At the end of each year I schedule the last week of lessons as a Year-End Evaluation day with each student and their parents. Prior to the evaluation I send a questionnaire home for the parents and students to fill out and I fill out an evaluation of each student that I discuss with them […]
Teaching
Survey Says…
Several weeks ago I started posting a weekly survey question on a white board outside my studio. At the end of each week I draw a paper from the jar with all the entries and the winner receives a prize. So far I’ve been letting the winner choose a piece of sheet music from my […]
Making A Difference in the World
Following is an article I wrote recently for our local association’s newsletter: With the touch of a button or the click of a mouse almost anyone anywhere in the world has access to a vast anthology of music. Indeed, we are subjected to the sounds of music whether we are walking through a store, eating […]
Music Piece Description Worksheet
Inspired by my “aha!” moment a few weeks ago and by the need for my students to be well-prepared for our Music Progressions (a curriculum for independent music teachers that was written by teachers in our state music teachers association) evaluation program, I created a Piece Description Worksheet. I separated the description areas according to […]
More Things You Love to Hear…
Six-year old Hayley played her piece for me with excellent implementation of the various dynamic markings. I was astounded, particularly because I knew that her parents had recently given away her piano in order to move and so she’s been practicing on a low-end keyboard until they get another piano. I asked her how she […]
Key Signature Chart
While trying to think of a way to help my students learn key signatures better, I thought of my elementary school days when our entire class daily chanted our phonics charts and multiplication table charts. Those sounds and facts were drilled into me and I will never forget them! It occurred to me that perhaps […]
