LSU Shreveport’s Post

Musicians' brains are so cool!! 🧠 🎶 Research now shows that learning an instrument interconnects elements of the brain such as.... Motor 🏃♀️ Sensory 👍 Visual 👀 Auditory 👂 Learning an instrument not only makes a huge impact on a child's development, but it is key to thriving academically! ✏️ We love this video from Project Better Self on music and the brain! Watch their full video here: https://lnkd.in/dgqxqkdg

What comes easily to you that you take for granted is what others are dying to have. We believe our knowledge, experiences, and skills are not unique so we trivialize them. But the truth is just because something is second nature to you, doesn’t mean every other person knows anything about it. For example, some people are very good at applying make-up, others can’t do it even if their lives depend on it. I know people who are very good with kids, while many parents struggle. There are people who are excellent at playing musical instruments while there is me who can’t do it to save my life. We are sending out a newsletter in 2 hours. It’s titled “There is a $10,000 per month knowledge trapped in your head”. You can sign up here to receive it in your inbox: https://bit.ly/3T20mIA

Learning new skills and building new habits requires a shift in how we see ourselves. If your child says “I’m bad at math” or “I’m not musical and I can’t learn how to play guitar” then they’ll likely avoid it. But if we can help students see themselves differently and adopt a new identity, new habits can take hold. James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, says there are two simple steps... Read on!

Introducing Trojan Classroom Furniture’s NEW Classroom Stage. Though performance, presentation and engagement, our stage is a wonderful tool for the classroom. Bring focus to storytelling, drama, or a musical performance. It’s not only the arts that can be served by our stage. What better place to celebrate student achievement (either academic or social) than at the front of the room? Give them focus, give them a goal, give them a stage to stand up straight on! https://lnkd.in/gKBTyxBu

During the Covid pandemic, I started writing a "Random Thoughts" email every week. I have continued the writing and here is this week's: I watched "My Fair Lady" for the umpteenth time a few weeks ago. For those who don't know, it is a movie from the 1960s that stars the charming Audrey Hepburn. Over the years, my appreciation of the film has morphed. On the surface, it is a simple story of a poor flower girl who is transformed into a lady thanks to the efforts and genius of Prof Higgins. But underneath it is a more complex tale. Most characters are content doing what they do and being where they are. Whether rich or poor, they are so wedded to the status quo that they don't even make minimal effort to change their lives. The rigid class structure of early 20th century Britain doesn't help either. Of all the characters, Eliza Doolittle (Hepburn's character) seems to be the only one motivated to improve and change herself and, while terrified, leaps at the opening that Prof Higgins provides at the movie's start. Alfred Doolittle, her father, is not only totally content being a lazy layabout, he is positively unhappy when an unexpected windfall changes his financial life. Freddy Eynsford-Hill, a member of the moneyed upper class (and now in a less financially secure situation), cannot get any job at all, thus facing an uncertain future. In a scene where Eliza returns to her old haunting grounds, she sees her old friends continuing their lives with zero changes. She, frustratingly, feels like a rank outsider. Even Prof Higgins, who has the benefit of an excellent education, is so rigid in his ways that he alienates people almost out of habit. Granted that personal growth is not for everyone. It requires stepping outside your comfort zone, learning something new and different, and being comfortable with failure. But, as children, we were comfortable with personal growth. Toddlers don't mind falling a million times to learn to walk. Elementary school students have little difficulty in learning new paradigms and languages. They go from counting to adding to subtracting to multiplication, division, and more. But as we grow older, our risk-taking capability dives. Why? Partly, it is because we fear running counter to our self-image. We attribute our successes to our genius, hard work, or both. But, if we fail at our adventure, our self-image will get shattered. Thus, our fear of failure reaches such heights that it paralyzes us. Even microscopic risks like trying a new dish in a go-to restaurant become an uphill battle. So, are we doomed to becoming prisoners of our fears? I posit that we are not doomed. In the world of software, change is the only constant. While there are people still maintaining and supporting COBOL code, most of us are hit by new technologies every month. The language of the next generation confounds us. And that is the signal that we either evolve or get left behind. We need to focus on the upside of the risk to force us to grow.

Musicians' brains are so cool!! 🧠 🎶 Research now shows that learning an instrument interconnects elements of the brain such as.... Motor 🏃♀️ Sensory 👍 Visual 👀 Auditory 👂 Learning an instrument not only makes a huge impact on a child's development, but it is key to thriving academically! ✏️ We love this video from Project Better Self on music and the brain! Watch their full video here: https://lnkd.in/dsrsWa8W

Musicians' brains are so cool!! 🧠 🎶 Research now shows that learning an instrument interconnects elements of the brain such as.... Motor 🏃♀️ Sensory 👍 Visual 👀 Auditory 👂 Learning an instrument not only makes a huge impact on a child's development, but it is key to thriving academically! ✏️ We love this video from Project Better Self on music and the brain! Watch their full video here: https://lnkd.in/dsrsWa8W

Musicians' brains are so cool!! 🧠 🎶 Research now shows that learning an instrument interconnects elements of the brain such as.... Motor 🏃♀️ Sensory 👍 Visual 👀 Auditory 👂 Learning an instrument not only makes a huge impact on a child's development, but it is key to thriving academically! ✏️ We love this video from Project Better Self on music and the brain! Watch their full video here: https://lnkd.in/dgqxqkdg

At a recent conference, a fellow attendee said something that struck a chord within me: "Reduce your 'to do' list and work on your 'to be' list." This simple yet profound advice resonated deeply, inspiring me to pursue a dream I’ve held close to my heart for 35 years. For as long as I can remember, I've been captivated by the soulful and somewhat haunting sound of the cello. It’s an instrument that speaks to the depths of human emotion and requires an extraordinary level of skill to play – something I’ve always admired in musicians/artists in general. I was never exposed to music as a child, in fact, I’ve never even held an instrument until now. But I did go to see the Southampton orchestra every month during law school and was mesmerized! Today, I am thrilled to share that I am five lessons into my journey of learning the cello, and it has been nothing short of transformative. The experience is far deeper and wider than I ever imagined. Under the guidance of my highly experienced and accomplished teacher, I am making progress quicker than I ever thought possible. Her push, passion, and expertise are driving me to reach new heights. This journey is a powerful reminder that it’s never too late to chase your dreams. To anyone out there holding onto a long-held aspiration, I encourage you to seize the day. Trust me, if I can learn this instrument… Embrace the journey, no matter how daunting it may seem. The rewards of following your passion are immeasurable. Here’s to reducing our 'to do' lists and expanding our 'to be' lists. 🎻 And for those that know me - of course I have a goal: Play this <2 years! https://lnkd.in/gKZEDxU6 #CarpeDiem #NeverTooLate #FollowYourPassion #CelloJourney #LifelongLearning #PersonalGrowth #MultiPassionateEntrepreneur Footnote: of course, I've already found the flaws in this "learning an instrument" malarky. Apparently, I'm supposed to read these foreign symbols on a page, translate that to my right hand doing various movements, left fingers dancing in various positions with fine motor control, all on an instrument with no markings to let you know where you are...Who comes up with this stuff :-)

Preparing for a level 5 theory exam. The last question is understanding the level by analyzing a score. Let’s do this together #musiclessons #musictheory https://lnkd.in/gyiJN8Yw