The teVelde Learning Style Assessment

Figuring Out How Our Students Learn

The teVelde School Of Music offers Individualized Music Lessons. These lessons are custom tailored to each student's personal learning style and strengths. This is accomplished by conducting an initial testing session that consists of a series of in depth questions that help to discern how each student will best learn. Developed over the course of over 10 years, and fine tuned by Bonnie teVelde after administering over 1000+ tests, this testing session is an imperative first step in the course of lasting lessons.

How It Works

The testing process usually takes 90 minutes, and there is no way to get a "wrong" answer on the questions. This test simply defines learning styles and preferences, which are unique to each student. We can then modify our teaching styles to make the learning process comfortable and effective. For children and teens, it is helpful for a parent(s) to be present as well. Family participation is vital to each student's success. It is helpful if both parents can be at the test. Results are modified based on the student's age. Aptitudes as well as personality types can be determined from age 5 on up.

Testing and understanding how each student best learns allows students to enjoy lessons more, stay in them longer, and have fun while studying.

Taking the Test

Students should have a good meal and plenty of rest before they are evaluated. It would be helpful if new students could listen to various types of music, and bring in a sample of the type of music they want to play. This is especially important for vocal students, because there are so many different styles of music.

Test Results

The results of the testing give me the student's natural "aptitudes" in rhythm, melody & harmony recognition & retention, pitch discrimination & identification, and other auxiliary abilities that can be used to convey musical training. We also discover which one of 16 personality types (Briggs-Meyers), the student and their significant/supporting family members are.

This information, combined with each student's age, and learning style & personality development, are used to help the student create personal five-year goals that they are personally committed to.

Specific Results We Will Have

1. Student's Core Learning Style/Personality - Outgoing (Love of Music Performance); or Self-Contained (Love of Music for Personal Enjoyment/Recording)

2. Information Student Naturally Notices and How Their Brain Processes that Information: Sensory: (Detailed, Step by Step, Finisher); or Intuitive: (Big Picture, Creative, Starter)

3. Basis for Student's Motivation: Tangible Rewards or Appreciation

4. Best Practice Strategy for Each Student: Scheduled vs. Spontaneous

5. Student's Sensory or Intuitive Learning Styles: Audio, Visual, Kinetic, etc.

6. Student's Relevant Past Experiences: Music, Dance, Band, Chorus, Theater, Gymnastics

7. Student's Individual Goals: Long & Short Range-Personal and/or Professional Aspirations

8. Family Dynamics: How to Provide the Best Support for each Individual Student

Setting Goals

The personal commitment to five (5) year goals will help the student make it through the first five (5) years of study. While we, the teachers, do everything in our power to work with the student's own learning style and natural processes to encourage the mental "shift" of the skills from the "left" brain to the "right" brain. Once this process happens, the student will play music more fluently and comfortably.