Does this story sound familiar? A student is struggling with technique, they’re clearly not practising enough and for some reason, they keep getting lost looking for middle C…months into lessons! You try everything. You play games, you colour code, you connect what they’re doing to their favourite TV series and, nothing. Then you see a…
Teaching technique
First Year Goals for a Preschool Piano Student
Many teachers are starting to take on their first preschool piano students. Some are successful, some aren’t, and most just don’t know if they are! What counts as good progress when we’re teaching 3-5 year old piano students? It’s important to get our own goals right so that we can feel good about our students’…
CKQC023: Beginner piano technique with zebra taps and lion paws
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…
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…
