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Friday Funny

8/19/2016

This Friday Funny is also known as the day I taught piano lessons in my pajamas.

Where I live (in the southern U.S.) we don't get much wintry weather. Even a small amount of snow and ice can shut down the schools and make driving an iffy proposition. So, when we had a freak snowstorm a few years back, I thought it better to be safe than sorry and cancelled my piano lessons for the day, leaving phone messages for all of my students.

However, one student that lived close by didn't get the message. His father had a four wheel drive vehicle and they were out and about that day seeing the snow-covered sights. I had just settled down with a cup of cocoa when I heard the doorbell ring and saw a face peeping in the window. I sheepishly went to the door, still in my flannel PJ's, and let my student in. I told him I had cancelled lessons for the day, but if he didn't mind me teaching in my pajamas and fuzzy slippers we could go ahead and do our lesson! We all had a good laugh about it--but ever since I make sure to put on real clothes on snow days--just in case!

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Thanks for being someone I can look up to…

8/15/2016

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Thanks for being someone I can look up to…

Those were the words on the card given to me by one of my students, a graduating high school senior. This student was truly a joy to teach—straight A student, volunteer in her community, and a beautiful pianist who enjoyed arranging her own songs. I was sad to see her go, but excited for her as she looked toward the future and starting college in the fall.

I was struck by the words she wrote. She didn’t say, “thanks for teaching me how to play piano,” although I am sure the sentiment was there. What she said was so much more meaningful, and made me reflect on all the things I am to my students aside from being just their piano teacher.

Confidant: I have spent many lessons listening patiently to what is happening in my students’ lives, the good and the bad. For some students, their piano lesson might be one of the only times all week they get thirty minutes of undivided attention from an adult. Getting to know these young people that I teach and watching them grow and accomplish life’s milestones is a privilege.
Cheerleader: Learning an instrument is hard! Sometimes students also struggle with learning disabilities or attention disorders that make learning piano extra challenging. They need someone to encourage them and support them, and give them opportunities to succeed.
Coach: The skills I teach in piano lessons are life skills. Time management, discipline, creativity, problem solving—these are all skills we use in each of our piano lessons. Twenty years from now, my students may not remember the repertoire they learned in their piano lessons, but I hope they will think back to these skills and apply them to whatever situations they may face.

Teachers: you are more than just a piano teacher. In fact, piano might be the least important thing you teach your students. You are giving them someone to look up to.

And, if you are like me, you will learn more from your students than they will ever know.

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Friday Funny

8/12/2016

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Those of you that teach piano at home will sympathize with this Friday Funny!

Since I teach after school until the early evening, my husband often gets home from work while I am teaching. My students are always fascinated to learn that their teacher is a real person with a family just like them! I often get funny reactions when they notice my husband arrive home from work. A few of my favorites:

"There's a man in your house!" One of my students whispered this to me one day during his lesson. I turned quickly to see my husband walking by the door. I reassured my student that it was okay and explained who it was. For the next two years of lessons my student insisted on calling my husband "that man."
"You have another customer!" My student yelled this out when he saw my husband come in the door.
And my favorite: "Mr. Chrissy is home!"

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Teaching Tip Thursday: Teaching by Rote

8/11/2016

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Today is Teaching Tip Thursday over at the Composers Community Discussion Forum on Facebook. I shared teaching tips for how I introduce the patterns in my piece "Into the Storm" using rote exercises. Check out the sheet music for "Into the Storm" here.

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Friday Funny

8/5/2016

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In keeping with this week's theme of transposition....

One of my students recently got an electric organ at home, in addition to his acoustic piano. He has been playing the organ at his church for the past year and was very excited to have his own to practice on at home. He has slowly been learning about all the bells and whistles on his new instrument, and he was especially fascinated by the "transpose" button.

So when we started a new piece in the key of B major, he very happily told me that he didn't need to worry about all the sharps; he could just leave them out and use the transpose button on his electric organ. He was disappointed to learn that wasn't quite how the button worked--it couldn't magically add in whatever sharps or flats you left out!

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Thanks for being someone I can look up to…

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