A Two-Way Street

I’ve been forcibly reminded this week of just how much learning is a two-way street. Not exactly a ‘duh’ moment but not far off. 
 
I’ve been involved in mentoring and coaching songwriting students in various guises for some years now. But I also fill my own cup working with a great mentor and taking courses in supportive subjects where stars align.
 
It keeps me paddling in a sort of happy tidal estuary with information, experience and knowledge sharing flowing in and out pretty much simultaneously.  Quack, quack!
 
However, the recent conclusion of a 12 week one-on-one mentorship with a student who delivered as much as he received plus starting a university programme on modern poetry with a most enthusiastic lecturer, has been a right royal rev up.
 
I’ve also really enjoyed working on a couple of pre-production projects and watching students in my online Songwriting School make some serious headway, now in their second year. My own experience of being mentored once a week has been a real eye-opener too.
 
The big surprise for me is how much I learn from students. Sometimes, it’s been incremental, but every now and then someone has a decent epiphany  - a leap forward or break-through. 
 
It’s particularly satisfying when they’ve been able to apply whatever they’ve gleaned from a class, article or workshop specifically to their own songwriting or music career and get the results they'd hoped for.
 
That makes me want to upgrade my own study, create more useful targeted resources and deliver them more effectively.  Quack, quack!
 
I’m very excited to be welcoming a fresh group of students to Songwriting School starting Tuesday August 2. If you’d like to learn more about songwriting or the online school, just get in touch.
 
Talk soon
Charlotte
 
 
Ps here’s a link to 25 songwriting assignments by US educator Tony Conniff supplied courtesy of Soundfly mentoring student Spencer Brill.