internet to connect with our students for a daily, live, Suzuki class? It only makes sense.
Is it cheaper if I take fewer classes a week?
No. Our program is designed for effectiveness. If you miss classes, just make them up by practicing with the video later in the week. But don't skip. Four times Practice Monkeys. Two times: Fun. Repeat.
What do I pay?
$59 per month for your whole family. Private music lessons cost between $120 and up! per month per student. We are delighted to be able to offer music education at a fraction of that cost. For you. For your family. Lots of smiles here at Practice Monkeys about this.
What do I get for the monthly tuition?
4 LIVE practice classes per week for 47 weeks out of the year for every student enrolled. (That an hour or more of LIVE instruction and feedback with your teacher every week PER STUDENT!) Practice Recordings 52 weeks out of the year. Accountability. Regular Feedback from your teacher. Email access to your teacher for any questions or concerns. Our comprehensive curriculum to guide your education that includes tutorials, parent and student documents PLUS a free account with SightReadingFactory.com for your daily reading exercise, too.
What kind of progress can I expect with Practice Monkeys?
You can expect progress at differing levels per student. Everyone learns at their own pace. The beautiful thing about our program is that it is tailored to meet individual needs. Reach out to us if you feel your student is not achieving his or her potential. Help Classes and Private Lessons are there to help parents and students get the most of the classes. Our teachers can help you locate where your student needs to focus to achieve his best potential. Ya'll are loved. Just saying.
Why do I need to buy an Assessment?
We are here to see every student progress and succeed in learning his instrument, so we need to be sure each student's individual needs are being met. Extensive work has been done to help your student progress at the same rate or better than traditional one-on-one lessons, but at a fraction of the financial cost to the family. Every student needs one-on-one attention to address areas of needed focus that are unique to each student. The Assessment is the opportunity to meet individually with a teacher and get detailed feedback on progress and areas of needed focus to be sure that each student is getting that individualized attention he needs. Additionally, the kiddos LOVE the promotion to a new class! Huge smiles. Jumping up and down. High Fives. Fist bumps. Hugs. You get the idea.
How much are Assessments?
Assessments range in price from $10 to $30 depending on the ability level of the student taking the Assessment and how long the Assessment will take.
How often will my student need an Assessment?
On average, students need an Assessment a couple of times per year. Some families choose to purchase Private Lessons with our teachers to augment their practice program because they like the one-on-one lessons more often. It is entirely up to the family how they choose to utilize the individual lesson part of our program.
Do you only offer LIVE classes?
Yes. Every student, no matter where they live in the world has the opportunity to meet with our teacher live. Whether that is one in one of our free Help Classes, an Assessment Lesson or Private Lesson, or a Practice Class, there are many opportunities to get live feedback on how your student is progressing. We believe that live lessons make for the best progress and accountability. We always take the time to upload recordings of our live classes to the Treehouses to give every opportunity for busy students and parents to utilize our practice sessions, even when life gets in the way.
What is a Treehouse?
This is your online learning center for your Level of instruction. It houses the 10 Skills and 2 Habits that are being developed at each Level of instruction, numerous tutorials, parent helps, class documents and class recordings.
