Students
Keeping students practicing during break
Due to personal reasons, I will be taking a month off of teaching. Any tips I can pass along to parents, so students don’t lose ground during the break? Perhaps a 30-day challenge. Play every day for 30 days. A composition a week…and each class…
Combining special needs student with younger students
I need help to navigate a new challenge. A 10-year-old boy with ADHD/LD has been taking private lessons. His 6-year-old brother is in a shared lesson. This past year, the 6-year-old’s progress has caught up with the older boy so I announced that it was…
How to start with student who plays well by ear
I’m a brand new Simply Music teacher and already have a dilemma (although a fun one). A middle-aged woman who plays by ear and has a huge repertoire under her belt is looking for lessons that will help to expand her playing abilities and style.…
Learning traditionally and Simply Music concurrently
I met someone who would like for me to teach her 6-year-old daughter, and she really likes the SM method now that she heard about it. But she already (a couple of weeks ago) had enrolled her daughter in a brief 6-week “group” piano class…
Combining students in different levels
I have three teenagers taking private lessons because I have no age appropriate groups to put them in. One is in mid level 5, another is just starting level 6, and the other has just completed the first song of level 7. I’m wondering if…
How much to review with transfer student?
How would you suggest handling a transfer student from another teacher who left off in Level 4, yet has had a year and a half break? Start at the beginning with Dreams? My gut feeling is telling me to do that. Review all the previous…
Two Broken Arms
Greetings – I have a student who finished F1 in June, did review with me every few weeks in the summer, and just broke both arms last week, both are casted, and quite immobile – he cannot write, and even requires help with eating. Any…
Teaching autistic student in a group
Hi all, I have a group of 3 boys and girls aged 6-7 in my studio. One of the 6-year-old boys is diagnosed autistic – minor. If his mom did not reveal this for me, I would have no idea that he is autistic, because…
Teaching a 5-year-old with Aspergers
I have been approached by the grandmother of a 5-year-old boy with Aspergers asking if I am willing to teach him. Obviously I am but I wondered if the teacher community could give me any guidance here, for one I have not taught anyone as…
Student with Dyslexia
Hi everyone, I have a 14-year-old student with dyslexia who is struggling with reading. When she looks at the music, the notes “move” (I don’t know if this is part of the dyslexia or a different issue) and it’s really hard for her to identify…