Pedagogy Archives - TopMusic.co

by Tim Topham

Piano exams can spark an array of questions from your piano students and their families. We've tried to answer some of them!

by Tim Topham

Piano exams can be a controversial topic. Some teachers see exams as the best way to teach, whereas others want to stay clear of the 'exam express'. Join us as we outline 5 pros and 5 cons of piano exams.

by Tim Topham

Continuing on from our recent posts introducing Integrated Music Teaching, and out-lining how you can teach an Integrated Music Lesson, we wanted to discuss the 3-step process in more detail. Table of Contents:1. What Is The 3-Step Process for Integrated Music Teaching?2. A Quick Note About Metaphors 2.1 Also Just To Say…3. STEP 1 ... The 3-Step Process for Integrated Music Teaching

by Rosemarie Penner

It might seem like lesson planning is just the domain of school teachers, but this isn’t the case. Music lesson planning is just as important in the music studio. So, how do you find a balance between the creativity of teaching an instrument and the structure of a well-designed program for each student? If we ... How to Streamline Your Music Lesson Planning (And Reclaim Your Own Time!)

by Tim Topham

Feel more confident today teaching for special needs, with our tips, classroom strategies, method advice and more

by Nick Ambrosino

Back in the beginning of my career I used to set weekly goals for my students. I’d write them in their assignment books and at the following lesson, would go down the list, checking if they had completed their assignments. I thought that’s what it meant to be a responsible teacher… Until one day, a ... Are you the piano coach or player?

Plans & Pricing

by Tim Topham

Since the start of this year, I made a commitment to ask more questions in my teaching. And not just questions for the sake of them, but effective questions that challenge students to think. Questions that are suited to each student and give them more ownership of the lesson and their playing. As a great side benefit, ... What I’ve learnt from asking more questions in music lessons

by Wendy Brentnall-Wood

So it’s finally happened. You’ve got your very first piano student and things are about to get real. It doesn’t matter whether that first student is a friend of the family, a relative or a total stranger, you will still most likely be feeling a little overwhelmed. You have so much knowledge to impart onto ... 5 Things I Wish I Was Told When I Started Teaching Piano

by Rebecca Singerman-Knight

Do you teach by rote, by ear or by reading?

by Emily Laney

10 Christmas Piano Books that Students Love, including a free one! The season for playing holiday music is officially here, and while you might rely on a handful of stock favourites, here are 10 student-approved choices to consider for Christmas. This article features short reviews on seasonal picks from composers around the world. You’ll find ... 10 Christmas Books Your Students Will Love, including Free Lead Sheets

by Forte

What if online lessons could happen in just one click, with better audio than Zoom?

by Georgina Wilson

For the past couple of years, more and more piano teachers have been turning to Zoom to provide online music lessons for their students. There are so many benefits to zoom piano lessons, from being able to teach students further afield, to the student feeling more comfortable playing and learning in their own home on ... How to Set Up Zoom for Online Piano Lessons