Teaching is about relationships. That’s doubly true for one-on-one piano teaching. So how can you create the rapport with your piano students that you need to have a great relationship? Follow these very simple rules and you’re sure to have better rapport with your piano students. Relationship building honestly doesn’t have to be difficult, it’s…
Practice & Performance
Effective piano practice is one of my passions as a piano teacher. Make the most out of your students' practice time with these freebies, ideas and insights.
Send your students on a practice quest this summer break!
If you don’t teach lessons or have a lighter schedule in the summer months then you’ll be familiar with this annual quandary: how do I keep my students practising during the break? My favourite way to tackle this issue is to send my students on a practice quest. The quest is a list of fun…
CKQC035: ‘William Tell Overture’ with the ‘Super Metronome Groovebox’ iPad app
Drumming apps and backing tracks are like metronomes…with added pixie dust. Super Metronome Groovebox is one of my favourite apps for bringing a drummer into your piano lessons. If kids have spent any time at all listening to the radio, drumming just makes sense to them. They feel it. They get it. This arrangement of…
Golden Rules of a Great Piano Studio Website
How do you feel about your piano studio website? Is it excellent, or only ok? Do you keep telling yourself you’ll spruce it up one day? In this internet-centric world, Google is the first port of call for most people. We go there when we want to find a new hairdresser, doctor or brand of washing…
CKQC033: Rhythm Activities for Preschoolers with Vocalisations and Drumming
Rhythm is foundational to everything else. It’s my number one priority for all new students, especially preschoolers. Young beginners might take a while to develop finger dexterity and might not be the quickest to catch on to reading, but with appropriate rhythm activities for preschoolers their rhythm can be rock solid. You’ll notice we…
Rethinking Piano Exams Part 2: The Three Month Piano Exam Preparation Process
How long does the piano exam preparation process take in your studio? From start to finish – how long do your students spend working towards an exam? For many years, my students would spend 6 or up to 9 (!) months working on exam repertoire and scale requirements. I would tell myself that we would…
Rethinking Piano Exams Part 1: Reconsidering Readiness for Piano Exams
There are many factors in how teachers assess readiness for piano exams. But one of the biggest ones has no place in the process, and that’s pressure from parents, students or ourselves. So let’s give this question a fresh look. When is a student ready for a piano exam? Is it when we know they’re capable…
CKQC031: Step & skip race on the floor staff
If you have a floor staff, you have to try this game with your beginner piano students. Steps and skips is one of those beginning concepts that if not understood, comes back to bite later down the track. If students don’t get directionality and intervals at this basic level – at some point their reading is…
CKQC028: Beginner note value work with ‘Star Seekers’
As you may already know, I love teaching piano through games. I believe when students are having fun, they’re more engaged. And when they’re more engaged, they’re learning more thoroughly. The game in this quick clip is called Star Seekers. This is one of my many games for note value work with beginners. In Star…
Piano Parent Reports: What, When, Why and How
Do you wish your students’ parents were more involved in your studio? Piano parent reports might be the answer you’re looking for. Piano parent reports can keep everyone in your studio up-to-date on the progress, expectations and how they can help their children succeed at the piano. But you have to find the right system…
