The modern piano teacher’s blog
If you have read The Unfinished Lesson for awhile, you may have noticed that I write quite a bit about balancing priorities & creating a studio environment that works for the individual teacher. So, why am I so passionate about this topic?
This is my journey from stressed out teacher to successful studio owner!
There has been quite a lot of talk about policies in the music teaching feeds lately. While I don’t think ‘one size fits all’, I would argue that the majority of teachers want to be seen for the professionals that they are. How individual teachers & studios go about this is different which is what makes our studios unique.
Setting up a music lab as a traveling teacher has it’s challenges. But, there are ways to work around those challenges to offer something that other teachers are unable to offer!
I was SO excited once my sons began doing student-led conferences with us at school. Why? Because I saw how successful they could be when I was teaching in the school system. It’s also the reason that we do student-led conferences in my studio.
Maybe it’s my special needs teaching background. Maybe, it has to do with teaching at private schools. Or, maybe I just feel a deep desire to be organized (or at least feel like I’m mostly organized). Whatever the reason really is, each summer I make annual student growth plans. Why would I subject myself to…
Teaching preschoolers brings it owns joys & challenges. The hugs are a-mazing! And, the smiles are the best kind of infectious. But, there are certain behaviours that can leave teachers wondering what happened at the end of lesson. And, perhaps needing a big nap. We have twin boys & oh how I remember how exhausting…
As we get close to the end of June, it’s natural to have some students leaving the studio. Sometimes, it’s due to a move away from the area. Other times, priorities or financial situations have changed & lessons are no longer an option. And, other times … well, perhaps we are breathing a sigh of relief after a tough year with a particular family. (Though hopefully this last one is a rare occurrence.)
How can we say goodbye in a manner that leaves everyone positive?
I was really looking forward to attending the MusicEdConnect 2019 conference! From past experience I know the content will be great & the presenters approachable. My students also know (& lightly teased me) that next week I will be back in the studio with many ideas & an infectious excitement!
As I head into the new year, I have been looking back. Setting goals is a wonderful thing, but unless we have a clear vision they just become yet another thing on the to-do list.
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!