Time Management
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…
New teacher feeling overwhelmed
I feel like I’m trying to climb Mt Everest with just a daypack. So much left to learn! I’ve got all the Foundation 1 songs, basic versions, and most of Foundation 2. I’m barely ahead of some of my students. Also trying to do the…
Lesson plan to incorporate all streams
Is there a lesson plan that incorporates not only the foundation levels but Comp & Improv, arrangements, accompaniment, rhythm/note reading, etc? I’m finding it very difficult to know how to cover everything in the right order at the right time since the various modules are…
How to plan workshops?
How do you teach the four workshop songs in only four sessions? Are they extra long sessions? If so, how do you structure it so it’s not too much for them to handle? Or, do you just teach as much as you can with no…
Encouragement for new teacher
I just finished my initial teacher training program, and I’ve started on Accompaniment 1 and Arrangements 1. So much more to learn! It’s great, and I’m overwhelmed. I have a 6-year-old student who has spent a month learning sentence 1 of Dreams, and a 13-year-old…
Pacing of teaching songs starting in Foundation 4
I’d like to hear people’s strategies for stretching out the teaching of Foundation songs starting in about Level 4 beyond the obvious tactic of taking 2-5 or so weeks to learn the entire songs. I’m accustomed to teaching songs at this level and beyond over…
Piano Summer Camp
Hi, I’m a Simply Music teacher for 1 1/2 years, and last summer I did not teach. I noticed how in September my students had forgotten their piano pieces. I was pleasantly surprised at how fast they could remember their play list (short one for sure,…
Pace of private vs. shared lesson students
Greetings – I have 30 students, of which 5 are private, for various reasons. I have heard and read repeatedly about the advantages of shared lessons, particularly the pace of progress – that shared lessons actually progress more quickly. I am finding that my private…
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…
How many streams per lesson?
I’m sure there’s variety in this, and I’d like to hear lots of perspectives. We teach so many different programs, or streams. How many different streams do you present in each lesson? (Side note, do you call them “streams” with your students?) I’m the sort…