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Laurie Richards, Nebraska

I’m seeing the effects of not staying on top of some things.

One thing I have decided to do this year is to weave more conversations about the learning tools into my lessons, rather than just demonstrating them. My students need a better understanding of WHY I ask them to Control the Events, etc. Neil’s analogy of the dark pencil line will be brought up a lot in my studio (it’s on the Time for Music training video after ‘Each Their Own’ – this is a really great training section to review).

Another area I am determined to improve in is holding my ground on how I conduct my classes. For example, just this past week I held a Foundation Session, and I had a grandma (there with her grandson) who was impatient with the lesson – she just wanted to get on with learning on the piano, not listen to me talk. I allowed myself to be affected by her, and I rushed through the Foundation Session so I could get them started on the basics. After that lesson, I decided I will claim my territory in future Foundation Sessions. Part of that is being in a stronger position of knowing and believing in the importance of the Foundation Session. I will also be visiting the Relationship Conversation regularly with all my students – something I just started doing.

All of these psychological issues have such a huge impact on our students’ experience, don’t they?!

Hilary C., Australia

I have decided the Relationship Graph is so important that I laminate it for each student – that way it stays easy to read and doesn’t get lost in the books and scrunched up. And is easily available to revisit.

I have found it immensely valuable – one parent immediately said – “that’s like life” – and I think it helps students to know that everyone without exception, no matter what they do or who they are, have times when they don’t feel like doing what they decided to do, but work through the downs to get the desired results and get them to their goals. The old “no pain, no gain” thing.

I talk about parents doing the housework even if they don’t feel like it because they want a great home; or them having to go to work when there are more interesting things to do – sports coaching – or whatever is relevant to that family. I draw analogies all over the place. I also think that not too many parents let their children in on this oh so important little secret.