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 Music is bringing comfort to many people around the world right now. Maybe you are looking for uplifting arrangements for your students, or even for yourself, to play during this time? Today I am highlighting a few of my favorite uplifting arrangements, from beginning pieces with teacher duets to late intermediate solos. Creating these arrangements has brought me comfort, and it is my hope that playing this music will bring peace to many people during this time of uncertainty.
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 With so many teachers transitioning to online teaching for the first time, you’ve probably heard about the video-conferencing app Zoom.
Maybe you have already tried it for your lessons, or maybe you’ve read about it and wonder what all the fuss is about? I’ve just started getting my feet wet with Zoom, and I really like it so far! So, if you are considering Zoom for your lessons, or if you are currently using it and looking for more creative ways to make it work for you, read on to learn about my top five favorite Zoom features!  A cute cat picture just for fun...Maggie says hello! Well, this last month has been a doozy, hasn't it?
If you are like me, you may be working overtime to adjust to an entirely new way of teaching and to find resources to help you and your students during this difficult time of transition. Let's work together! Today I am sharing links to some of my favorite free resources from around the web that I hope will help you and your students. Many of us have switched (or are making preparations to switch) to distance learning over the coming weeks due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Today I am sharing 6 free practice packets that I have put together for my own students to use during this time.
Each practice packet contains a music history worksheet, a listening activity, a theory page, and an arrangement by a famous composer. These packets are designed to be used in conjunction with the free materials on the Classics for Kids website HERE (a great resource to share with your students as well). It is my hope that sharing these materials will ease a bit of the burden that many teachers are facing in the coming weeks. Feel free to share these practice packets with your students or with other teachers who you think might find them helpful. Stay well!  Teaching technique can be overwhelming. There are hundreds of different technique books out there, and nearly as many different schools of thought on teaching technical concepts. As teachers, we may be afraid of instilling bad habits in our students. Our students, overwhelmed with learning keyboard geography, note reading, and rhythm, may be resistant to practicing technical exercises and taking corrections on their technique. What is a teacher to do?
Over the last few years, I have developed an approach to teaching technique to my beginning students that has changed my teaching for the better. Today, I would like to share the first five techniques I focus on with my students, and the activities I use in my lessons to reinforce these skills. We learn these techniques away from the piano first, then we practice them at the piano using rote patterns like scales and broken chords. Finally, we incorporate these techniques into our repertoire pieces. Mastering these techniques in the first year of lessons will create a firm foundation for the more advanced technical concepts that follow. |
AuthorChrissy Ricker is a pianist, teacher, and composer from North Carolina. These are her thoughts on teaching, composing, and all things music. Looking for teaching ideas related to a specific topic? Use the "search" feature or scroll down to see blog posts organized by category!
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