Studio Management

Hello. How would you handle this? I have an older student ( age 15) in a group with another boy. The student in question picks things up super quickly. Leaves a lesson with complete grasp and understanding of all new pieces. Quick learner. He is…

• Last updated 2 months ago
• age, claiming territory, coaching teens, combining different ages, different ages in group, different levels, different levels in group, different pacing in group, LAWOL, learning a new way of learning, learning a way of learning, learning from SHMs, learning pace, learning rate, normal progress, not using SHMs, not watching video, pace, pace of learning, pace of teaching, pacing, practice habits, progress, quickly progressing student, rate, rate of learning, rate of progress, reclaiming territory, regaining lost territory ideas, SHM, SHMs, siblings moving at a different pace, slow pace, slow progress, speed of learning, speed of progress, student progress, students in groups with different abilities, students progressing differently, students speed of progress, supporting teens, teen, teen students, teenager, teenagers, teens, territory, using SHMs, using the SHM videos, using the SHMs, value of SHM, watching the videos, watching videos, working with teens

Hey teachers — I want to open up a conversation about something we’ve all been taught in our training, and something I’ve been saying to parents for years: “Have your child practice at the same time every day.” It’s clean, simple advice. And I understand…

• Last updated 2 months ago
• anchor, at home practice, best practices, how to practice, Laurie Richards, managing practice time, neurology, practice guidelines, practice habits, practice ideas, practice routine, practice time, same time every day, when to teach

I thought i would share this with you. Its a parent support kit i put together you are all more than welcome to use it if it helps you Scott Jones’ Expanded Parent Support Toolkit Original conversation started May 3, 2025

• Last updated 1 year ago
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I think sometimes students do mindless repetition for practice without breaking it down in such a way that the brain retains the piece. I had a student today who struggles with remembering her pieces so we just slowly went through a series of questions and…

• Last updated 2 years ago
• aural cues, bad memory, cognitive understanding, conscious learning, deliberate practice, key names, key naming, LAWOL, learning, learning a new way of learning, learning a way of learning, learning from SHMs, learning from video, learning note names, learning strategies, learning tools, learning tools and strategies, listing learning tools and strategies, memorization, memorizing, memorizing harder pieces, memorizing pieces, memorizing songs, memory, memory issues, memory muscle, memory problem, mindfulness, muscle memory, naming keys, naming notes, naming the keys, note names, note naming, overcoming memory problems, playing-based strategies, playing-based tools, remember, remembering, remembering arrangements, remembering patterns, remembering variations, single thought process, single thought processes, STP, strategies, tips on remembering arrangements, tool, tools, tools and strategies

Do other teachers have rules on strong scents in their studios? I have an adult that swims ahead of our lessons and the chlorine smell bothers me. She seemed upset that I prefer she swim on a day other than before our lessons. What would…

• Last updated 2 years ago
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Choosing recital pieces question: I usually try to give students a choice on which piece they want to play; and also try to not have the same piece played multiple times in the same recital. With a small number of students, this hasn’t been too…

• Last updated 2 years ago
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This week I took the plunge and tried a different sort of class. I love teaching groups and nearly all my after school students are in group classes. During the day though, I have lots of adults that come one by one. Some are in…

• Last updated 2 years ago
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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…

• Last updated 3 years ago
• agreements, coach, coach at lessons, coach missing lessons, coach not coaching, coach responsibility, coaches, coaching, coaching parents, dealing with parents, distracted coach, encouraging parents, expectation, expectations, holding coaches accountable, involving parents in lessons, involving the parent, keeping coaches focused, learning parent, learning without a coach, life coach, life coach roles, life coaches, managing coaches, managing expectations, no coach at lessons, no coaches, no life coach, non-attending parent, parent, parent and child lesson, parent and student in the same lesson, Parent attendance, parent correcting in lesson, parent expectation, parent involvement, parent key, parent learn with child, parent learning, parent review, parent reviews, parent role, parent struggles, parent support, parent unwilling to attend, parental expectations, parental involvement, parental participation, parental responsibility, parents, parents attending lessons, parents attending workshops, parents controlling the lessons, parents taking extra notes, participation, participation in lessons, problem parent, Robin Keehn, role of parent, talking about expectations, teaching parents, teaching without a coach, teens without a coach, unsupportive parent, value of attendance, working with parents, working with parents on how to practice

Please read this post with the mindset that a student is playing too fast and you CAN’T slow them down they are great students and they totally on board for the long term relationship they don’t have any other problems other than slowing down (…

• Last updated 3 years ago
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A new adult student with a small amount of previous experience told me that it’s hard for her to watch her hands because she took a beginning piano class in college with a teacher who insisted that students never look at their hands and would…

• Last updated 3 years ago
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