Organizing My Teaching Tools: Piano Teaching Binders

After several years of finding a treasure trove of online piano teaching resources, I decided to compile my most often used on the bench teaching aids into a couple of binders with tabbed dividers w/ sheet protectors. It's so convenient to have my note naming, sightreading & rhythm drills all in one place as students work to compete in the Piano Summer Olympics Events.

Fun animated elementary music videos

Major/minor





Treble Clef (Piano Discoveries)


The Cool Bass Clef





Quarter Note Song

Piano Keyboard ABC's Fun Learning Video

I just came across this fun short video on Youtube to teach about white key letter names.  I love the clever animation!

Free Staff Notes Game Online - Staff Wars

If you haven't played Staff Wars - watch out! You might get addicted :) Over the past few days I've discovered how engaging (and addictive) this free downloadable game can be for kids.  Its a great addition to my piano lab. One element of my studio summer piano incentive "Music Olympics" is for students to track their scores on Staff Wars (from The Music Interactive-Classroom Apps ).  My son is determined to stay in the lead in this particular event and is willing to clean his room, do his chores and practice piano so he can try and advance past level 8.    I'm loving his motivation and improved note reading skills!
In this game the notes slide across the staff and as the student clicks on the correct letter name the note explodes.  After each set of 10 correct answers you advance a level and the notes (and background music) increase in speed.  You can select Treble, Bass or Alto Clef.

Piano Lab: Listening & Analysis Activities Hal Leonard Book 4

In addition to the online music games, music software and (rarely used) theory books in my piano lab, for late elementary students, I put together a list of analysis tasks specific to the music in their lesson books.

I begin analysis activities with my students very early by having them color various elements of their music (see this post "Hand Over the Pencil - Actively Engaging Music Students").

As they become more familiar with this process, I assign them analysis/ear training tasks to work on independently during Piano Lab Time to go along with the specific pieces in their lesson book. With this approach, the theory, ear training and analysis activities are more meaningful because they are directly relevant to the music they are currently learning to play.

I store the printout of these lesson book lab assignments in a correlating color coded 3 ring binder with other related theory worksheets corresponding with the lesson book concepts.  Sheet protectors & dry erase markers save me a ton in printing costs!

For example, following are the Lab Activities I have outlined for Hal Leonard Lesson Book 4 (with  CD):

Piano Music Storage Bags

As a practical minded piano teacher, I prefer to come up with unique yet useful rewards for our annual piano studio Achievement in Music Program.  Partly this is due to the fact that we have accumulated a lot of participation trophies from our children's involvement in various sports, which collect dust on the shelf and eventually end up having to be stored in a box on a different shelf.  Last year my students were excited to get a grand piano shaped pencil sharpener with keys that move as you sharpen.
After reading this fabulous tutorial on how to  "Make Your Own Piano Bag"  post by Anne,  I was inspired to make some individualized bags for students who earned superior marks.   I selected some free images online and let the students pick their choice of image and font. 

I picked up some multi-packs of canvas totes & iron on inkjet transfer paper from Walmart and here are a few of the results.
My favorite image was this free printable quote from my sister Kara's blog.

 In addition to ironing this on one of my student's bags, I  printed and framed the bright yellow version of this and placed it on the window ledge above my kitchen sink.  As a mom of 6, it provides perspective for me on days when the dishes and laundry piles seem endless or when my kids are less than enthusiastic about practicing the piano and I start to feel a little discouraged.  I love reading this optimistic reminder!

So even though my children still don't jump at the chance to practice, at least they always know where to find their books( in the wicker "piano bag" basket next to the piano) and my house is one step closer to clutter free :)