Q+A Ep 6 Using Puppets & Staying Connected with Technology

Show Notes

Angela Turner, Dr Kerry Vann and Kia Leong were a brilliant panel offering some very useful suggestions for working with students from beginner through to advanced as well as individual and class lessons. 

This week, we have launched a free service to teachers called Online Lessons Teacher Resource Kit which accompanies the Online Lesson Resource page we created several weeks ago. The kit includes a heap of printable downloads in A4 & US Letter size: 64 flashcards, 2 & 3 paper keyboards, 1, 2, 6 & 12 stave manuscript paper and a template to download to start your student communication strategy using Google Sheets. You can access the Teacher Resource Kit here.

Overview for Episode 6

Where you can find specific answers to your questions in this weeks show (timings in the broadcast):

00:00 Welcome to our guests
02:40 A look at each of the panel members' set up Dr Kerry Vann
07:10 Angela's studio set up including using Many Cam, different microphones
12:00 Kia shares her experience of taking a music school of 700 students completely online. 
18:50 Facebook groups for students
21:45 Using puppets in your teaching piano
23:50 Engaging 5-year-olds, fun games to play online, any many more ideas to become a music tutor
29:30 Notation, Symbols, Note Names, Rhythms, etc - 64 flashcards from the free Online Lesson Teacher Resource Kits - available at Piano Teaching Success
31:50 Preparing students for exams and developing the technique for a high level of performance, sight reading, aural tests and all the requirements for advanced playing.
35:35 As musicians we are trained to listen, how Kerry has developed listening in her studio using beginner piano resources
37:35 Mindset: don't give your students a choice, tell them what you want them to do using positive attitude, being upbeat, and not giving a choice. Frame a choice as a direction rather than a question.
39:00 More on exams, online versus face-to-face exams
41:10 Angela shares working on fine detail in preparation for exams & performances
44:10 Communicating with your students how you want them to set up their home lesson space
45:50 Angela answers a question about her series Exploring Preliminary and a discussion around the use of the sustain pedal and younger students
48:00 Joining the Piano Teaching Success Facebook Group
49:00 Microphone testing and models - Angela's video is in the Clever Cats sections of the Online Teacher Resource page on PTS.
51:00 Angela shares her top 3 tips for getting the best sound on Zoom
53:30 Communicating with students having online lessons + a Google docs suggestion which is part of the Online Lessons Teacher Resource Kits
58:00 Next week's panel
59:00 "Rockatta" a performance by Andrew Rumsey of a piece by Australian composer, Michael Dooley. The sheet music for this work is available from Blackrock Music in Australia & the UK.

Get your copy of the free Online Lessons Teacher Resource Kit which includes: 64 flashcards, 1, 2, 6, & 12 stave manuscript, 2 & 3 octave paper keyboards and a Google Sheet template for student communication. Available here.

Rockatta

by Michael Dooley
Mike Dooley has offered 20% off the sheet music of Rockatta for Q+A watching piano teachers. What an amazing piece for a diploma programme or as an encore in a recital program. Use the coupon code:

ROCKATTA

to receive 20% off the price at Blackrock Music Australia and Blackrock Music UK.