comp & improv
What to do with student who has completed Level 18
What do you do once a student completes level 18? I have one who is closing in on that milestone and it’s both exciting and terrifying! We still have lots we can do in Jazz, Blues Improv, and Accompaniment, but what do you source for…
Stressed teenaged student
My sensitive teen cried last night at class and I know she has been struggling but her dad tells me she absolutely loves her lessons and playing piano. Here’s the problem, she will only work on songs she loves, only do the things she wants…
Accompaniment 1 – “Whisper”
Question from the accompaniment program: Starting with the major 7th chords, there are parts of three songs that the teacher videos refer to as worksheets. “Danny Boy” and “On My Way Back” are already introduced in the accompaniment program so it’s easy to transfer to…
Starting Tune Toolkit
Would you recommend starting Tune Toolkit 1 with these students? Brother/sister, identified gifted ages 11 and 12. Both had traditional lessons prior, and are very switched on. They seem to enjoy composing, and have used arrangement ideas to create pieces. Yet I’m at a point…
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…
Spending an entire class on Comp & Improv
Comp & Improv idea: Have you considered spending an entire class just exploring improvisation? This could play out in many different ways. I think it’s beneficial, especially for those students who are afraid of C&I and stop trying as soon as something doesn’t sound ‘good’.…
Overwhelmed with All These Streams
How do you guys do this? I spend HOURS and HOURS learning these different streams, and planning them into lessons. I’m just about to start learning Foundation 5 (I have two students right on my tail) and I can now see how wrong I’ve been…
Students moving ahead on videos
In response to: “… How do I deal with students who continually move ahead on the videos, even though I have told them not to?…” Students deciding to move ahead on the videos is a problem, and in the long run it sabotages their progress.…
Improvisation as a Calming Tool
Recently at a friend’s place my daughter Niluka, came crying to me holding one hand in the other. A young girl, about six years old, had dropped the piano lid on Niluka’s fingers while she was playing the piano for a few others in the…