This spring Whitney and I had the opportunity to present for a couple local music teacher associations here in the DFW area.  Our presentation focused on how teachers can maintain the excitement and sense of community established at a teaching conference throughout the rest of the year.  This seems like a relevant topic as we are coming down from our “conference high” from MTNA in San Antonio, so over the next couple weeks we are going to share the content of our presentation here with you.

To begin, why should we stay connected online?  We are probably preaching to the choir since you are here reading our blog, but we think there are so many benefits of connecting with others teachers.  Teaching can be a very solitary profession and it’s easy to get into a teaching rut.  Staying connected through blogs and online forums can offer new ideas daily, provide instant solutions to teaching challenges, and connect us with colleagues around the world.  The first and easiest way to keep our teaching fresh is through the abundance of new ideas available on teaching blogs.  There are so many piano teaching blogs out there, but we are going to stick with our 10 favorites:

  1. 4D Piano Teaching (http://www.4dpianoteaching.com) –
    • Of course this is our blog, hopefully you have that figured out 😉
    • We have been blogging since 2013 and we love the challenge of finding and creating new resources to share with our readers.
  2. Compose Create (http://www.composecreate.com) –
    • Written by Wendy Stevens (who we loved getting to meet at MTNA)
    • Est. 2010
    • We love rhythm cups, original compositions for beginning students, and her advice for the business side of teaching.
  3. Susan Paradis Piano Teaching Resources (http://www.susanparadis.com) –
    • Written by Susan Paradis (who we also had the privilege of meeting at MTNA)
    • Est. 2008
    • We love her pre-reading music and activities for preschool students, as well as her seasonal games and activities, all offered for free!
  4. Color in My Piano (http://www.colorinmypiano.com) –
    • Written by Joy Morin
    • Est. 2009
    • We love ice cream intervals, rhythm flashcards, regular new posts, and comprehensive reference pages.
  5. Teach Piano Today (http://www.teachpianotoday.com) –
    • Written by Trevor and Andrea Dow
    • Est. 2010
    • We love using this as a quick resource for fresh, easy, and creative ideas.
  6. Music Educator Resources (http://www.musiceducatorresources.com) –
    • Written by Jennifer Foxx.  This blog was previously called Foxx Piano Studio Resources.
    • Est. 2010
    • We love her resources for group lessons and summer camps, as well as her incentive programs available for purchase.
  7. Diane Hidy’s Teaching Tips (http://www.dianehidy.com/teaching-tips) –
    • Written by Diane Hidy
    • Est. 2012
    • We love her recommendations for teaching tools and manipulative, as well as her Attention Grabbers books.
  8. 88 Piano Keys (http://www.88pianokeys.me) –
    • Written by Leila J. Viss
    • Est. 2012
    • We love her ideas for using technology in the studio and the “Get Inspired” resources page.
  9. Sara’s Music Studio (http://www.sarasmusicstudio.com/blog) –
    • Written by Sara Campbell
    • Est. 2010
    • We love her free printable worksheets, reference sheets, DIY music ornament ideas, and holiday games.
  10. Colourful Keys (http://www.colourfulkeys.ie) –
    • Written by Nicola Cantan
    • Est. 2013
    • We love her theory worksheet catalogue that organizes worksheets and aligns them with Faber Piano Adventures levels.

Did we miss one of your favorite blogs?  We’d love to hear about it.  Stay posted for the rest of our presentation including how to keep up with all these blogs, suggested Facebook groups, podcasts, and YouTube channels.

Author: Spring

Spring Seals, NCTM, teaches 60 piano students ranging from age 3 to 70 in Fort Worth, Texas. She also serves as the Director of Certification for TMTA. She is passionate about helping teachers become more effective in their studios through professional development, new resources, and fresh ideas.