coaching
Parent Participation Videoconference
Hi Teachers, here is a conversation I had with a few Simply Music Teachers about: parent participation in class, setting up the expectations & agreements, how to help a child when his/her parents are not in attendance (but a grandparent is), do teens need a…
How Far to Go Supporting Fearful Students
I was just speaking with an adult student about how she is too afraid to play in front of anyone in case she makes a mistake, even her husband! She also mentioned that it is always her left hand that she can’t remember and has…
Regaining Control of Parents and Students
I have finally gotten good at teaching SM and the studio is quickly growing. My biggest problem is still left over from being a traditional studio. Coaches are not doing their jobs 50% of the times. They won’t sit down at the piano, they won’t…
Adult Students Mutual Support
Thoughts on creating some kind of buddy system opportunities for adult private students who could use some extra support beyond their own playing the coaching the role for themselves? I do have more than one, so I could approach my own to pose this to…
Charge Parent Who Wants to Learn
I had an inquiry from a lady today, she and her daughter both want to learn. I was wondering since I require parents to attend lessons anyway, should I charge only one private fee? Two shared lesson fees? I have a pair like that. I…
Requirement Success
Sharing a requirement-based success story. I had a family recently whose two children never practiced consistently since they started. I told parents and children consistently the past week before spring break and week following that it wasn’t a problem, but that it wasn’t going to…
Student/Coach Responsibility
If you’re a requirement based studio, how much responsibility do you place on teenage students vs life coaches? I’d say if the student is not meeting the requirements on their own, the coach should still be responsible for making sure it happens. I agree that…
Students who want Private Lessons
I keep getting students who are not “happy” with their group (for various unimportant reasons) and want to either move group or have private one-on-one lessons instead. I prefer to teach mainly in groups but find myself “bending over backwards” for students only to have…
Order of Projects, Lesson Planning and Multiple Projects
I was reading in Simpedia about Managing Time in lessons. I copied down a list (partially shown below) that suggested the order to teach SM projects. I noticed that I may be moving through Accompaniments too fast. I think I spend too much time on accompaniment and…
Coaching students who are more advanced than the teacher
I’ve been meaning to ask this since after the symposium. I remember Robin Keehn saying that she doesn’t necessarily play what her most advanced student plays. I guess my question is how early/late into the program would it be ok for the teacher to just…