Students
Student with Down Syndrome
Does anyone have any tips on teaching a child with Down Syndrome? I have an 11-year-old female student with Down Syndrome. She knows her finger numbers and can do five steps of sound, but she has difficulty remembering how to start the songs (we’ve only…
The power of the relationship conversation
Something I’m continually learning as a teacher is to not shy away from having the relationship conversation. When a student walks in and says, “I am really in a valley”, my goal is to not freak out and worry that she is going to immediately…
Using SM sheet music to supplement playing-based learning
I have a piano student who has already been introduced to sight reading from a former teacher. Is there any reason they can’t learn the song via pattern playing first, then switch over to the sheet music instead of waiting until level 4 or 5?…
Keeping the long-term relationship conversation alive
Question for today: What do you do in your studios to keep the Long-term Relationship conversation alive? Plan it in at every set up conversation. I just ask where are they in this relationship. If the answer is in some sort of deep valley then…
Engaging parents in lessons with teens
I have a group of teenage students and although parents attend lessons, they are for the most part completely not engaged. I’m at a loss as to how I could include them in the lesson process. I can see the value of doing this in…
New teacher with special needs student
I’m just getting started as a Simply Music teacher. My first class is scheduled for next week, in fact! I have the possibility of enrolling a 14-year-old student who has no thumbs and a communication problem. He’s small for his age, and is of normal…
Teaching and coaching your own children
I am desperately seeking help for teaching my own daughter. She is 14, and we have been doing SM in a group for 5 years now, and are in the midst of Level 6. Even though she does not like it, she mostly has been…
Adult students concerned about remembering
Any advice on working with senior students who are concerned with forgetting things, arrangements in particular, and want to write extra notes in the diagrams? I feel like I’ve been hearing that a lot lately, that because they’re older they need to write extra notes…
How do we get students to answer truthfully about their relationship to piano?
I was wondering about a couple of things and if anyone has any advice or thoughts, or can direct me to anything in the library section of the SM intranet for guidance. Here are my questions: How to go about determining and addressing the gap…
Fingering chords with a physically challenged student
I have a 66-year-old student who is having difficulty playing chords with finger 1, 3, 5. Her fourth finger has limited upward mobility. We had lesson number 6 today. Would it be terrible to adapt and let her play chords with fingers 1, 3, 4?…