Teaching Steady Beat in Beginner Piano Lessons (Yes, It Gets Messy!)
If you’ve ever felt like your beginner piano lessons are a little chaotic—you’re not alone. Teaching steady beat, rhythm, and basic coordination is one of the trickiest parts of working with new students. And sometimes? The lesson gets messy.
That’s not a bad thing. In fact, it’s exactly how beginners learn.
Off-Bench Piano Activities: Teaching Musical Steps with Movement 🎹
👉 Off-bench piano activities are one of the best ways to help beginner students learn musical steps, rhythm, and note reading through movement before they ever sit at the piano.
The Wheel of Doom 🎹 | A Fun Piano Lesson Game Students Love
If you’ve ever wished for a way to keep students engaged and excited during lessons, let me introduce you to the Wheel of Doom — a playful studio game that turns practice challenges into a fun adventure.
Inspired by @ryantrahan’s 50-state journey, the Wheel of Doom has quickly become a favorite activity in my studio.
REASONS FOR KIDS TO TAKE PIANO LESSONS
Why Teaching Steady Beat First Might Not Be the Best Approach for Young Pianists
Did you know that steady beat is not the first thing you should teach to a young child? Although it’s the first lesson in many piano books, it’s not the ideal starting point for a child's musical journey. Instead, the first thing a child needs to learn is how to listen to long and short sounds
What you need to know - Kids have GAPS in piano learning
Gaps show up in piano lessons all the time.
Here are some examples of places gaps can arise: 1) notation. Notation is an abstract representation of sound. Kids are literal.
2) rhythm. Some kids just don't have rhythm experience in their bodies, which leads to difficulty in counting and playing.
3) technique. Playing the piano with proper technique is a foreign feeling.
4) listening. Some students have difficulty hearing and discriminating pitches, rhythms, timbre, or form
5 Piano Teachers You Need to Know!
I’m not practicing much, either :(
These days, it’s hard for me to find time to practice. Between work, family, and a little self-care, time at the piano has dried up.
Maybe I need a motivator. Like what I recently did with my students!
Last week, I presented during the Practice Space webinar. Have you seen it? Here is the link to the replay if you missed it (my part is around 30:40)
Solo Piano or Group Piano?
Do you teach privately, groups, or both? It's thrilling to see kids working together towards a goal. Find the easiest piano ensembles at www.pianomusicforkids.com. Simplify your piano teaching!
Saving a Sea Turtle Through Piano Practice!
How one piano teacher and her piano students used piano practice to adopt an animal at the zoo.