Coaches

This past week I had a horrid encounter. A parent, during class, was very rude, arrogant, and aggressive in his manner towards me and and SM program. He is usually in a group with other parents/kids, but this week he and his child were on…

• Last updated 11 years ago
• angry parent, bullying, problem parent, Robin Keehn

I would like to know what fellow teachers think about the following: Due to a growing phenomenon, I am seriously considering requiring all parents (and students) to please turn off their electronics devises while in the classroom. The continued use of cell phones for e-mailing…

• Last updated 11 years ago
• cell phones, electronic devices, phones in class

I had a first grade student in her first shared lesson. This was her first SM music lesson, but she has had previous Suzuki lessons. She just covered her ears and refused to participate after the first instruction. I visited with her mother after the…

• Last updated 12 years ago
• claiming territory, learning difficulties, methodology, Neil Moore

I have a young girl who is not quite 7 years old. She is in the second week of level 2 and I introduced the 2nd section of Alma Mater Blues to her this week. She went through 99% of Level 1 like a champ.…

• Last updated 11 years ago
• alma mater blues 2nd section, claiming territory, level 2, relationship conversation, student resisting songs, working with parents

Can I open a discussion about duets in general and how playing in public in a duet in approached? This is a response I sent to a parent who was not happy a student played a duet and not a solo at a Christmas Sing-a-long.…

• Last updated 5 years ago
• claiming territory, coaches, duets, Gordon Harvey, letting students go, playing duet at recital, unhappy parent

I know this subject has floated around, but any help you can offer is greatly appreciated! I have 2 siblings that have been with me for approximately 18 months. Practice is down and struggles have started at home! In fact I think it first started…

• Last updated 8 years ago
• claiming territory, coaching parents, core conversations, eye of the needle, Long Term Relationship, practice, sticking with piano long term, valley

I have had the great pleasure of taking 3 students through Level 1 and 8 others through the first 4 songs in Level 1. I love the curriculum, and I am so glad I switched from the traditional method, but I’m really beginning to get…

• Last updated 8 years ago
• Accompaniment‏, level 1, losing students, note reading, requirement based studio, requirements, traditional students, trust the method

What tangible practices have you instigated to ensure the success of students staying long term with you? I have students in level 3 with me now but I want more to stay with me longer. I have allowed parents to ‘have-a-go’ at lessons but I…

• Last updated 8 years ago
• commitment, generative students, Long Term Relationship, LTR, LTR graph, playing with expression, relationship conversation, relationship graph, retention, stories

Having been fairly clear about the need to have students and parents refrain from writing extra notes for themselves or their children, and still seeing some of them doing it, I decided to include a reinforcement in my monthly newsletter. The text follows: ” I’ve…

• Last updated 12 years ago
• notes, notes books, parents, Playlist

Somewhere in the training or archives, someone mentioned using the analogy of a three legged stool to illustrate the roles we each have (teacher, parent and student) and the importance of each one doing their part. I find this to be very helpful and use…

• Last updated 12 years ago
• coach, roles, student, teacher, three legged stool