Last week, we had a Forum Q&A discussion about health insurance for self-employed individuals (such as piano teachers). It has been great to hear all of your feedback about this important issue, and I have found it helpful with my research! I have a new question for you today. Your responses will be helpful when [...]
I love being able to print out rhythm cards for my students to practice at home. I can give them just a few cards to start, and add more advanced rhythms and time signatures as needed. My students store their cards in a zipper bag and bring them to their lessons each week. At first, [...]
My “piano party” group lesson this month was a lot of fun. We began with the Rhythm Name game — always a favorite. :) The Rhythm Name game is described in this post. Next, I played a variety of short classical pieces and asked students to aurally identify the piece as AB form or ABA. [...]
At last Saturday’s Piano Party with my students, we played a fun game that I call the Swat-A-Rhythm game. I have seen many variations of this game on various forums and websites, so I am not sure who to credit with the original idea. In any case, I will describe the way I played this [...]
Today, I’m sharing a simple but useful freebie: I call it the Piano Keyboard Printable. I love using my wooden/foam silent keyboards during group classes (both Piano Readiness or Homeschool Music Classes) and for theory worksheets/activities at my Piano Parties — but sometimes I just want paper, so I designed this printable. I printed and laminated [...]
Last Saturday was another monthly Piano Party day for my students! As we waited for everyone to arrive, the students competed two worksheets: a lines vs. spaces worksheet from Fun & Learn Music, and an intervals worksheet from my Printables page. I always have students go around the room to introduce themselves, just in case [...]
This has got to be one of the most-used DIY projects I’ve ever made! Music whiteboards cost a pretty penny in music catalogues, so I decided to make my own. I bought this 8.5×11” frame from IKEA for under $3. I chose one that had plexiglass instead of glass, so that I won’t have to [...]
Last Saturday, I held another Piano Party for my students! These group classes are so much fun. My students really look forward to them! We started out with what I call the Rhythm Name game — it’s one of my favorites. Students should be seated in a circle. Each student must create a short rhythm that [...]
Last Saturday, I held another Piano Party for my students. I had record attendance: 14 students! Here’s a run-down of what we did: We introduced ourselves, and shared our favorite Christmas present this year. Christmas Recital and Name-That Tune game. Yes, I know Christmas is over! Because of how busy December often can be, I [...]
I’m back! I took a long blogging break over the holidays, but I’m super excited to be back and I have lots of things to share in the upcoming weeks! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Years’. Today, I am excited to share with you about a fun game I came [...]
A week from last Saturday, I held another piano party with my students. Unfortunately, I neglected to take photos AGAIN, despite the fact that my camera was ready within reach. Bummer! :) Here is a list of the activities we did during our hour-and-a-half together: Music Jenga (as students arrive) BANG rhythm game - as I [...]
On Pinterest, I saw an idea for a sight-word game called BANG, and decided I could make a musical version. I tried it out with my students at our Piano Party last Saturday, and it was a hit. The BANG! cards add an element of fun to an otherwise ordinary flashcard drill.
Joy is a pianist and teacher in Ohio with great passion for helping students experience the wonders of music making!
