The student in this video is very bright, and quick to catch on to new concepts, however she struggled in the beginning with technique. She naturally played with a lot of tension which we have been working to alleviate. The Lion Paw exercise from Piano Safari is perfect for working on this issue. It…
Teaching technique
The Ultimate Compendium of Buddy Piano Lesson Activities
A buddy piano lesson is what I call it when two students’ lesson times overlap in the middle, so that they get some time one on one, and some time together. The specific durations of each segment are up to each teacher. In my studio I give two options: 40 minute buddy lessons: 20 minutes…
CKQC009: Developing finger dexterity with piano preschoolers
I love the finger warmups included as part of the Wunderkeys program. These little rhymes and actions are so fun, and a fantastic way to develop finger dexterity. I work with a lot of 3-5 year old beginners. This is a very different thing from teaching older students in so many ways – and one of…
CKQC008: Employing a Cuddly Piano Technique Assistant
In this teaching clip, you’re going to meet Steve the Stickler. Steve is a miniature lobster beanie baby (I believe I got him in a McDonald’s happy meal way back in the day!) and he helps out in my studio with all things piano technique and posture. I was inspired by Tim Topham’s ladybug Linda…
The Best Technique and Sight Reading Resources for Piano Teachers
Technique and sight reading are two of the most essential skills that we need to pass on to our piano students. I’m constantly in search of new methods, resources and ideas to teach these key concepts. In this post, I’m sharing my favourite technique and sight reading resources for piano teachers. From all the things I’ve tried…
The Secret of Motivation for Scales (and other “boring” tasks) in my Piano Studio
Do you struggle to keep up your students’ motivation for scales, technique or theory? Well, I’ve got a little secret to share with you, so lean in close. You need a challenge board. My challenge board is my magic pixie dust. It’s what keeps my students striving for better, even with the “boring” stuff that…
CKQC004: Teaching piano by rote and pattern
This video is the fourth in the series: Colourful Keys Quick Clips. You can catch all the quick clips published so far by clicking here. This rote piece from Piano Safari is always a hit with students and makes a fantastic first recital piece too. My student absolutely FLYING through this, many students would just…
CKQC003: Hand tapping as a rote teaching aid
This video is the third in the video series: Colourful Keys Quick Clips. You can catch all the quick clips published so far by clicking here. When you’re teaching pattern pieces you sometimes need to employ a rote teaching aid to help you on your way. Anything you can do to make the learning easier…
CKQC001: Using a whale analogy to fix piano technique
Welcome to the first ever Colourful Keys Quick Clip. In these videos you’ll be getting a peek inside my teaching studio at my own teaching. I’ll be sharing these short excerpts from my lessons every Thursday, mostly centred around my rote teaching, improvisation and teaching with games. It’s not easy sharing your “live” teaching with…
Lessons Learned from NCKP 2017 Part 5: Beautiful Music
I know, I know. You went to a piano conference and you heard beautiful music? Isn’t that painfully expected? What I’m talking about here is not the music I heard, but the focus of each of the teachers. No matter what they were teaching – five finger pieces or Gershwin – they were each focussed on…
