About The Method

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Teacher in a valley

I’m hoping to find some advice and encouragement. For several months, I have felt bogged down in studio management (mostly involving recruiting and keeping students since my finances are very restricted at the moment). In the process of trying to fill vacancies and keep my…

The importance of the learning strategies

After learning Ode to Joy, mom said her son wasn’t able to “get it” with the counting, so she tapped his hand when he was supposed to change the LH chord so he was able to learn the hands together. This week he only practiced…

Discussing tuition at initial phone call

I am just going to start to get the word out about teaching Simply Music, and then I will have an introductory session. My question is, what if people call and want to know how much it costs? Do you tell them the cost, or…

Bringing potential students to FIS

I’m having an FIS tomorrow with a few parents and they asked if they should bring their potential students with them. I said yes, but I’m wondering what you all do. I thought it would be good for the kids to hear, but maybe it…

When students catch up to teachers

One of my students is on the verge of “outgrowing” me as a SM teacher. I was honest with her mom about it to set the stage in case I need to “graduate” her daughter to another, more advanced teacher. The mom home schools her…

Student can’t remember patterns of older songs

I need some advice and feedback regarding one of my adult students who is at the start of Foundation 3. His playlist is pretty solid but he sometimes has difficulty remembering the patterns of the old songs though he can play them fine. I have…

Content breadth vs depth

I have a student whose mom is a fourth grade teacher, and she made a comment last night that I didn’t quite know how to respond to. In referring to the white board on which I had written the notes, including assignments from Foundation Level…

Teaching tip: Preparatory Learning

Teach a very small portion of something without revealing what it’s leading to. This works great with Arrangements, e.g. Soapy Dreams (Dreams #2): I teach just the LH chord shape and ask students to try it in different locations on the piano. Once everyone’s got…

Teaching Dreams Come True

In my initial lesson with adult students, I often will introduce the Basics followed by Dreams Come True. It has become a common theme that people really don’t understand that diagram; I am considering starting with the right hand of Ode to Joy. Sadly I…

Webinar Series: 02/06/2018 – Piano – Becoming a Self-Generative Teacher

In this webinar you will learn the importance of developing your own self-generative skills in supporting self-generative students. Practical steps are shared with regard to how to accomplish this. Topics include: Distinction Between Receptive & Generative Skills (00:00) Importance of Supporting Self-Generative Students (05:55) Developing…