The teVelde Learning Style Assessment

Figuring Out How Our Students Learn

Why do 83-87% of all new private music students quit in the first year? We set about to discover the reasons behind this appalling number, and how to fix it. The first step is to customize how the lessons are taught, so each student gets quick and lasting results while enjoying the learning process. We do this by figuring out how each student learns, what has worked in the past, and what has not worked, and then setting up lessons with teachers who are trained to utilize each student's individual talents and strengths. This evaluation also tells us which instruments the student would naturally play best, and what the home environment needs to be like for each student to succeed in the long term.

In other words, teVelde 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

We will have the student's personality type, and know whether they are an audio, visual, or kinesthetic learner. This will enable us to help each student choose an instrument that is exactly right for them. We will be able to help the student find music that appeals to their personality, and help them set up a practice strategy that will keep them motivated for the many years they will be studying and enjoying music. It will help us choose the exact curriculum that will keep them playing songs they love.

And most importantly of all: It will help us choose a teacher that will connect with the student, bringing out the love of music, the creativity, and the individuality of each student so they absolutely love lessons!

When we evaluate the student, we evaluate the other family members as well. This will allow us to help the other family members support the student effectively, so that the structure of the family enhances and encourages the student. We want to build musical families, that support and nurture musical children!

The information we need to do this is the following:

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

Once we have determined the best instrument, the best teacher, and the best learning strategies for the student, we sit down with them and write down what the student hopes to achieve in the next 5 years. This process of writing down goals is the first step towards achieving them. After that, we break down these goals into 1 year benchmarks, and from there into achievable 3 month steps to completion.

Having set thousands of goals, with hundreds of students, I can say, first hand, that they work! Every week, I go over goals that I set with students 5-10 years ago, and they are usually not only met, but ahead of time, and most students have achieved much more then they had hoped to dream when they started! The process of setting goals is the most powerful tool we have, because when we can see and believe, we really can achieve!