Bulletin Board

I have a darling little student who was diagnosed with leukemia a few months ago. She's handling all the treatments like a champ, and she still comes to lessons when she can. She loves playing the piano and catches on really quickly. When she started her treatments I asked one of my good friends to crochet her a pink hat (pink is her favorite color). About a week after I gave the hat to her I received a darling card in the mail thanking me for the hat. I looked at her beautiful message on the card and realized I didn't have a place in my studio where I could display this card:

Because I'm not creative on my own, I spent some time on Google looking for a way to make a bulletin board where I could display my student's card. I stumbled upon this site:  www.jenniferrizzo.com 

There were directions on how to turn an old picture into a cork board. I took an old picture that was in my guest room, removed the glass, and hot glued some cork board to the picture. Then, I used some old piano books (I cut up a Bach Chorale book that I bought at a second hand shop) and glued the music to the cork. I also spray painted the frame black to match my studio. Last, I put some Mod Podge over the music for a finished look. I love how it turned out, and now I can hang up all kinds of things, including cards from my students!

I won!

One of my favorite blogs to visit is The Teaching Studio and recently they reviewed an online ear training resource called Eartraining Pro. Through The Teaching Studio's blog, Eartraining Pro offered to give away a free account to one lucky reader and that lucky reader just happened to be me. I'm really excited, especially because I'm new to the piano blogging network and really didn't expect to win. I'm looking forward to learn more about this resource and I'm sure it will be a helpful addition to my studio. Thanks so much Eartraining Pro and The Teaching Studio!

Music Money Incentive

After Spring Festival, I decided to implement an incentive program to help my students continue to be motivated and work toward the Spring Recital in May.  If this incentive program works well, I hope to do something similar in the Fall. 


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The main goal is to motivate students to develop more effective practice habits, improve skills, and recognize/reward consistent efforts for progress.

Each student will strive to earn a $50 ticket to attend the end-of-the-year Ice Cream Party. Once a student has earned his or her ticket, he or she may continue to save up to shop in my “store.” Shopping will take place during the party, on May 21^st at 11:30 a.m.

For their efforts, students will receive:

$1

*For each piece and/or assignment passed with all details mastered

*For each week that all Scales, Chords, and Arpeggios are passed

$5

*For each week that ALL assignments are passed

*For each week that all materials are brought to the lesson

$10

*For performing a piece (by memory) in public, at school or church, or other outside events

*For keeping a six day practice log

Students will be deducted:

-$1 For not paying attention to rhythm

-$1 For “fiddling” while teacher is talking

-$5 For coming to a lesson without all materials needed for the lesson