Monthly Schedule

("Teacher Take Note" and Monthly Presentation Topics)

Monthly Presentation (10:15-11:30)

Teacher Take Note (9:30-10:00)

Watch for a sign up to take part in

leading a discussion sometime this

year!

September 3:

  • Juliet Preston- Inside the Pianist’s Tool Box:  Harmonization, Improvisation and Lead Sheets”-

    Learn how to teach skills needed for the new AIM program and for developing commercial music potential in your students.

Possible Discussion Topics:

  •   Duets

    What are the best duets you've taught, played and/or plan to teach your students? Please bring those pieces to share with the group and discuss why they attract you and your students. Christmas duets too!


  • Preparing for the Monster Concert
    Are you prepping your students for the Monster Concert? When do you start students on their pieces? What are some of the pieces you have used in the past? What is your schedule and structure for practicing and preparing for the concert?



October 1st:

  • Succeeding in the New AIM Program– Bonnie Jack –  Everything you need to know about the new AIM Program, including details about the Keyboard Skills and Music Listening areas, tips on a painless transition, and how to prepare your students using all the free resources available to UMTA teachers!

  •  Lesson structure

    Time is tight in all lessons. How do you structure your lesson time? With the need to fit in technique, sight reading and theory along with prepping for performances, what do you ask students to do at a lesson and what can you leave to them at home? 



November 5:

  •  10:00 Mandatory AIM meeting for all teachers participating in the AIM program.

     Are you interested in the A.I.M. (Achievement In Music) Program? Whether you are "a seasoned veteran" or "a curious bystander", come and join us for our annual A.I.M. Training Meeting to become better informed and to get "on target" answers to all of your questions.

  •  Studio organization

    Most of us are teaching out of our homes, which is shared with other activities and family members. How do you have your studio space organized? Do you have all of your music visible? Do you have a storage space? What is important to you to have right at your fingertips and why? Share how you work

    with limited space or what you have decided

    you don't need in your studio in 2024.

     

Dec 3:

  • “Chord Symbols and Notation Use the Same Brain”- Shane Bowles, www.musicunveiled.com.   Will share with us his method for teaching keyboard skills.

  • Tech in your studio

    Technology is everywhere in our daily lives. How do you use it in your studio? Do you use it to track your music library? Do you use it for student assignments? Do you have an electronic payment system for your parents? What are ways you use it for practice? Come prepared

    to tell the group how you are using technology in your studio today. 

January 7:           

  • - “Music and the Silent Film”-Lynda LeCheminant and Deanna Mears- How to hold a silent film festival with your students providing music to classic movies of the 1920’s.

  • Parent Communication

    One of the many challenges we face as music educators is the necessity to communicate to students and their parents.  Have you learned ways to communicate that work well for you? Are there best practices that you try to follow when working with your students' parents? Please come prepared to share what has worked best for you with the group.


February 4:

  • -“Master Class”-Esther Jeehae Ahn, D.M.A.

  • Staying relevant and motivated as an educator

    What do you do, as a teacher, to stay motivated and to continue your education throughout the year? How do you stay relevant and up to speed with new technologies, pieces and trends in the music education world? 

March 4:

  • -“Finding Your Rhythm with Business Tasks”-Tiffany Horrocks- Teaching music is our forte, but what about business to do's? Administrative tasks when running a business are not often found within that comfort zone for most of us. What are the items of business in your studio that you dread? Maybe it's organization, maybe it's the financial aspect of collecting tuition or bookkeeping, advertising, or policy-keeping. Bring your highs and lows of running a business, share what works well for you with the group, and get ideas of what could help you with the rest. Let's discuss together some ideas of what has helped and can help our studios run smoothly in these business-focused areas so we can "sync" into the joy of teaching!

  • Students Savers

    Students get bored of their pieces and so do we, as teachers! What songs have you found that save your sanity? Please share the pieces that your students love time and time again. What pieces do you fall back

    on when you're feeling like motivation has hit a wall? 

April 8:             

  • “Summer Camps”-Susan Schofield and Tricia West.  Come learn about fun summer camp ideas for your students. 

  •  Sight reading Ideas

    Sight reading is an important skill, but how do you encourage your students to tackle sight reading on their own? How do you incorporate it into your teaching and how much time do you spend on it each month?


May 6:

  • Teacher Duet Recital and Luncheon


  • Recital ideas

    Have you become more creative with your recitals? How do you do this? What steps do you take to plan a recital like this? Please come prepared to share what you have done for your student recitals

    and what has been received well. 

  • Summer camp ideas

    Do you host a summer camp? What do you focus on? How long is summer camp? How do you prepare for a summer camp? Do you create your own curriculum or do you purchase it from another teacher? Share your success stories and your lessons learned.

  • Studio Setup

    How do you set up your studio? Do you have posters or motivational items that your students see when they walk in? What are the favorite things about your studio setup? Are there requirements for Certification? How do you incorporate those requirements