expectations
Parent Participation Videoconference
Hi Teachers, here is a conversation I had with a few Simply Music Teachers about: parent participation in class, setting up the expectations & agreements, how to help a child when his/her parents are not in attendance (but a grandparent is), do teens need a…
High Functioning Aspergers Student
I may have written once already about this but here I am again. I have a student diagnosed as “high functioning Asperger’s” and I have to say that after 3 fairly ordinary lessons with him, what I see is a really bright boy who has…
General Open Stage Questions
In response to some questions I have read, here are my replies. “…I’m assuming that I should do a brief description of the program at the beginning to introduce Simply Music..not sure how long, how much?…” I think it’s valuable to talk about SM, at…
Outside Music from School
I have a class of 5 middle-schoolers who love music, and are trying to do every musical activity available to them. They are in Level 3. A couple of them are in the school band (actually an orchestra), and a couple of them are joining…
Practice Expectations
A LOT has been said about this topic both in the SM teacher body and the greater global teacher community. I’d be interested in a more pointed discussion about possible alternatives to how teachers current converse about practice expectations. While Simply Music has gone to…
Questioning Intervallic Reading
Reading Notes – I have a couple of students currently, one senior and one middle school age, who seem to struggle with grasping the intervallic note reading process. Sometimes I wonder if it would be easier for certain students to learn note reading the old-fashioned…
Learning to Play By Ear
A parent asked me tonight “when will my daughter be able to hear a song, and just know how to play it with all the chords and in the right key?” I was unsure how to answer this, so of course I told the truth,…
Webinar Series: 02/15/2019 – Gateway – Skills & Mindset of a Successful Gateway Teacher
Teaching students with profound special needs is a different experience than teaching typical students. Karen discusses this in relation to goals and expectations, your own confidence, and dealing with parents’ expectations. Topics include: Introduction (00:05) Teacher Temperament (04:18) Readiness to Progress (10:11) Visually Impaired Students…
Playlist: Parent’s unmet expectations
The parent of a student I’ve had for three years told me that her daughter needs review because she only plays the current songs on her playlist (Level 6). The student’s father travels for months at a time and comes home with expectations to hear…
Webinar Series: 08/10/2017 – Piano – Long-Term Relationship Conversation
In this webinar Neil talks about the Long-Term Relationship Conversation and its importance in and out of the class room. Topics include: Critical Nature of the Long-Term Relationship Conversation (00:00) “Something’s Wrong” Mindset (03:00) The Design of Upset (05:45) Parents/Coaches Who “Don’t Get It” (13:34)…