Mathis

London• 1 September 2025

To my former self, I’d say this: life unfolds less through the ticking of the clock than through readiness. Stages aren’t only about age. They’re about whether you’ve built what you need to hold the next step.

So instead of asking “why am I not there yet?”, ask “have I laid the groundwork for what I’m trying to carry?” Time isn’t just days passing. Time is preparation. And when you’re ready, you move forward with clarity instead of force.

London, 05 September

I see discipline as a spectrum, like a rainbow of tools. Discipline isn’t using every tool every day. It’s knowing which tool to use, when, and why.

Sometimes discipline looks like action. Sometimes it looks like choosing rest without guilt. If you can’t allow yourself deliberate pauses, you’re missing one of the most powerful tools. Real discipline includes the wisdom of timing.

London • 03 October 2025

My relationship to discipline has evolved recently. I used to struggle with it because I thought discipline meant doing something all the time. Now I see it differently. Discipline is doing what matters when you don’t feel like it, and thinking long-term instead of chasing the feeling of “achieving” every day.

That shift changes how I teach. It moves discipline away from pressure and toward purpose.

London • 22 Oct 2025

In the last two years, I’ve been working with two students on what started as an idea: could I shape a two-year program that fosters self-discipline and autonomy in their learning? What makes me proud today is that it’s proven possible. Through their determination and motivation, I’ve seen how building routines and habits, alongside a clear pedagogy, creates steady progress.

Now that I see it working, the real question is how exactly does it work? That’s what I’ll unpack next: how structure, agency, and long-term vision combine to shape disciplined, independent learners.

London • 29 Oct 2025

One of the biggest challenges I face is timing, especially because students develop at different stages. Some learners are not ready to hear certain pedagogical ideas yet, even if the strategy itself is “good”. So part of teaching becomes sensing readiness and choosing when to introduce what.

I also have to watch my own intention. There’s a difference between suggesting strategies to support a student’s growth and suggesting strategies to control them. The point is not order or control. It’s offering tools and possibilities so the student can choose what serves them and flourish.

London • 06 Nov 2025

One key strategy I’m refining is using self-reflection to build self-awareness. It’s not just about making a student feel safe in the learning environment. It’s also about helping them understand where they are in their learning, without making them overthink.

When a student can reflect clearly on their progress, they enter something close to self-regulated learning. That moment becomes a pivot point. I can respond more accurately as a teacher, offering the next strategy based on whether they feel motivated, stuck, or slightly down.

London • 13 Nov 2025

When students feel truly understood, something shifts. They don’t return the next week feeling evaluated. They return feeling safe to try again, safe to learn, safe to be seen without being judged.

That sense of being understood breaks the ice and deepens trust. My guidance becomes a resource rather than something imposed. It helps them stay on track, because they know their learning is supported, not controlled.

London • 20 Nov 2025

I’ve had multiple students surprise me with self-directed steps. One printed a 400-day calendar and started tracking small wins every day. Another started a journal and wrote just one sentence to stay connected to progress. Others began reading and writing independently, without needing my permission. One student who lacked confidence started sending me videos for feedback.

These moments make me proud because they show that self-discipline isn’t only about drumming. It’s about ownership, confidence, and learning how to move forward without being pushed.

London • 07 December 2025

Lately I’ve been thinking about flexibility in the “two-year program” idea (Snare Drum Program). Two years works, but depending on age, readiness, and what the learner wants, it could also be 10 months, a year and a half, or something more tailored.

That would allow me to introduce certain strategies earlier and more efficiently, especially weekly self-reflection and weekly planning. Not to control the learner, but to strengthen determination by turning it into more structure.