Reinout creates a tailor made schedule for all of his students.
- Music
- Education in Art
"Versatility is a specialty," Reinout's guitar teacher once said to him. "My guitar teacher could actually do everything. And he mastered many styles excellently. He once had a huge hit, but that didn't really do him justice. What I remember most about him is his dedication to passing on knowledge and his love for music. In my eyes, his true legacy was shaping young guitarists into future significant musicians. That's what a passionate music teacher does. And that's the type of teacher I want to support."
Reinout Vrijhoef, coordinator of the Tailor Made Music in Education course at ArtEZ Academy of Music in Enschede, talks about his own career as a music teacher and what he can offer to students who want to become music teachers but have busy schedules.
Tailor Made Music in Education course
"I never expected to follow in the footsteps of my music teachers myself. When I was younger, I mainly wanted to play guitar a lot. Be on stage and work in the studio. So, my academic career started with the Pop Academy program at the conservatory in Enschede. Even during that program, I realized that I enjoyed giving guitar lessons much more than being a performing musician.
When I started working full-time as a guitar teacher after graduating, I also wanted to specialize. I was looking for a way to acquire more teaching skills, and I wanted to get a teaching qualification so that I could also teach music in regular education. I didn't have enough time for another full-time study. My practice as a guitar teacher was just starting to pick up, and my schedule quickly filled up. The 'Tailor Made Music in Education' program at ArtEZ turned out to be the solution. Thanks to the tailored approach that program offers, I was able to skip some subjects, such as a main instrument and music theory, as I had already passed those during my previous conservatory education. What mattered to me was being able to specialize in teaching skills. Additionally, I took lessons in Arts and Culture Education, because completing this program also grants a teaching qualification for that subject.
It's a puzzle, but it pays off. Every situation is different, and it gives me a lot of fulfilment to help students achieve their goals."
Some of my classmates at the time had already completed a teacher training program, such as the PABO. Their needs were exactly the opposite. They already had the necessary knowledge about teaching and wanted to specialize in music and how to make music with different target groups in regular education. That's why they received those music subjects and exemptions for the teaching-related subjects. Each student received their own schedule and a tailor-made lesson package.
I truly believe in this concept of a 'customized' education. It benefits both ambitious students and the professional field. That's why I'm now involved in this program as a coordinator. I now create tailor made schedules for each student. It's a puzzle, but it pays off. Every situation is different, and it gives me a lot of fulfilment to help students achieve their goals. It's also a challenge for me to come up with solutions for the most diverse situations. For example, I helped Tommy, who is a father in a young family, lives and works in Limburg, and is enrolled in the Tailor Made Music in Education program, find a suitable class schedule.
Hybrid Lesson Package
In addition to a suitable class schedule, students in the Tailor Made Music in Education course have the choice of whether to join the lessons online or in person. We ask them to be physically present at the conservatory once every 4 weeks, and they can attend the other lesson days from a location that suits them. Some students come to the conservatory weekly. It varies for everyone. That also requires a lot of organization, but I'm happy to do it for them. The door to my office is always open, and I'm also reachable via email and chat. If anyone is considering enrolling in the Tailor Made Music in Education program, I would say, please contact me, and we'll discuss the options together!'"
