Inspired Piano Teaching
The Blog
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I have been largely absent this summer … but I haven’t been sitting around lazily enjoying this season! My husband and I signed on a house, completely renovated it (with the help of our amazing families), and moved in –…
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Resource Roundup: Practice Packs
Yesterday I taught 8 lessons. Of those 8 lessons I believe two students practiced this week. And I spent 15 minutes of one student’s lesson watching the student search the room for any trace of her books (we were online).…
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When Life Gives You Lemons…
Right about now is usually the time when my studio is in transition. The spring recital is ending, school is out or close to it, and I’m announcing fun summer plans. This year I have realized that although the transition…
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Adaptive Piano Lessons Domain: Physical
We have arrived at the end of our Adaptive Piano Journey! (For now … this is truly a journey that once you begin, never ends!). We have explored creative ways to foster excitement and creativity at the piano when you…
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Adaptive Piano Lessons Domain: Behavioral
“Nearly all academic and social activities require interpersonal interactions; therefore, a behavioral disorder can affect every area of a student’s development: intellectual, educational, and social.”* Please read that again, and let it sink in a little deeper. What’s being said…
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Resource Roundup: Rote Learning
Why rote learning? There have been long time arguments about the validity of rote learning, and whether or not it is considered “cheating”. I have no intention of beating around the bush, and due to the fact that I’m writing…
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Adaptive Piano Lessons Domain: Socio-Emotional
Music is an integral part of society. Here in America, our musical experience has been described as being a part of our lives from birth to death, experienced from the lowest to highest cognitive functioning, and enjoyed by one person…
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Adaptive Piano Lessons Domain: Communication
Imagine that you greet a new student at the door. Although mom looks at you and politely says hello and begins a normal conversation, the student is clearly distracted. Your kind and genuine welcome do nothing to put him at…
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Play Dough and Music
Since switching to online lessons, I will ask my students to have various household items on hand. The excitement of wondering how we will use them is usually evident the moment we start video chatting! They always hold their items…
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Adaptive Piano Lessons Domain: Cognitive
The cognitive domain can range from exceptional cognitive ability to severe cognitive and learning disabilities. For our purposes today, we will be focusing on the side of the spectrum where we find disabilities. Students with learning disabilities do not necessarily…
Meet McKenzie
Thanks for stopping by Piano Possibilities! My name is McKenzie Pausch, and I have been in love with teaching since 2010. As I started teaching out of my parent’s living room in high school, I had no idea how much of an impact I could choose to have on the students that walk through my door, and the even greater influence my students would have on me! My hope is that by reading this blog, teachers will be inspired and equipped to teach their students the way their students need to learn. If you as a teacher are aware of your student’s needs and are having fun, your students are bound to have fun too!