At our local music teachers association meeting this morning we watched a webinar by Dr. Barbara Fast and Dr. Andrea McAlister on Overcoming the Brain’s Negativity Bias: Empowering Students Through Positive Engaging Language. From Dr. Fast’s segment, I especially appreciated the specific questions she suggested using during a piano lesson (some she gleaned from a […]
Teaching
Unlimited Repertoire All Year? Yes, Please!
After a quick glance in July, I mentioned Chris Owenby’s new Practice Habits Online Community. However, over the last week I’ve spent more time digging into all that is included in the membership and I’m even more excited about the prospect of utilizing this throughout the coming year! If you sign up for a Gold […]
Free Downloadable Rhythm Cards and Game Idea
One of my studio go-to’s for an easy, educational game for group classes is Team Rhythm Dictation. The students are split into two teams and are given a set of individual rhythmic note cards to use. (Click here to download a free set of individual note cards to use in your studio.) The barlines are […]
A Fun Simple Rhythm Game for Piano Lessons
In keeping with our rhythmic focus for this year’s practice incentive theme, Beat the Pirates!, I’m trying to come up with new ideas we can implement in the form of simple, fun activities incorporated into a few minutes at the beginning of each piano lesson. Our latest one proved to be a big hit! (This […]
Free Piano Masterclass with Robert Levin
One of the teachers in our local music teachers association alerted us to an initiative by Juilliard to live stream a series of masterclasses by various musicians. I am thoroughly enjoying watching the recorded masterclass with Robert Levin and appreciate his down-to-earth style coupled with incredible insight into the music of various composers and how […]
Rockin’ Around the Rhythm Clock – A Fun Game for Piano Lessons!
A pair of super cool light-up rhythm sticks that my husband brought home from a work conference and a Rhythm Clock game idea from Janice Tuck, of the Fun Music Company, inspired this week’s rhythm activity: Rockin’ Around the Rhythm Clock! I used the rhythm patterns emphasized in Piano Safari Level 1, notating a pattern […]
