Studio Management
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…
Slowing Students Down & Rewards
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 (…
Looking at Hands While Playing
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…
Change Audio Speed
I have an adult student asking if there’s anyway to slow down the audio songs in order to play along with them. She’s in Level 6 and would love to play along with the Gaz, and others but esp. the Gaz. Maybe something corp. adds…
Questions for Students to Ask Themselves
Here is something that every one of my students have above their pianos. Obviously if your students are in the lower foundations, intervals, counting would not be needed but I find it a great tool to help remind them what boxes need to be ticked.…
Metaphor To Support Learning Strategies
Metaphor I came up with today while coaching a student, expanding on the notion of working slowly to learn quickly. Student wasn’t speaking instructions. I reminded. Student resisted, said it’s harder. I said, you know what? You’re right. It’s harder to do two things at…
Turning Down Potential Students
Have you ever turned down a potential student even though they really wanted to start lessons? 😬 What were your reasons? What questions do you ask potential students either during FIS or during initial interactions in order to get a better sense of whether they…
Apprenticeship Workshop
I wanted to share something I did in my studio this semester. I held an Apprenticeship Workshop class for upper level piano, bass, and guitar students of mine. It was designed to teach them how to play in or form their own bands. We met…
Piano Ensembles
Has anyone tried doing piano ensembles within your own studio? I have come across Susan Staples Bell Music, in which she composes music and then has a group of students work together. It sounds like fun but wondering how far through would the student need…
Hybrid Lessons
I’m finding in some of my small groups that individuals need some one on one that is hard to achieve in a group setting. I’m curious if any of you do ‘hybrid’ lessons when one week they might be in a group and the next…