Teaching Music
While “noodling” on an instrument may seem random, it can often lead to some interesting discoveries. Noodling is improvisation at its roots, the art of creating music on the spot and without preparation. Musical improvisation and dramatic improv are similar. Drama, like music, involves interpreting others’ written material, requires knowledge of the material, begs for […]
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Academy: Tonara Studio for Schools Voted 'Best Tool for Schools’, Tonara Studio has long been a game-changer for music educators, helping to manage music lessons, while also providing a way to engage music students. Tonara Academy is built with school administrators, music teachers, and students in mind. Now, school administrators can create and manage their […]
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We all dream that our child is going to leap out of bed in the morning and rush to the piano to practice without even being reminded. Of course, this does happen from time to time. But for the majority, no matter how keen our children are to progress on their instrument, motivating music students […]
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By Marilyn Floyd Lesson plans can save stress for you, the teacher, and your student. If you know what’s coming next, you can relax, be in the moment and do what you do best - teach! And, because children don’t perceive time the way adults do, a reliable weekly lesson plan can help a younger […]
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By Grace Lee and Lou Ann Pope I’m continuously fascinated by the countless numbers of teachers all over the world making brave and creative transitions to keep music education going in people’s lives. What this past season has revealed to me, among many things, is that we need to be able to shift gears swiftly […]
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While the Great Quarantine of 2020 taught a lot of us music teachers how to teach online lessons, many of us still wonder how to teach group music lessons online. While the principles of teaching group lessons remain the same, there are some special considerations needed when teaching those groups online. Group Music Lessons: Use […]
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Be the teacher you were always meant to be It may be shocking to some, but anyone can be a teacher, really. With the mindset and will, anything is possible. But it’s not possible for everyone to be a great teacher as that takes dedication, passion, and drive to really want to improve and inspire […]
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“When should I start teaching piano scales?” Good question! Unfortunately, there’s no one answer that works for all students or all teachers. When to start scale work depends on a number of things, including the student’s age and playing level, as well as the teacher’s chosen curriculum. Sometimes teachers will simply assign scales as they […]
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Throughout my career as a teacher, I have learned that establishing a teaching philosophy at the outset is just as important as choosing a teaching method. The biggest difference being, your approach to teaching versus your teaching infrastructure. This can play out in many ways, with the main two being how you choose to motivate […]
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By Marilyn Floyd A new school year brings excitement among students and teachers … but in 2020, a school-year that follows the great Quarantine of 2020, it brings fear of the unknown, especially for new music teachers. With school districts planning in-person and online classrooms, or somewhere in between, challenges for teachers, new and experienced, […]
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