relationship
Weariness in Online Lessons
We’re now nearly three months into online lessons, and I’m sensing a growing weariness in some (not all) of my students. Anyone else experiencing the same thing? It’s normal for some of them to have a summer slump, but this feels different. What are some…
Ice-Breakers for New Groups
Any great ice-breaker ideas for piano lessons?!?!? I’ve been recommitting to group lessons this year and so I have several returning students who are coming together in new groups. While they all know me, they’ll be new to each other and I’d love to find…
New Question to Start Lesson
You know how you have a little small talk before the class begins…finding out how they are and how piano was that week? Well, this week I tried a little different angle. I asked “Did you make any musical discoveries this week”. The answers surprised…
Students Emotional at Lesson
I have found quite a few of my students are very emotional at lessons. When that happens, lessons are a bit of stressful for me sometimes. Do you have similar experience? My own children (now grown) never exhibited this sort of behaviors when they were…
Nervous at Lesson, Perfect at Home
I’m sensing my own impatience lately with some of my adult students! I also feel like I’ve been getting lots of “I’m nervous” and “it was perfect at home” from them. Maybe it’s just me… I’m not quite sure what’s going on. I’m just feeling…
Internal Motivation
Has anyone heard of school teachers saying children should use their own ‘internal motivation’ rather than pushing them to do something? We were discussing reward for completing tasks. Poor Mum is confused, I am telling her she needs to guide her children, manage their activities and…
Helping a student deal with disappointment
I have an ethical dilemma. I have had students try out for school talent shows and have had each one get chosen. One even went to state competition with a song he wrote. I know there is an elimination process for all of life’s events.…
Standing by studio policies in difficult situations
A family told me this past week that they are discontinuing, because their only remaining lesson mate recently decided to discontinue, and this family did not want to continue in a private situation. My policy is 30 days’ written notice, and they’d prepaid for this…
The power of the relationship conversation
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…