communication
Disclosing disability to students
A question for those teachers with a disability: do you disclose your disability on your website or at your FIS? I have fibromyalgia. Sometimes I forget words for things (memory fog), drop things, or fall into the piano (weak muscles). It doesn’t affect my ability…
Webinar Series: 11/29/2017 – Piano – How Unfulfilled Expectations Impact Your Studio & Your Results
In this webinar Neil talks about the design of upset, what that means specifically and how to manage, and more importantly, prevent upset from occurring. This includes developing an understanding of some underlying dynamics in your relationships with students and coaches with regard to expectations.…
Enrollment with over-committed families
Do any of you have an enrollment protocol to keep people who are over-committers from enrolling, or do you just let the turnover happen? At the FIS, I make it very clear that I require a parent to attend class — to see the value…
Parent correcting student during lesson
I have a “territory” parent situation I haven’t encountered before and would like to ask for some specific guidance on how to deal with this. The student is 8 and in a private lesson. She is lovely, eager to learn, and compliant from my perspective.…
Webinar Series: 10/24/2017 – Piano – Developing Strong Communication Skills
Neil discusses some the components of powerful communication in this webinar. Learn how you can ensure that your studio requirements are clearly understood and met by your students and coaches, thus maximizing your success as a teacher and your students’ success with their lessons. Topics…
Webinar Series: 09/12/2017 – Piano – Creating a Strong Alliance with Coaches
In this webinar we discuss the importance of a strong ‘3-legged-stool’ – an alignment among the teacher, student, and coach. Neil shares an analogy, The Five S’s, to help you visualize this concept and discover your influence as a teacher. Topics include: Introduction & Context…
Coaching parents through valleys
One of my students (11 years old) has been in a valley and I recognized at least one area where the mom could be more supportive. So I called the mother about the relationship conversation. After a fruitful 10-15 minute phone conversation, the mother told…
Non-compliant student
I have a student who comes with his grandmother as coach. She pays for his lessons, but he lives with mom and stepdad. Mom was coming as coach at first, but now it’s grandma. At first this worked fine, and he was making progress. Lately…
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…
Students leaving and using digital SHMs to continue
I’m after some advice as to what conversation to have with a student that is leaving to continue teaching himself online. The student is 9 years old and halfway through Level 2. His lesson is tomorrow and I want to have a response prepared to…