The modern piano teacher’s blog
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?
Sometimes families say goodbye. And, it isn’t necessarily because they don’t like your teaching. They just don’t know if or how their child is progressing because you aren’t sharing student success on a regular basis. So, they leave thinking that their child hasn’t learnt anything. But, WE know that isn’t true.
This was a week that reminded me how important is to work WITH parents, not against them. When things are just not going well with a student, one of the best things we can do is open up the lines of communication with a parent.
It’s the start of a new academic year in the studio and that means I’ve been working at building excitement for lessons that are starting just around the corner!
Whether your lessons have already begun or they are oh-so-close to starting, building excitement in those weeks up to AND after lessons have begun is crucial. Everyone is settling into a new routine and if something is exciting, it’s talked about. Which leads to more time spent on it!
For this month’s resource review, I decided to focus on a resource for parents. It is important to keep in mind our piano parents as we make decisions for our studio. How can we support and educate them to make piano lessons a positive experience for the whole family?
Read more for my review of an unexpected gem.
This is a time of year when many families have more than ever on their plates. Not only are all the regular extra-curricular events going on, but there are a multitude of additional activities families are expected to attend. One client put it perfectly. “We have everything scheduled and balanced just right. Then, December comes along & all the changes wreak havoc on the delicate balance we had going.” December is the month we seem to sprint to vacation.
With all of these additional student and family commitments that come up during December, is it any wonder that parents ask for makeup lessons? But, how do you handle these requests without overloading your own schedule?
Music Learning Theory (also known as MLT) is quickly becoming a buzz word in music education. But, what is it?
See how it looks in my studio and what types of clients LOVE this approach.
As the weather changes there are a few things that need to change for us as travel teachers. This is your guide to have the best fall ever in your studio!
The new IKEA catalogue came several weeks ago. While we don’t NEED new furniture right now, I like looking at how they set up the rooms for ideas of what we can do with our home. But, this time it was different.
What if we could drastically change the reading behaviour of our clients with a shift in perspective for our studio-client communications?