It’s hard to believe that the spring semester of lessons is coming to a close. One of the most helpful things I ever started doing was scheduling Year-End Evaluations at the last lesson of the spring semester. Last week I sent home Student and Parent Questionnaires with each of my students. Next week, parents will […]
Teaching
Remembering Jed…
Seven years ago today, I penned the most difficult studio newsletter of my life. The afternoon before, one of my wonderful piano students was tragically killed in a car accident. I still think of him often and remember the tremendous legacy that Jed left behind, even at the young age of 12. Here are a […]
Monday Mailbag – Free Scale Chart and Tips for Making Your Own Progress Charts!
I am searching everywhere for a template for individual progress charts and a master to keep in the studio so all my students can see how everyone stands up. Any ideas? Probably one of the most valuable skills I have learned on the computer is how to use tables to create forms and worksheets of […]
10 Ways to Avoid Plateauing
Professional film and visual media composer Benjamin Botkin recently posted an insightful list of 10 Ways to Avoid Plateauing. Even though he writes as a composer to other composers (or aspiring composers), his thoughts are equally relevant for all musicians. I love the way he defines a plateau, “reach[ing] a position in your skill where […]
Piano Students in the Real World
Last December I posted about Students Performing Without Teacher Knowledge. As I mentioned then, I whole-heartedly believe in the importance of letting students use their musical skills in lots of various outlets. My students usually fill me in on events and opportunities before they happen, but either way, I think it’s great for them to […]
Monday Mailbag – Starting a Beginning Student Without a Method Book
I hear about a lot of instrumental teachers just opening the method book and getting right down to the nitty-gritty, if you will, but I’ve begun to think about what might happen if a piano teacher began a bit like a general music teacher would begin; with singing simple songs with students, having them echo […]
