Last week teaching my class of seven 13-year-old students who have just finished their grade 6 piano exam, I had a revelation. This moment of illumination stemmed from how I managed to lose 9kg.

If you’re reading this, you’re probably a piano teacher committed to professional development. Maybe you, too, have read Carol Dweck’s book on growth and closed mindsets. I believe I have a growth mindset (most of the time). I love her quote about teaching kids, “Don’t judge, teach. It’s a learning process.” I try not to judge, but these 13-year-olds had previously been driving me nuts!

At this stage, you’re probably wondering what a piano class of 13-year-olds has to do with losing 9kg. Let me explain...

We’ve all heard that quote about doing the same thing and expecting a different result. Back in my 20s & early 30s, I could just exercise away the extra pounds that made their way to my tummy. Now at 50-something, the scales don’t lie, and I had managed to become 10kg overweight.

In more r...

Show Notes

EPISODE 29: Using Neuroscience to Engage your piano students.

00:25 Register Now for the Accelerated Success 5 Day Teaching Challenge
00:55 Neuroscience around learning with Dr. Robyn Staveley
02:04 How does our brain learn and the impact of movement on learning and teaching sight reading? 
03:32 Why are the eyes and hands so important in learning?
07:14 Should we incorporate screens and videos in our piano teaching?
10:54 Away from the piano learning, is that useful?
15:00 How does a Natural Learning Process assist the brain to learn more effectively on piano lesson structure?
20:14 How does singing connect to understanding music?
24:00 Are all these embodied techniques really the most efficient way to learn and do they reward students more for learning?
27:58 How do we help the students feel like they're playing music, and not just "learning"?
31:18 How can we use group lessons and socialising to help the brain learn?
33:46 What is an Enriched Learning Environment?
40:23 ...