Studio Management
Parents Opposed to Shared Lessons
Today I received an email from the parent of a student who has had approximately 54 lessons & is about to enter Level 4. I love the student & the family, but the parents have, from the beginning, been trying to claim territory. I’ve unwisely,…
Parent Wanting Extra Practice
I received the following note about a student of mine. She’s been taking 12 lessons and has just started Level 2 and we’ve done about every arrangement. She comes back every week 100% prepared. I think she’s come back one time in the 12 lessons…
Objections to Keypads & Shared Lessons
During the Q&A section of a recent FIS, I was asked how lessons are conducted in groups with only one piano? I explained how we first process the information by getting the patterns into our hands on the keypad, and then taking turns at the…
Student Retention & Parental Involvement
I’m noticing that when the parents are learning the materials at the same time, as partners or on their own, it seems to naturally support the parent / child relationship that we want. I think it has additional benefits as it leads to possible duets…
Parents Who Don’t Participate
In both my shared lessons and private lessons (child student) the parents are present and usually sit and watch. However, this week one mother brought her lap top to use during the class and in another class the parents knew each other and carried on…
Parent Involvement
I’m a new teacher (third week of lessons) . What are some effective ways you have found to engage parents in the lessons. I have them watch, occasionally try patterns on the piano, sing with us and put patterns on their children’s fingers, but I…
Life Coach/Method Coach Help
Here is a handout which has been effective in reinforcing the Life Coach’s role and the Method Coach’s role in your studio. Feel free to revise and use away! Back to Basics Week – Questionnaire for the Life Coaches When do I practice Monday through Friday?…
Involving Coaches in Lessons
I had a conversation recently about involving coaches in the lessons and giving them instructions for what to do at home. I have a great handout that I will find and share in a follow-up email, but we are wondering how YOU engage coaches. I…
Ideas for Involving Parents
What are ways you involve parents to keep them active in the lesson? Sometimes I have a quiz where I ask questions and keep a tally of the score on the whiteboard. I did this last week with a private student (she started in a…
How Much Parental Support Is Really Needed?
The following is a series of responses to a question that, in one way or another, comes up for us all. I have included some different perspectives, all from different teachers, so that you can get a sense of how challenging it can be to…