September is busy!

It seems that September is the month to start piano lessons!  I think with the start of school, it just happens naturally.  I have been telling people around my area that I teach, and I am getting more students than I ever have before.  While it is exciting for me, it is good for me to establish standards too.  One is to only teach on certain days for the sake of my family (and myself).  So I chose Wed and Thurs.  I got a paper planner so I can chart the times when people ask what is available.
I also read this great post about things to do to shake up your studio.  Since I'm starting fresh AGAIN - we moved this past month...making 5 moves in 2 years - it's a great time to freshen up.  I'm going to have my teacher view my studio policy.  What are you doing that's new and fresh this year?  I'd love to hear

Playing vs Practicing

I have decided it is finally time to start taking piano lessons again.  It has been 15 years since my last lesson.  I had my first lesson 2 weeks ago, and it has opened my eyes to how much I have lost and what is missing in my level of confidence.  My teacher (who is fabulous!)  told me that I am rusty, and the thing I have to work on the most is going from PLAYING a piece to PRACTICING.  When you go through and play a piece straight through, it takes a long time for you to get better.  When you practice: with a metronome and really focus, it will suprise you at how much better you can get.  So the past 2 weeks, I have sat down and really focused on the pieces I was assigned.  I had one from each period: Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Contemporary.  I also had to work on scales, and 3 Hymns.  I have been amazed that Baroque - Bach Invention No. 8 wasn't as bad as I have always thought.  It does take an amazing amount of concentration though!!  There were days that I would practice for 1 1/2 hours too, and it didn't seem long enough, but that hour time limit put a stopping point on me which is also good.  I have been awakened at how far I have come and how far I have yet to go.  But I am so grateful for the opportunity to take lessons again and continue to progress for the future students that will come to me.

New starts

We have moved yet again, but hopefully this is the last time.  As I begin to think about setting up my studio, one of the things that comes to mind is visiting the local music store.  I've put my name on their list of teachers and found out about the local chapters of music teacher groups.  I have wondered where to start and one of the things I need is to start taking lessons again myself.  I have set a goal to talk to a local teacher who has been here for a long time to find out some tips and pointers.  Those have helped out so much in the past.  And something I'm really excited about is that through my husband's work, I can audit classes at our local college!  I'm going to find some pedagogy classes to take!!  So there are a few more ideas to getting started!
My sister is going to teach my daughter lessons, and I liked her "1st lesson" idea of an assessment.  She has my daughter play what she knows, do some sightreading, and figures out where to go from there.  I think that is a great idea for a first lesson, to get a handle on where the student is before getting them books...That would have saved me in the past!!