Tag: piano students

improving as a teacher, Practicing, Rhythm

Teaching Tip: Count Like a Musician!

Joy Morin

At the 2010 Michigan Music Teachers Assocation conference this weekend, our conference clinician Martha Hilley had some wise words for us that I thought I’d share here:

Always be a musician, even when you are counting aloud!

As she led us through some various exercises during one of the sessions, Martha Hilley encouraged us to use vocal inflection to show musical direction — even when it’s just simple rhythms or melodic lines.  And, of course, this tip applies to our students: encourage them to be musical counters too!

Here’s to trying to use more vocal inflection when I count aloud with my students this week, and hoping that my musical counting will rub off on their playing!  =)

Stay tuned – more summaries of the conference are on the way!

Photo Credit: Pink Sherbet Photography | CC 2.0

improving as a teacher

Go For the Sound

Joy Morin

Lately, I’ve been thinking about ways to keep students focused on the sound they are creating when they play and preventing them from becoming overly sight-oriented.  Being a good musician is so much more than accurately executing what is written in the score, after all.  Students should be learning to use their ears and listen to what sounds they are making too!

Here are somes thoughts I had for keeping focus on the sound during the piano lesson:
Continue reading “Go For the Sound” →

Music Theory, Printables, Worksheets

Just Added: Five-Finger Pattern (b’s) Review

Joy Morin

Just added to the page of free Printables:

Five-Finger Pattern Review (b’s) worksheet

This worksheet is intended as a review of all the major five-finger patterns (5FPs) with flats; however, using the “WWHW” pattern template, students can easily figure out any 5FPs that they might not already be familiar with.  This worksheet will help students become more familiar with the accidentals needed for each FFP and what each FFP looks like when played on the keyboard.

A worksheet such as this works well in group lessons, or as an extra theory assignment for the private lesson.

To download, visit the Printables > Worksheets page and scroll down the F’s for the “Five-Finger Pattern Review worksheet.”

This worksheet corresponds to previously posted Five-Finger Pattern Review worksheet for FFPs with #’s.

Early Childhood Music, Group Classes, improving as a teacher, Rhythm

Developing a Good Sense of Rhythm

Joy Morin

Developing a good sense of rhythm is one of the most challenging parts of being a piano teacher.  It’s not something that arrives overnight, and it’s something that must be maintained as the student advances to music with more advanced rhythms and time signatures.  It truly is something that must be developed.

I’d like to suggest that there are three components to having and developing what we so loosely refer to as a “good sense of rhythm”:

  1. A sense of beat. This means the ability to maintain a steady beat/pulse.  This is probably the most common and most basic problem that students encounter when it comes to rhythm issues in their piece.  The inability to maintain a steady beat/pulse is crucial for developing #’s 2 and 3 below.
  2. A sense of rhythm (i.e., note values).  This involves being able to accurately identify and execute the various note values within a variety of tempi.  Beginner students may struggle with placing eighth notes within a quarter note beat, while more advanced students may struggle with syncopated rhythms or playing 2 against 3.  It is nearly impossible to develop a sense of rhythm without first developing a sense of beat (#1 above). Continue reading “Developing a Good Sense of Rhythm” →
Performances

Leave It Behind and Just Play

Joy Morin

What happens when you have to give a performance but your mind is preoccupied with all sorts of crazy stuff going on in your life?

In working with a vocalist whom I accompany for this week, we had a conversation about the necessity of leaving life’s problems outside the performance hall.  Of course, it’s easier said than done!

Preoccupation and the Piano Lesson

The same kind of issue can arise in the piano lesson too.  Students sometimes come distracted to the lesson and have difficulty focusing on playing their pieces and learning what is being taught.

I’m not talking about when the student won’t sit still or is distracting by other objects in the room; I’m talking about when the student’s mind seems to be deeply preoccupied with other things.  It’s tough as piano teacher: we often don’t know what is going on in the student’s life at school or at home.   Continue reading “Leave It Behind and Just Play” →

Studio Business

Building Your Studio: What to Say on the Phone

Joy Morin

When potential students’ parents call, do you struggle with figuring out what to say on the phone?  What information are they looking for, anyway?  This post offers some ideas and suggestions.

First, offer basic information about your studio.

The idea is to give them some details about how you run your studio, without overwhelming them.  Some ideas:

  • How often and how long are lessons.
  • About other studio events: i.e., group lessons, the Spring Recital, the Christmas Party, the Summer Music Camp, etc.
  • About other perks of your studio: i.e., lending library, SAT testing, lab time, incentive programs, etc.
  • A little about yourself: how much you enjoy teaching, how long you’ve been teaching, what your teaching philosophy is (in a nutshell), or what your goals for your students are.
  • Cost of tuition (save for last whenever possible), and what forms of payment are acceptable.  Specify whether or not the cost of books and materials is included.

Offer Sources for Further Information

Once you’ve given them general information about your studio, you can then:

  • Direct them to your studio website.  There, they can perhaps find more studio information, your bio, pictures, audio files or videos, and forms/handouts such as your Studio Policies.
  • Offer references.  Talking to happy parents of current students is a great way to learn more about the studio.
  • Offer a free trial lesson/interview with no obligation.  This not only allows the parents/student the chance to meet you personally before making an obligation, but also allows you the chance to meet the student before officially accepting them into your studio.

Before hanging up, be sure to ask if they have any other questions.  And always thank them for calling, whether or not they sound interested in taking lessons with you or not.

Tip: If you are like me and get a little shy/nervous on the phone, try making yourself a little list to keep by the phone. =)

What kinds of things do you make a note of telling potential students/parents?

Photo Credit: tylerdurden1 | CC 2.0

Printables, Studio Business

Just Added: Student Achievements Record Printable

Joy Morin

Just added to the Printables > Studio Business page:

Student Achievements Record

This printable is designed for the teacher to keep records of each students’ achievements, including the completion of music books, the completion of notable pieces of repertoire, the performance of a piece for an audience, and other achievements.  Keeping such a record is helpful for the teacher to track and evaluate student progress and participation from year to year.

Suggested use: print a page for each student and keep the pages in alphabetical order in a 3-ring binder.

Enjoy!

Music Theory, Printables, Worksheets

Just Added: Scales & Primary Chords 4 (DbC#GbF#)

Joy Morin

Just added to the Printables > Worksheets page:

Scales & Primary Chords 4 (DbC#GbF#) Worksheet

This worksheet is a continuation of set of worksheets that practice writing out scales and primary chords on the staff (click here to view the first one which is for the keys C, G, D, and F, click here to view the second one which is for D, A, E, and Bb, or click here to view the third one which is for Bb, Eb, Ab, and B).

Ideally, this worksheet is designed for the intermediate+ student who is already familiar with the scales and primary chords for the keys of Db, C#, Gb, and F# major, and perhaps could use some review in writing them out on the staff.  However, this worksheet could also be used during a group lesson while introducing these ideas for the first time.

Terms/concepts covered in the worksheet:

  • An understanding of key signatures for Db, C#, Gb, and F# major.
  • Practice writing out scales.
  • Practice writing out primary chords.

To download, visit the Printables > Worksheets page and scroll down to the S’s for “Scales & Primary Chords worksheet.”

Music Theory, Printables, Worksheets

Just Added: Scales & Primary Chords 3 (BbEbAbB)

Joy Morin

Just added to the Printables > Worksheets page:

Scales & Primary Chords 3 (BbEbAbB) Worksheet

This worksheet is a continuation of set of worksheets that practice writing out scales and primary chords on the staff (click here to view the first one, which is for the keys C, G, D, and F, or click here to view the second one, which is for D, A, E, and Bb).

Ideally, this worksheet is designed for the intermediate+ student who is already familiar with the scales and primary chords for the keys of Bb, Eb, Ab, and B major, and perhaps could use some review in writing them out on the staff.  However, this worksheet could also be used during a group lesson while introducing these ideas for the first time.

Terms/concepts covered in the worksheet:

  • An understanding of key signatures for Bb, Eb, Ab, and B major.
  • Practice writing out scales.
  • Practice writing out primary chords.

To download, visit the Printables > Worksheets page and scroll down to the S’s for “Scales & Primary Chords worksheet.”

One more worksheet in this set is on the way!

Announcements, Practicing

Dealing with Frustration: Be Okay with Mistakes & Keep it Fun!

Joy Morin

At a piano lesson this week, I observed my student grow increasingly frustrated with herself whenever she made a mistake.  She would “growl” at herself and start back at the beginning of the phrase.

After observing this continue for a few moments, I decided to stop her and address the issue.

There were three reasons why I decided to address this issue:

  1. She was growing increasingly frustrated with herself.  And frustration doesn’t usually yield positive results.
  2. I could tell this was becoming a habitual response.  When she is practicing at home, she is obviously doing the same thing there.
  3. We were sight-reading.  She had never seen this piece before, and there was no reason that she should expect to play it perfectly upon first try.  She is only 7, and hasn’t had much experience with sight-reading yet anyway.

Continue reading “Dealing with Frustration: Be Okay with Mistakes & Keep it Fun!” →

Questions

The August Forum: How do you keep your students motivated?

Joy Morin

This month’s discussion topic:

How do you motivate your students?  How do you keep them coming back year after year? How do you keep them exciting about taking lessons?  How do you keep them practicing? What have you found works for your students?  Have some things worked better for some students, but not for others?

Please take a moment to contribute your thoughts and ideas!

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

Announcements, Games, Group Classes, Music Camps

Opening Piano Mini-Camp Activities

Joy Morin

Each day at our piano mini-camp, we opened the day with an opening activity that involved all 11 of the campers together before sending them off in their individual groups to their first class.

On the first day, the opening activity was to create name tags to wear.  My colleague found foam sheets that she cut to size and attached ribbon to.  Each student wrote their name with marker and decorated their name tag with stickers.  They turned out very cute!  And they are definitely more durable than cardstock paper.  (Mine is pictured on the right. Although I am married, I had the students address me as “Miss Joy” because it is easier to say.)

The second day, we played a rhythm name game to help the students learn each other’s names.  Here is the link to the game we played.  We found that it was a little bit complicated to be doing complicated body percussion while chanting, so I would recommend simply clapping or tapping one’s thighs to the beat.

On the final day, we made egg shakers which the students could decorate and take home.  We filled plastic easter eggs halfway with rice (or however much the student desired to create the sound they wanted) and taped them closed with colored electrical tape (strongly recommended over glue).  The students then added stickers.  My egg shaker is pictured at right.

I was able to incorporate the egg shakers into my Music Theory class during a dictation game so they could put them to good use!  More information about the activities we did in my Music Theory classes coming soon!