080: Creating a Safe Space for Students with Kenneth Thompson

Kenneth Thompson brings a wealth of insight into what makes music lessons truly transformative. Drawing from his experiences as a performer, educator, and founder of Musical Arts Centers of San Antonio, Inc. (MACSA), Ken shares how lesson atmosphere shapes the student experience. In this episode, he unpacks the five pillars of effective teaching, the balance between trust and intensity, and the powerful role teachers play as guides and leaders in their students’ journeys.

• Kenneth shared his journey from pianist to founder of Maxa Musical Art Center in San Antonio.
• The importance of lesson atmosphere—the environment between teacher and student.
• Why building connection is essential?
• Kenneth introduced his Five Pillars of Effective Teaching.
  • Pillar 1: Teachers create masterpieces inside of other people.
  • Pillar 2: Responsiveness builds trust—being reliable and listening to students.
  • Pillar 3: Teachers are guides, not heroes—the student is the hero of their story.
  • Pillar 4: Great teachers are leaders who inspire and hold a vision for their students.
  • Pillar 5: Understand the spectrum of demander vs. teacher and balance both roles.
  
  
• He warned against negative atmospheres: undervaluing teaching and “teaching at” rather than “teaching with.”
• Kenneth highlighted how a school’s “vibe” shapes teaching and learning.
• Helping teachers transition from a university-level demander mindset to private teaching.
• Why parents play a big role and sometimes conflict with parents prevents student progress.
• He encouraged patience, trust, and responsiveness to open up closed-off students.

Links Mentioned

• Musical Arts Centers of San Antonio, Inc. (MACSA)
• Ken's Instagram Page: @ken.creativecoach

Today's Guest Kenneth Thompson is a recipient of the Texas Music Teachers Association’s (TMTA) Pre-Collegiate Teacher of the Year Award, the Lifetime Achievement Award and MACSAthe Leadership in Education Award from Musical Bridges Around the World (MBAW). He received a BM in Piano Performance from the Eastman School of Music where his teachers were Nelita True and Anton Nel. He has been featured in articles about music business and the study of music in USA Today and on MSN.com. Kenneth has performed extensively as a chamber musician and soloist. Feeling a calling to teach, Mr. Thompson turned his attention to the development of pre-college advanced pianists. His piano students have performed more than 120 complete solo recital programs and performed more than 40 times as soloists with orchestra including many performances with the San Antonio Symphony. He has had several students perform in New York at Carnegie Hall and has had two students perform on National Public Radio’s hit show “From the Top”. About Rachel Ehring Dr. Rachel Ehring is a pianist, teacher, music administrator, and lover of piano teaching gadgets. She holds a DMA in Collaborative Piano from the University of Colorado Boulder and a MM in Accompanying from the University of Kansas. She currently serves as Director at St. John’s Conservatory of the Arts in Orange County, CA. Previously, she held positions at Concordia University Irvine and Henderson State University. Rachel is passionate about empowering music teachers to create engaging and exciting lessons for students of all ages. When she isn’t playing the piano, you might find Rachel reading books with her son or walking her beagle Frieda.

• Visit her website at RachelEhring.com
• Visit