Planning lessons can take up a lot of time. When I first began teaching, I was told to budget an hour for each hour I taught. Thankfully, there are tools that have taken that planning time to a much more reasonable & sustainable level.
One of my biggest successes from last year was the addition of a travel music lab. My students who were in lab had a lot of fun & learnt so much at the same time.
We have chosen a rewarding, but challenging profession. How does having a support system in place alleviate the negative, celebrate the good & help us be the best teachers & business owners possible?
Sometimes, we get an ache or a pain that just doesn't seem to go away ... or recurs on a regular basis. Part of it can be due to the office work. Sitting in front of a screen doesn't promote great habits. Part of it can be due to how we play the piano. Part of it might be those heels that we love (or at least I used to). And, I think my dad may be right that the older we get the more our injuries from when we were young & invincible come back to haunt us. This is my review on a resource to help alleviate those everyday aches & pains.
Over the summer, I like to make a list of tasks that I want to accomplish before the rush of a new school year starts. While I like to relax as much as the next person, there is something about extended periods of doing nothing that just doesn't work for me. Rather than making a big list (like I usually do), this year I thought I would focus on big-picture goals or ideas that I could easily get into ... once the euphoria of lazing on the deck wears off. Here are the resources that will help me reach those big picture goals!
I LOVE checklists, to-do lists, call-it-what-you-want lists. But, what I don't like is all the small slips of paper or post-its hanging out on my desk. Or, having to choose my purse size based on whether my to-do notebook fits inside with everything else. I know that Google Keep has changed the way that I handle my to-do list substantially. This is my review of the app & how it can improve your productivity!
Okay! Last lessons have been taught, recital is over, and schedule is done (or, as close to done as it will be)! What's next? A little bit of time to recharge and then ... well that's up to you. Over the summer, my brain is ready to absorb new information and reading gives me ideas of how I want to approach things for the new year! Here is my top list of books and articles that have either inspired me, taught me something new, or just make the list based purely on awesomeness!
Making the most of piano lessons
Do you LOVE music? You've come to the right place.
Helpful Resources for today's music teacher
Helpful Resources For Today's Music Teacher
inspiring creativity in music education
Be a Better Teacher. Live a Meaningful Life.
Frances Wilson blogs on pianism, classical music and culture
How To Overcome Stage Fright & Performance Anxiety
