In this episode John Kozicki (Michigan Rock School and RockSchoolProprietor.com) and Mandy York (Music Time of Milford) unpack the “expert blind spot”: why deep musical mastery can make it hard to understand beginner struggles. They explain how the skills of playing and teaching a musical instrument differ, share hiring and evaluation tips, and outline practical traits to look for in music instructors — from breaking tasks into steps and sequencing to varied communication, curiosity, patience and a growth mindset.
In this episode:
- The difference between being a good musician and a good music teacher, and why there can often be a disconnect between the two.
- How the curse of knowledge and expert blind spot can make a great musician struggle to connect with and teach students effectively.
- How to separate teaching skills from performing skills when evaluating prospective music instructors for your lesson studio.
- How the traits that make someone a great music instructor can be learned and taught.
The good news: these teaching qualities are learnable. Whether you’re developing your own teaching skills or hiring for your studio, this episode gives actionable guidance to help great musicians become great teachers.
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