Shared Lessons
Managing the re-entry to lessons after summer
Greetings – School begins today in Canada, and so lessons are resuming after summer break. I anticipate some regression after the summer as not all families were able to come for a few lessons as suggested, and so I welcome any ideas re: how to…
Larger Groups
I have been teaching SM for almost 6 years now in a small studio space that would only accommodate a total of 8 people: 4 students with parents. Because of the large number of inquiries I’m receiving, and a growing waiting list, and having no…
Reading projects in the Development levels
I am about to start teaching level 10 to a group for the first time. (I taught up through level 10 in a private lesson to an adult woman who already had piano experience, so this was a completely different experience.) I am curious how…
Group Lessons
Hi, fellow teachers! We have about 50 students and expect to have around 80 at the end of the year. We think that we need to consolidate our private lessons and small groups to free slots for new students. We’ve drawn up some preliminary plans…
Chat – Things That Work
Kerry H (USA) Hi Everyone! I thought what I’d do tonight, instead of it being a session where you guys ask lots of questions, that I just talk about a few things. If there’s anything that’s unclear as I go along, please feel free to…
Practice Pads and Controlling the Events
I’m in my second month of teaching Simply Music, and I have groups of mostly 3-6 kids. I have four practice pads that I got laminated but not mounted. Initially I tried using the practice pads, but I found it frustrating, especially with the younger…
Controlling The Events Hands Together
Knowing the paramount importance of controlling the events when getting hands together for the first time in a piece how does one handle this in a group? Would it be adequate enough to do a demo with one student at the piano and then get…
Fragmenting and Level 4
OK, I know I had this same issue on Greensleeves in Level 3. And, I’ll be the first to say that it has become one of mine and my students favorites, and did come easy once it was learned. The LEARNING is what is killing…
Training Students To Use the SHM Videos
I have a tablet in my studio as a tool to help me deal with excuses/struggles that students sometimes come back with in regards to their homework being incomplete. When a student comes to lessons, and I ask them to play their home work, and…
Adjusting Playing—Group Dynamics
From time to time I’ll run across a student who is just plunking out notes on the piano without a care to the ear. At that point, I’ll take out my audio recorder and say “Now, let’s listen to what you just played.” Very often,…