Meet our Lab Monitors
Lab Monitors are scholarship students, usually in high school, who are after-school aides for Music Works piano students. They work for 3-4 hours per week
The 2019-20 Academic School year monitors come from a variety of local high schools: Sunnyslope, Xavier Prep, Arizona School for the Arts (ASA), Bioscience and Valley Lutheran! Monitors set up the learning stations with the assignments for the week, they answer questions and help students, troubleshoot equipment when nonfunctional and provide helpful notes to instructors when students do have questions and need further help. The lab is directed by Carolyn Inabinet who schedules all assignments and follows up weekly with new assignments for each student. Instructors are notified of excellence as well as for concerns for in-lesson assistance and drill with lab achievement or lack thereof. Students receive a Lab Award when a unit is completed. Currently, Harkins Theater and See’s Candy are popular gift cards.
The TechTime Piano Lab is an additional music educational component available to piano students. The Piano Lab is available during the 10-month academic school year at Music Works Community. There is no lab scheduled during summer lessons. Also, lab time can be scheduled with instrumental, voice, and adult students. Contact the Studio for information about pricing at 602-264-5188.
WHEN and WHERE
TechTime Piano Labs are scheduled before or after the private or partner lesson at Music Works Community. These labs are 20 minutes in length. Lab monitors, older students who are on ‘scholarship’ at MWC, set up the assignments that are scheduled by Carolyn Inabinet for any given day. They answer questions and provide guidance to the students in the lab. They also serve as ‘greeters’ for incoming parents and students as they
WHAT
The lab includes music theory with iPad apps and computer assisted instruction as well as written worksheets and workbooks, ear training, performance playing with midi files, transcription, and music appreciation. The computer network has an extensive library of audio and midi files. Carolyn Inabinet has created a lab curriculum that integrates music education software with worksheets and workbooks in a comprehensive music education scope and sequence. As students complete Lab Modules, they receive a Lab Award.
LAB FORMATS
The TechTime Lab has two formats: 1) Monitored labs, or 2) Teacher-directed labs for Prelude students.
1) MONITORED LAB
In the monitored lab, Carolyn Inabinet, Director of MWC, assigns and grades each lab session. A high-school monitor sets up the lab and answers questions. The MONITORED LAB at MWC has two dimensions and is a win-win situation for both the student and the monitor: A Buddy System and a Work Experience
Lab Monitors are scholarship students at MWC, working approximately 3 – 5 hours per week. These high school students are paid an hourly wage that is credited back to their monthly tuition. They answer the phone, open the door, run the Awards System, set up lab assignments, and assist students in the lab. This work experience serves a
s a ‘first job’ experience for many students. This unique work experience with children and administrative duties is a definite plus on the college application. This instructional experience with children helps high school students determines if they enjoy teaching children and want to become teachers.
Monitors serve as role models for younger students – a built in “Buddy system”. Many times, younger students can benefit more from instruction with their older “buddy” than from their adult teacher. The presence of the ‘older student’ relays a non-verbal message: study music through high school. Friendships between lab monitors and their ‘lab students’ are a positive, added dimension to the piano lesson. Sometimes, monitors become babysitters who also help with piano practice! Younger students can be very motivat
ed when their monitor plays a piece for them.
2) TEACHER-DIRECTED LABS for Prelude Students
Teacher directed labs are scheduled when three students have a Trio Lesson format. This Teacher-directed lab is available to First Graders in the Prelude Piano Program who have been enrolled both as ShiningStars and as LeapFrogs. The instructor follows the lab curriculum, sets up the labs and interacts with the students in the lab. These younger students have the benefit of having their instructor guide and interact with them as they become familiar with music and technology.