This information was just sent out to those on the email list for the Piano Teacher Institute with Joy Morin. I’m blogging it here as well, just for your interest!
Greetings!
A year ago, I began writing the coursework for my online course, Introduction to Piano Teaching. I’ve now offered the course three times: Summer 2014, Fall 2014, and Winter 2015. I can’t tell you how much I’ve enjoyed designing the course and interacting with the teachers who have enrolled each time! I believe this course fills an important need for teachers who have a desire to increase or refresh their current knowledge to gain further education in piano pedagogy, i.e., the art of teaching piano.
I’m preparing to offer two more sessions this year, so I asked the most recent registrants if they would be willing to write testimonials to help others decide if my online course is right for them. Here is what they had to say:
“This course was excellent! For several months, I had been looking for some kind of training for piano teachers. There are many university level, longer term programs available, but I needed something I could do from home. This course was exactly what I needed. I am a new teacher, and this course really helped steer my efforts toward the most important things that I should be focusing on–including the business side of teaching and the actual teaching. Ms. Morin was prompt about both responding to my questions and leaving feedback for my assignments. I also appreciated being able to interact with the other members of the class. Their ideas and experience were wonderful! I feel I am more organized and have clearer direction as a teacher because of this course.”
— Michelle Marchant, piano teacher in Utah
I HIGHLY (*****) recommend Piano Teacher Institute by Joy Morin. This class was fantastic for me! My formal education came many years ago and I have taught many students over the years. But with a relocation of my studio to another state, I felt it was a great time to update my piano pedagogy skills and to enroll in the course. Ms. Morin did an EXCELLENT job with the design of the course as well as conducting the one hour weekly chat sessions with the other enrolled students. … She is a very professional instructor but at the same time is very personal and insightful in helping each student in their piano teaching journey. The materials from the course will be an excellent resource for future usage. If you are looking for a great piano teacher class, I would encourage you to enroll in Piano Teacher Institute.
— Phyllis Bowers, piano teacher in Alabama
Dear Joy, Observing the way you take such pride in your role as an educator has made a huge impact on me. You have truly helped me to look at what I do in a dramatically different way. You have helped me to treat my job more like a career. The changes I have made in my business approach have been exciting, but I’m even more enthusiastic about the way I FEEL about the piano. Watching you love music has helped me rekindle my love of the piano! I’m playing again and actually enjoying it! Thank you for being a great mentor and for being a new friend!
—Susan Honey, teacher in North Carolina
You can read the rest of the testimonials here. Introduction to Piano Teaching is an intensive course that lasts for six weeks, with each week dedicated to a certain topic (business topics, piano methods, technique, etc.). The ideal registrant is an individual with a passion for learning, a dedication to teaching, and the time and energy to spend 10-15 hours each week reading and completing the assignments.
Here are the dates for the two upcoming sessions:
- Summer 2015: May 25 through July 12. (I’ve allowed seven weeks instead of the usual six, to help both you and I accommodate any summer travel plans.)
- Fall 2015: August 25 through October 4.
Registration for the Summer 2015 session will open at 9AM EST on Tuesday, May 5 and will appear on this page of the website. Registration will automatically close after the first 10 teachers have registered. Last time, registration filled within two hours — so if you are interested in taking the course, I recommend that you mark your calendar!
Read more about the course or sign up for the email list (I promise to send no more than 10 email updates each year) on the website here. If you still have questions, please feel free to send me a message.
Have you seen the latest issue of 
Since 
I am not usually a person to make New Year’s resolutions, but for me the New Year is definitely a time of reflection on the past year and future.
Classroom music educators are taught and encouraged to be music advocates, especially when music programs are in danger of being cut due to budget restraints. Regardless of your stance on the inclusion of music education in public schools, Independent Music Teachers are certainly advocates of music in general, and perhaps also for the rest of the arts.