Tag Archives: Education

Understanding Teacher Feedback in Piano Lessons

Parents feel thrilled when their children spend time at the piano daily, yet often, something isn’t going well. They expect glowing feedback from their child’s piano teacher and get lukewarm.

The teacher comments on small achievements, but also on a surprising level of stuff their children haven’t learned. It’s confusing for both parents and students because one would think that just spending time at the piano is enough.

So here’s a guide to help you assess the quality of your child’s daily piano practise.

Why Kids Need Parent Involvement in Piano Learning

A piano parent once commented that I’m very unlike their child’s earlier piano teacher because I interact quite often with parents.

This student enrolled in piano lessons with me because he wasn’t practising and had lost interest in learning with his earlier teacher. Began lessons with great enthusiasm. Then practise began to falter. I called the parent in – to attend a lessons once in a way – so we could find a way to get practise going. And it worked!

Do students need parent support to learn in solo piano lessons?

The best way I can talk about this is with examples from my past teaching experiences.

‘What Helps Young Piano Students Practise?’

I’d like to talk about piano students who enroll in piano lessons with me for the first time and what it takes to get these students practising. Particularly young piano students who can’t use practise apps because of restricted or parent supervised access to devices and to internet access.

Coping with the overscheduled child in piano class

  I write this based on my experiences as a piano teacher years ago, and success working with piano students and families that were over-scheduled. This is a child who never has a weekday at home after school. Who doesn’t get enough age-appropriate unstructured play time that is necessary for growth and development. And whoContinue reading “Coping with the overscheduled child in piano class”