Studio Management
Tips for Online Lessons
Ideas that can help streamline Online lessons you use? When your student is playing and you need them to stop, instead of shouting, use a percussion instrument. This can be fun, incorporating music instrument, saving your voice and for the student to not feel they…
Online Group Lessons
Has anyone successfully taught shared lessons in an online setting? My husband suggested Google Hangouts. I’m using Zoom. You can log yourself in with two devices so you can have a face to face view as well as a keyboard view. I think it takes…
Grouping Shy Students
I have a very quiet, shy 15 year old (boy) and an extremely shy and quiet 11 year old girl who have private lessons back to back and am thinking of letting them have share lessons instead because they are at roughly the same song…
Resistance Writing Lyrics
One of my farthest-along students is pushing back on writing lyrics because she doesn’t want to sing. I assigned composition two weeks in a row–make up a song. Then I assigned to make up words for the song. Mom texted me today (their lesson is…
Charge Parent Who Wants to Learn
I had an inquiry from a lady today, she and her daughter both want to learn. I was wondering since I require parents to attend lessons anyway, should I charge only one private fee? Two shared lesson fees? I have a pair like that. I…
Emergency Cancellation
I am sad to say that my mother-in-law is very ill and may pass any day. I sent an email to my students and parents giving them a head’s up. So if/when I have to cancel lessons, they will be ready. Also I did it…
Student Resists Walking SDQ
One of my private adult students had agreed to start RR but when I did the first exercises with her (walking with SDQ’s) she told me she did not feel comfortable as she feels this is more suitable for children. I told her I have…
Practice and Retiring as Repertoire Grows
Two questions: 1) How do practice requirements change through the foundation levels? Level one is 15-20 minutes, but as their repertoire grows, it would seem they need more time to keep everything alive and also with the addition of multiple streams and songs getting more complicated. 2)…
Nervous at Lesson, Perfect at Home
I’m sensing my own impatience lately with some of my adult students! I also feel like I’ve been getting lots of “I’m nervous” and “it was perfect at home” from them. Maybe it’s just me… I’m not quite sure what’s going on. I’m just feeling…
Emergency Information
Teachers, do you have a system for emergencies? For example, I was thinking of having an “emergency card” in my studio with contact info for a trusted neighbor and my husband in case something happens to me during a lesson. Then I wondered if I…