communication

What is your take on parents who say “We’re just going to try this for a year and see if it works”? Do you take on the student and think of it as an opportunity to impact the parents’ viewpoint since this is the way…

• Last updated 9 years ago
• commitment, communication, Laurie Richards, long-term relationship conversation, trying it out

I have quite a few higher level students leaving for different reasons. Some of them are very hard to teach. Somehow group lessons don’t hold well for me lately. Students keep telling me they are too busy to practice and many of them are not…

• Last updated 9 years ago
• attrition, communication, core conversations, Foundation 4 prep, Laurie Richards, losing students, retention, upper level students

Anyone have proven tips that work to get back on track when requirement-based has lapsed a bit? I have a few suggestions. With holidays and year-end coming up, you might make a plan and institute it at the beginning of 2017 as a fresh start.…

• Last updated 9 years ago
• communication, core conversations, Laurie Richards, mindset, Playlist, requirement based studio, teacher training

I did an Intro Session last night and I notice they seem to be a little long (an hour to an hour and a half). This may be due to discussing specifics of my policy, practicing, etc. Maybe most or all of this should wait…

• Last updated 9 years ago
• communication, FIS, foundation session, information session, intro session, Ode to Joy, policies, SIS, studio policies, testimonial video

I had a student tell me this evening that I’m not a very useful teacher because “I can learn everything I need from the videos”. However, I know this isn’t true, not only by the student’s progress, but by the speed at which I’m gaining…

• Last updated 8 years ago
• communication, learning from video, special programs, value of lessons, value of teachers

I’m needing a bit of encouragement here. I have an adult student who has learned a lot of songs and practices a lot but has claimed territory on a number of occasions. I have had “the talk” with her a few times (that if she…

• Last updated 9 years ago
• adult students, adults, claiming territory, communication, requirement-based, requirements

I got a call from a mom today. Her son (11 years old) is getting teased by his peers at school for not learning ‘real’ piano. I will spend time with him and his family to highlight the differences of the method architecture, explain the…

• Last updated 9 years ago
• communication, playing-based, SM vs traditional, traditional

Ideas for makeup policy? I’m considering doing a no makeup policy next fall but I see there being a lot of upset about that. I’m teaching an extra 3 to 4 hours a month just in makeups. I do one per quarter for illnesses or…

• Last updated 9 years ago
• communication, credits, Laurie Richards, lesson credits, make up lessons, makeup, makeup lessons, policies, Robin Keehn

I’d like some advice about my 7-year-old student who previously had about one year of lesson (traditional) in China and can already play some lovely classical pieces (reading). I explained why we do not read notes, and she and her parents accept this as far…

• Last updated 9 years ago
• accompaniment, chords, communication, diagrams, difficulty with diagrams, dosage, patterns, prior experience, teaching away from the piano

Something I’m continually learning as a teacher is to not shy away from having the relationship conversation. When a student walks in and says, “I am really in a valley”, my goal is to not freak out and worry that she is going to immediately…

• Last updated 9 years ago
• communication, empathy, encouragement, relationship, relationship conversation, valleys