Are you a new piano teacher just starting out, or are you a seasoned veteran looking to make adjustments to the way you run your studio?
In either case, you’ll want to read this post, because today I’m sharing the 7 biggest studio-changing decisions I have ever made.
Also, we’d love it if you seasoned teachers out there would share (in the comments) the changes you have made in your own studios that have had the biggest impact!
Lots to be learned today… so let’s dive in!
After Changing These 7 Things, My Piano Studio Exploded
As a young teacher the seven points I am about to share were things I never paid much attention to. Big Mistake! Because once I sat down to brainstorm how to improve my teaching and then chose the following 7 tweaks as my focus… the impact of the changes were incredible!
What were they? Well, I decided to…
1. Cultivate and nurture…
my relationship with parents as much as I did my students. I had always been great at communicating and building relationships with students, but making a commitment to work on these relationships with parents as intently as I did with my students was a real turning point.
I really saw the strength that is the parent/teacher/student triangle. My “piano teacher headaches” all but disappeared. I’m not going to pretend it didn’t take a lot of time to do make this change – but the time I saved in other areas all but made up for it (and then some) in the long run.
2. Have a written policy…
that was short, shorter… and then shortest. Written policies are a must… but my old policy sheet was way too long. Parents didn’t read it, didn’t remember it and therefore didn’t always follow it.
It was therefore almost pointless.
Once I changed my mindset and stopped including policies that only applied to only one or two exceptions, I was able to pare it down to no more than 5 points that I found to be the absolute most important and prevalent.
Incidents that were beyond the policy sheet were dealt with on an individual basis, as I would with any other relationship in my life (like the time I had to ask parents to please not allow their children to go into my fridge… not needed on a policy sheet, but an easy conversation!)
3. Do at least one thing every lesson…
that I myself enjoyed. I realized that looking after my own job satisfaction was the biggest favor I could do for my piano students.
If I was happy, they were happy. If I was inspired, they were inspired.
Including something in every lesson that you yourself are passionate about or that you love to do is a great way to re-energize during a long day (or 20+ years!) of teaching. What do I enjoy? Duets! And so we do them… a LOT!
4. Use a visual lesson calendar…
I always had a routine in my mind that I would follow for each lesson, but I realized that i was leaving my students in the dark.
Kids love routines and the security of knowing what to expect. By creating something simple that they could look at and know what was coming next, I eliminated a lot of behaviour problems. I allowed my students to choose the order of activities and found that, in making their own choices, they were learning to direct their own learning (one student said to me “I like to do off the bench stuff first because it helps me calm down after school”… brilliant observation, and good to know!)
5. Have a solid plan…
for “those weeks”. I discovered it was in the weeks where my students had forgotten to bring their music books, had had a rough day at school, or hadn’t practiced a single note all week, that I could make or break their satisfaction with lessons.
A great lesson could still be had… but it was up to me to make it great!
And so I created a solid plan that I could fall back on for those weeks; a routine that I could seamlessly switch over to when it was clear that a regular old lesson wasn’t going to cut it. Progress on “those weeks” was no longer stalled, my students felt cared for, and I avoided the negativity that can come from those weeks when typical lessons just don’t work.
6. Choose one focus per month…
for my entire studio. There are common themes that all piano teachers want their students to improve upon; rhythmic accuracy, expression, note reading, phrasing, pedalling, sight reading, improv… there is no end! Once I decided to take a studio-wide approach to these topics, my planning time was cut in half.
I would simply choose one “Grand Theme” for each month and then allow my repertoire choices, piano games, extra activities, newsletter topics, off-bench games etc. to be guided by this theme. This stopped me from going a mile-a-minute with new ideas and activities in a haphazard way and it made for a more streamlined approach that my students appreciated.
7. Not let method books control…
my teaching. I use method books and I like method books, but what I didn’t like was the feeling of having to use them every single lesson.
Once I gave myself permission to break free from method books when I felt it was needed, I discovered the benefits that come from varied supplementary repertoire… like the awesomeness we’re creating here at PianoBookClub.
Once my piano parents realized that a week or two away from the “piano book” didn’t mean no progress was being made, they discovered how new and varied material would re-inspire home practice. Once my piano students realized that music outside of their book may look different but wasn’t “scary”, or that a single piece could make their heart sing with happiness and their fingers just itch to practice… they begged for extra sheet music regularly. Begging for music? Wahoo!
To Begin… Begin!
I love this phrase. In fact, I spend a lot of my life being guided by it. If making a whole bunch of changes seems daunting to you, just choose one… but then do it right away.
The above 7 points were the changes that I made… but we want to hear from you!
What do you wish you knew as a new piano teacher? What changes have you made that have made a big impact in your studio? We can’t wait to here from you…
Deborah says
Thank you Andrea for your very important
One thing I do is make sure I use at least one new resource every school year. It could be a new method book, an online tool or an improvisation technique. As long as it keeps me sitting on the edge of my teacher’s chair and makes me make the effort to keep up and learn something new.
Andrea says
This is a great tip Deborah (and kind of ties in with the “do one thing a lesson you yourself enjoy). I have found that if I choose to make an investment in my own business (by purchasing resources, using new materials, upgrading my equipment etc.) then my parents also seem follow suit and make the investment in their piano lessons in terms of commitment, retention, practice etc. It’s a reciprocal relationship it seems. As the great business people say “it takes money to make money” and I have found that to be so true. Thanks for sharing!
Amy says
Well I’m certainly not a seasoned teacher, but over the last couple years, one thing that’s been great for my peace of mind is the way I think of and interact with students’ parents. Rather than get annoyed with them when they do something they’re not supposed to do, I’ve been trying to put myself in their shoes. And if I was THEIR client in THEIR field of expertise, I would do a LOT of dumb things. If that they need to be involved in their child’s music-making, or that becoming a good pianist means daily practice, it’s simply my job to educate them in this area — I don’t need to get frustrated with them! I get along with them much better now that I’ve changed my mindset. This preserves my energy level and makes me feel happier and more fulfilled at the end of every day.
Thank you for this post Andrea! I wrote down several of the points so I don’t forget them 🙂
Andrea says
Hi Amy – FABULOUS advice. Although you may not be “seasoned” I think you are well on your way to a very successful career with this mindset 🙂
Gary Johnston says
Andrea:
Great article. Over my 35 years of private teaching I have learned, one by one, and often the hard way, to make all of the changes mentioned above.
Getting away from the method book has been one of the most successful changes I’ve ever made. I have seen kids blossom beautifully taking on pieces they have chosen themselves from the classical and pop repertoire. I often arrange their favourite pieces to suit their particular age and technical level.
Incorporating electronic keyboards into the mix has been inspiring as well. It behooves every one of us who own these to thoroughly read the manual and talk to the vendor to discover the amazing things these keyboards can do. Beyond just providing hundreds of sound choices to enhance a performance there are recording and MIDI capabilities using your laptop or ipad, integrating with Finale or Sibelius for composition and theory drill (don’t like that term much) and so much more.
I have also given up on the “theory book” and incorporate theory and music history into the teaching of the music. All one has to do is point out the key signature, the I, IV and V chords in the piece corresponding to that key (does the piece end and begin on the tonic?), introduce the scale for that key and maybe write it out showing the tones and semi-tones etc. Not all in one lesson, mind you, but over time. For history I like to point out historical milestones that occurred the year the piece was written or during the composer’s lifetime eg: This piece was written the same year Edison developed the lightbulb!
Thank you for this website. You are inspiring growth in all our studios and bettering the music education of our nation and the world.
Gary Johnston
St. John’s NL
SonicPiano says
I like the idea of giving up theory books. It’s one less expense for the parents and students learn to apply theory to their music. It’s also one less homework assignment…these kids are already buried with it in school.
Andrea says
Hi Gary – I so appreciate the time you took to comment and share. We had a much longer list to start with and the theory book incorporation was one of the ones we had on our original list (so thank you for mentioning it!) In-context theory is SO much more effective. I haven’t purchased a note speller or theory book for about 8 years now and my kids are miles ahead in terms of understanding how their theory actually applies to what they play vs. how where they were before when I was using theory books.
Love the idea of utilizing keyboards to their full potential too – having students who understood MIDI and notation programs makes for students who can really truly apply their music to “real life”.
Thanks also for your kind words – we appreciate it very much 🙂
Gary Johnston says
You’re welcome, Andrea. Love your work.
GJ
Sue says
The thing that changed my life was charging a BEM fee (books, events and materials) at the beginning of the year so I didn’t have to run after little checks all the time. I challenge my families to make me go broke by going through so many materials they exceed the fee. Students who don’t practice or progress end up paying a lot more than I actually spend on them, but I call it my fee for putting up with them. 😉 It usually comes out about right in the end, and I have fewer grey hairs.
Andrea says
Great point Sue – I also have found that parents appreciate not feeling as though they’re being asked to bring in money all the time (to too have a “registration fee” that covers all things like this). I like your take on it too – “they’re here… so use them!”
Robin says
Great list to work on!
Along with your #1 involving parents, I find it helpful to ask all parents several questions when starting with me. “What are your piano goals for your child? “Why did you leave your former teacher?” “What did you like/dislike about your former teacher?” I am amazed at the variety of answers and it helps me to customize their piano journey.
Andrea says
Hi Robin – great point. It’s easy to forget to ask these qustions and just dive head-first into lessons. But… as you say… having this information can really help guide the way we teach that particular child. Thanks for sharing!
Cindy says
Oh my goodness, you are so great, thank you for sharing. I absolutely love the piano teacher community out here! I wish there was a percussion teaching community like this – perhaps I will lead one someday.
I’m intrigued by your visual lesson calendar idea. I would love to have a Magnetic Board in my waiting room with the areas of the lesson listed and then students could put them in order while waiting for the next lesson. Could help both of us be more accountable for getting to everything…do you have specific categories or headings for the different areas of your lessons? (i.e. Sight Reading, Off the Bench, Pieces)
So thankful for all you do!!!
Barbara says
Great idea, Cindy!! I’m lucky enough to teach in a Community Center with a magnetic white board. The kids will love moving around the categories. I’m going to get to work on that ASAP! Thanks for sharing such a wonderful idea:) I think I’ll print them on different colored card stock (to make it fun) and laminate (to make it last:)
And , Andrea, I’d also be interested in your categories/headings ideas. Thanks for a great post. Loved all the ideas.
Jahn Crews says
I would love to see your categories/headins ideas, as well.
Andrea says
Hi Barbara – we actually have a free (beautiful!) one you can print out! If you subscribe to our newsletter than you get access to it as part of our 7 free resources. If you already subscribe, then just email me and I’ll send you the password 🙂 It would be perfect to stick to a magnetic white board!
Andrea says
Hi Cindy – we actually have a free (beautiful!) one you can print out! If you subscribe to our newsletter than you get access to it as part of our 7 free resources. If you already subscribe, then just email me and I’ll send you the password 🙂
Brecklyn says
The big one for me was finally choosing not to make up cancelled lessons. My students now come much more consistently because they know that if they don’t, they don’t get a make up pr a refund. I do make ups if I cancel, and I do a video exchange lesson when students are ill.
Sandy says
Agreed. My stress has gone down too from not having to fit people in or have parents argue about if I offered them enough make up times to choose from.
Julia Brown Vazquez says
Andrea, would you please show us your policy? I would love to see and learn from it!
Jenny says
Great article, Andrea! I’m taken special note about shortening my studio policies. I know the importance of having studio policies but in my efforts to not leave anything out, it has become long over the years. I’m going to work on making it short and simple and easy to read and digest.
One thing that I try to do each year is incorporate something new studio-wide, such as Wendy Steven’s 30 Piece Challenge. I always get re-energized at state and national conferences as well as reading other teachers blogs. There are SO many wonderful ideas out there, sometimes, it’s hard deciding which one to try! This year, I’m including off the bench games (PianoGameClub) at the lessons. I’ve also put some of these games in take away envelopes to put in my lending library so once or twcie a month, students can borrow these to play at home with parents or siblings.
Andrea says
Hi Jenny – so many great ideas you have! Paring down your studio policies is tough – but if you think of the top 5 things that happen most frequently (or that would impact your business the most) then you can leave everything else off and just deal with it person to person. Yes, the Piano Game lending library is one fantastic way to incorporate parents and siblings! Kudos to you for starting it!
SonicPiano says
All inspiring ideas that I’m itching to implement slowly, especially shortening my studio policies. Charging a late fee has made a huge difference in being paid on time. When I first started doing this I collected a lot of late fees. As parents started realizing that I was serious they stepped up and started paying on time. Two years later I seldom have to send a second notice…this year I’ve only collected one late fee.
I also leave a few minutes at the end of each lesson for my students to play a piece of their choice in one of my digital piano’s other voices. One student learned a Spanish guitar piece on his own so that he could play it in my piano’s “guitar” voice. Another always wants to play Bach in my piano’s harpsichord piece. It gives them something to look forward to at the end of the lesson.
Andrea says
HI SonicPiano – glad it was inspiring! Thanks for sharing your late fee tips. Those “other voices” are such great motivators aren’t they 🙂
Maggie Ann says
Andrea, regarding the parent/teacher/student triangle…The second week of lessons I hand each student a plastic triangle (used to keep box lids off the pizza top). Each of us – parent/teacher/student uses a marker to color a leg. Then we talk about what each of us does to make our time together fun. I might ask the student: “What’s the thing you most look forward to in your lesson time?” “A new game!” the student says. Quick as a wink, I take the plastic triangle and break my colored leg. “Sorry, I didn’t have time to find one.” Imagine the look on their faces! The visual message speaks louder than words.. Yes, it takes all of us working together to make that 30 minutes a jewel in the week.
Andrea says
What a great visual Maggie Ann – for all three of you!
Maggie Ann says
BTW, I do send an intact plastic triangle home for the student to put on the piano as a reminder. 🙂
Marylee says
After teaching many years, I got smart and have my students help me with a mini time-saving task. When they walk in the door, and wait for the previous student to finish a lesson, they are to open all books and their binder to the correct page. We usually start with their technique assignment, so they know to put that on the top of the stack. It DOES save books from being placed upside down, falling off the rack, leafing through the pages, etc., and we can always use that extra minute or two. Thanks for all the good ideas sent in!
Jahn Crews says
I have bought some of the BIG paperclips & plan on using them in all of their books so it will not only save lesson time but the student’s time and hopefully will eliminate….oh, I forgot play that one.
Andrea says
Great tip Marylee! Time saving ideas are something that all piano teachers find useful as those minutes go by so fast!
Beverly says
The one idea I want to remember from the 7 decisions is not being haphazard. I’m so motivated by new methods, new incentives, new….on and on. I find myself overwhelmed with planning, organizing my studio, feeling like I haven’t accomplished specific things. My husband says he can tell that I’m more motivated by the ideas than the teaching. I have to make a change.
Andrea says
Hi Beverly – I know exactly what you mean (you can likely tell we’re full of ideas over here LOL!) I still wanted to incorporate all those ideas because it is that unique factor that keeps my lessons relevant, but it’s also important to have feeling of being streamlined. Choosing that “Grand Theme” each month has really helped!
Michele says
The biggest change to my studio and my peace of mind was to commit to attending at least 2 workshops per teaching year. This keeps me current and inspired which in turn rubs off in student enthusiasm!
I also bought and maintain for the studio an iPad and MacBook Pro. Both are music-dedicated and keep my records and music fully organized and at my finger-tips at all times.
Andrea says
Hi Michele – great tip! Professional development is a favour you can do for yourself AND your students as is having equipment that is exciting for students to use 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Louise says
Incorporate art! Kids Love it and don’t get enough of it. I try to put an inspirational quote and each week they get to add a decoration of some kind. For instance, at Christmas they have made a paper ornament, and at Halloween they decorate with a pumpkin. This is tied in with practicing. So they are inspired to practice, they take pride and ownership in the studio itself, they love showing it to their parents.
Andrea says
This is a really great idea Louise! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
Hope Noar says
Believe it or not, my students are all happy with their books and their sheet music, and there is no reason to divert from them. What they like most is the duets. I just go with the flow, and if they are happy, I am happy. I sometimes open the lesson with game, but they would much rather get down to business. And some of the kids are enjoying piano maestro, whereas others just like their books better.
Andrea says
Glad to hear it Hope!
Megan Hughes says
It’s really important to charge enough so you can have time to spend reading this blog, planning games and activities, keeping up with repertoire, etc. and not feel like your students are taking advantage of you.
Andrea says
Great advice Megan – and it contributes to that all important job satisfaction too 🙂
Louise says
You are so right, Megan…
Sue says
I charge a yearly tuition made in installments each month. I am scheduling 28 lessons, but only getting paid for 26. The only make-up lessons I do are for one storm day. If there is a second storm day, that takes care of one free lesson. If not, each student has one miss for illness, vacation, etc. If they don’t miss, they get one lesson free.
The other free day is for me–in case I am sick or have to cancel lessons. Students can exchange lessons with each other for birthday parties or other unforeseen events. This sounds complicated but it actually makes record-keeping and scheduling much simple.
I tried to shorten my policy this year, but I think I only deleted about 3 lines! I think I need to keep working on that!
This year I am going to try to motivate the kids to practice with bracelets. I bought some inexpensive plastic and rope bracelets. I will have them wear 4 bracelets to start. Every time they practice they move one bracelet to the other wrist. We’ll see how this works.
Andrea says
Hi Sue – I do a similar payment set-up and it is so handy and simple for parents to understand. It’s also nice for me to have those built-in weeks where I can be off if my kids are sick, if I”m sick, if it snows etc. without having to worry about refunds or make-ups (a lot of stress avoided!) Would love to hear how the bracelets work!
Marilyn Brennan says
I got an interesting thought yesterday. I am going to get small sticky notes, blue and orange. I will mark the first page of their weekly assignment in a given book with the blue sticky note (for BEGIN here). The orange colored sticky note I will put on the last page for the week which stands for OVER, as in practicing in this book is OVER today.
Andrea says
This is a good idea Marilyn! Thanks for sharing
Eleanor Baldwin says
Andrea, I would love to see your shortened policy sheet. It would inspire me to work harder on mine which has grown rather long since I keep adding something I think is important.
Jennifer says
I would also be very interested in how you shortened your policy letter. Mine is too long, but I don’t know how to shorten it.
Andrea says
Hi Eleanor – I’ve had a flood of emails asking for my policy sheet since posting this! My answer has been that because each studio climate is so very different it’s really an individual decision that has to be made. I’m reluctant to recommend policies to other teachers because I don’t know your exact studio situation and this can vary drastically from area to area and teacher to teacher. Some teachers choose to be more flexible than others – and their choices are typically made based on what they feel comfortable with in their individual studio.
To help guide you, think of all of the potential issues that could impact your studio and then narrow them down to the 5 that you see being most prevalent or that would have the greatest effect on your business. Think in terms of payment, attendance, expectations for students, discontinuation of lessons, and home instrument requirements (there’s 5 right there 😉 ) It gives you an idea of what I have in mine… but also gives you the chance to then decide what you’re comfortable with stating. Anything that I can see happening just a handful of times I don’t include as it clouds the importance of my Top 5. Hope this helps!
Leia says
Wonderful post, Andrea!
Things I wish I knew when I started teaching?
– Don’t let a parent bully you into doing what they want (e.g. lessons at 6 am on Sunday mornings; teaching longer lessons than you are prepared to teach; bargaining down your price). Because I was a relatively young teacher and piano teachers are pretty nice people in general, I felt it would be rude to stand my ground. Big mistake! I established a set of rules for *myself* to follow and stuck to them.
– Studio Policies – like you said, very important. Mine isn’t quite 5 points but it is just one page (half a page for adults!).
– Always stay in control. It’s easy for badly-behaved kids to take control of the lesson, wreaking havoc wherever they go. And if you are unable to control a child and they are really rude, don’t be afraid to have a polite conversation with the parents and suggest a break from lessons with you.
– And lastly, don’t try to be everything to everyone. Piano teachers tend to advertise teaching everyone of all ages and stages. While it’s true that we can reach a broad spectrum of students (and there’s nothing wrong with that!), we all have strengths and weaknesses, and recognising those sooner rather than later will greatly improve your teaching. For example, I love the Wunderkeys course but a few months after starting it I realised … I do not love teaching the 3-4 year old age group! Which is totally fine – those kids grew up and are now thriving, and I suggest other, more capable teachers when I get inquiries for the tiny ones. Also, adults can be wonderful to teach and often turn into friends, but it’s important to remember that they are not a “constant” – very few of my adult students have stuck through regular lessons for years. Their priorities change, they move to a different city/country, their kids get in the way, or they drop out for whatever reason – if you are sensitive or can’t handle a fluctuating population of students, don’t take adults. Realising things like this, and knowing what I’m okay with and what I’m not, really helped shape my teaching and make me a happier teacher!
Andrea says
Fabulous advice Leia – thanks so much for taking the time to share.
Ms Jean says
I would love to hear more on how you culture and nurture your relationship with the parents. One seldom sees them and even when you do, there is so little time.
Thank you so much for the wonderful tips! You are an inspiration to us all!
Robbin says
Andrea, what’s your plan for “those weeks”?
Andrea says
Hi Robbin – I have a “stand alone” piece for each level already printed (typically from PianoBookClub these days) that I can hole punch and put in their binder (weeks when books are forgotten are so awkward with lending a book, not having their music, not having that continuity to the next lesson so this solves that). If it’s the case of having had a rough day at school or in their home life, they often appreciate a piece that is new and away from what they’ve been working on.
We will play a piano game that is connected to what the piece is teaching (I have a huge library so can match a game to almost any concept now). Playing with them give me the chance to also talk to them and boost them up to make hem feel good.
Then we do a fun and relaxed improv/composing activity like the Paint Chip improv we shared or similar.
It’s not anything too earth-shattering (or they’d start forgetting their books on purpose LOL) but it is at my fingertips and ready to go when I need it. No more wasted lesson time, they always leave happier than when they arrived and their parents appreciate that I understand that “those weeks” happen and that we can still move forward despite it.
Robbin says
I can do most of the things you described right away. I’ll work on the others because I think this is a great idea. My high school students especially will come in with their books but with absolutely no practice done. In the past I’ve just helped them go over their pieces again, but I think getting a new piece would be less embarrassing. Plus we play a game every lesson already!
Andrea says
Love your “just do it!” attitude Robbin 🙂
Jennifer Flores says
Thank you, Andrea for the post. I appreciate reading the comments too! The greatest change I’ve made, (and only in the last 2 years after teaching 25!), was to change to monthly tuition including ‘flex weeks’, and no make-ups.
Andrea says
Hi Jennifer – thanks for your comment! I’m betting this change is going to really save you lots of time and stress 🙂 Hope you have a great start to your fall!
Hannah M says
I have a question about incorporating new things… I’m interested in games. At what age does the novelty of games at/off the piano kind of end? I have a couple boys 10-13 and looking to add a bit more life and excitement to their lessons, but really not sure how to go about it? I need some ideas for incorporating a new thing at every lesson!
LadyD says
I LOVE this heart-felt post! Looking back over 20+ years, I discovered communication with parents is huge, along with a clear studio policy (tuition due, late fee, makeups) & mission statement. Sharing the ‘team concept’ is a vital visual: parents bring, I teach, you practice! Take lots of photos (with permission) and videos. Families love to share and comment. Excite with games, rhythm sticks and mostly improv. Show by example, bass runs, walk downs, blues scales and let them create song arrangements. Playing piano is fun!
Stephanie says
For the past year I’ve been attempting to incorporate games into my studio. It’s been easier to find fun little games for my 8-year old than it has been for my teenagers but I’m working on that. The other thing is I have a studio policy (I probably need to change it a little still). And I no longer just teach out of method books; I like to use Disney, hymns, children’s songs, duets. It’s been a lot of fun