Studio Management
Managing coaches / lesson time management
I have a situation I’m not sure what to do with. Maybe some more experienced teachers have some advice? Two little girls recently started lessons with me in a group, each with the grandmother as the life coach. Neither lives with grandmother. One student’s mom…
Starting first group
I’m starting a group of siblings this week, ages 10, 11, and 13. They transferred from another teacher, currently in Level 3 and this is my first group. I’m looking for suggestions for extra projects for the oldest one while maintaining the program for the…
Combining private students into a group
I am considering putting two (currently private) adult students into one small group of two. They are at the same level (almost finished F1) and progressing at around the same rate but have very different strengths. One loves to improvise but also tends to rush…
Biweekly (fortnightly) lessons
I would love some advice. I have had conversations with a mother of two girls that I teach. The eldest girl has just started Foundation 5, half way through the reading program and is in an accelerated music program at school. The youngest has just…
Webinar Series: 06/13/2017 – Piano – Fitting in All the Streams
In this webinar Neil talks about structuring lessons to include all required components of the Core Curriculum. Topics include: Importance of Following the Core Curriculum (00:08) Methodological or Behavioral Basis? (04:45) Circle-in-Square Concept (07:57) Timing of Streams (11:25) Introducing Comp & Improv, Arrangements and Accompaniment…
First piano party
I’m planning my first piano party. Where can I find training or info on what to do? What do I need to consider in finding a location, planning, publicity, everything? We have small informal recitals at senior homes. You could do that and just have…
Jackson Blues LH
I have a class of students who have had 5 lessons. Today we were reviewing Jackson Blues and I was demonstrating something. One student stopped me and asked a question I’ve never been asked before. She said “Do your middle 3 fingers (left hand) give…
Having difficult conversations
I’m having trouble with a boy aged 7 years who hasn’t been following the rules (mum isn’t helping as she always asks his permission for everything!). Today I told him I wanted to help him but I couldn’t if he wouldn’t listen to me and…
Avoiding teacher overwhelm for introverts
For introverts: how do you avoid feeling overwhelmed by all the time with people? Shared lessons are much more fun for me than private. But they are also draining, especially if I have too many in a row. It makes me want to get away…
Merging private students into groups
What do you do when you are down to one student from a group and there is no suitable group that works for that student? And you know that although they want to continue, they will quit because of the higher private rate and a…