Balance for your life … Creativity for your studio.
Look at your repertoire bookcases. How did you choose the books that were placed there? Hopefully, your shelves are filled with great teaching repertoire that your students love. I’ve been sucked in by marketing (hello, “Peanuts Activity Book”) or purchasing a book because “my student already has this so I should buy it”. And, I…
How do you know your student is ready for harder repertoire? When you teach exclusively from one method book, the answer is easy. They completed the book. When you pull options from many books (including ones that do not belong to a method book series) this line becomes a little more grey. This was one…
As much as we love the work we do, it’s important to take a break. May your home be filled with music, laughter and love this holiday season. From The Unfinished Lesson, wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas!
If you are looking for a last minute idea for group or private lessons, making a Christmas ornament might be a great option for your studio!
Do you ever get the sense that your studio repertoire is taking over the bookshelves? You know the song you’re looking for is there. But, is it on this shelf? Or, perhaps in this area? Knowing how to organize your studio repertoire is crucial in managing time in lessons & minimizing prep time. When I…
Gone are the days when we could keep our information in file cabinets & bookshelves. In today’s studio, we need digital information that can be accessed immediately. Today’s students & their parents are used to finding information with a quick search online. As a studio owner, if you have to search your shelves or file…
A curriculum plan gives guidance to your teaching. But, when you individualize programming that is when the magic happens in your studio. This is when students & parents rave about how your studio fits them exactly. And, when students feel like they have a part in their piano lessons.
One of the hardest parts of being an independent instrument teacher is creating a curriculum plan. When you know what to teach, it is so easier to guide students throughout the year so they make consistent progress. Unlike teaching in a school system, there is no governing board that determines what you will teach each…
Does the idea of giving up control in your studio make you nervous? Giving students choice, with boundaries, doesn’t have to be hard. It means they play the music they love while you teach what needs to be taught. While it may seem like an all or nothing situation, giving students choice in your studio…
We have all heard the argument for more practice during the week. But, how much of the lack of practice is related to a lack of engagement with the music? What happens when you give students choice in repertoire … all the time? One year, I decided to test this out in my studio. What…