SHHHH…Your Piano Teacher Thinks This is Practice: review and giveaway!
Today I am excited to tell you about a new practice resource made available by Andrea and Trevor over at Teach Piano Today (which, by the way, is an amazing resource full of fun and creative ideas for piano teachers…I am excited to peruse their website more and I’m inspired by their creativity!).
SHHHH… Your Piano Teacher Thinks This is Practice is a book with 88 fun, creative and sometimes random practice exercises and games that will “exhilarate, motivate, and inspire piano students to practice each and every single day… with no hassle, no struggle, no prodding, and no bribing!” (quoted from their website – sounds like a good deal to me!)
The format of the book is super fun, with cute illustrations on each page. It’s kind of like a top-secret notebook full of fun things to do; it is written in a fun and humorous way, and even includes a couple of notes to the neighbors, apologizing for the loud piano music and saying “the book made me do it!” This book seems like something I would have loved as a kid!
As I read through these exercises I found myself smiling and laughing at some of the clever and inventive ways the authors have come up with to encourage children to practice their pieces. Don’t just clap a rhythm…hop it on one leg! Call up a relative and give them a performance over the phone! Each exercise has students drilling measures, playing pieces in creative ways, identifying and practicing difficult measures, working on articulation, turning pieces into fairy tales, balancing on one foot while drilling rhythm, doing number games to determine number of repetitions for a section of a piece, coloring, cutting things out, etc. There will never be a dull practice day with this fun book.
(Here are some sample pages made available by the authors on their website.)
Not only are these exercises creative and fun, but most of them also encourage good and sound practicing techniques. I think that through doing these exercises students will not only have more fun with their practicing, but they will become better and more thoughtful practicers. This book is meant as a supplement to the student’s regular practicing. It is a perfect way to add a little excitement to the practice session.
I really think this is a fantastic resource and cannot wait to use it with some of my students. As there are 88 daily exercises in the book, I can’t help but think what a wonderful summer practicing program this would make! I LOVE that when you purchase the book, you are granted the right to make unlimited copies for your private piano studio. What a great deal!
Andrea and Trevor have been kind enough to offer to give away a copy of their book to TWO lucky Teaching Studio readers! To enter, please leave me a comment! Giveaway ends on Friday, May 1 at 11:59 pm Central time. Winner will be announced Saturday morning.
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WOW this book looks great – definitely want to get it – my kids have been complaining a lot lately of how boring they think piano is. It makes my husband and I sad cause we really want them to like it cause we know how much more they will learn if the desire is there. My husband is getting ready to deploy in a few weeks (we are military stationed in AZ). I told the kids while daddy was gone and during these next few hot months in AZ we will be working on some stuff to get better and learn to enjoy – so we can surprise daddy when he gets back and piano was one of them. I was looking for fun activities and games to do to make it more exciting and think I found it. Thanks for sharing.
I would love this book! I have a piano studio and I am always looking for fun, fresh new ways to approach the piano. I have enjoyed your blog!
Jenny, I love your site! It really helps and I love that you are always teaching me about cool resources! What a neat tool! I hope I win!
michhill@gmail.com
What a fun resource! I would love to try it out.
My students definitely need some help with their practicing. This book seems to have some really good ideas! I would love to win!!
Looks great!
Definitely excited that a book like this is out there! Can't wait to read it 🙂
Would love to use this book! Thank you for your site, it is very helpful.
This is totally precious! I hope I win!
Stephanie J
brightman73 at yahoo dot come
This looks like so much fun! I would love to win!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the book! I'd love to enter for a chance to win!
Thanks for sharing! Would love a copy!
What fun! I wish this book had been around when I was a student… ;)but I know that my own students would LOVE a book like this!
Thanks for hosting the giveaway 🙂
Sounds like a great idea. I would love a book!
This looks like a great practice booster. Hope to try it out during our June 'Piano Camp' month. Thank you for your blog, and especially the little Muscle Builder book!
How clever and fun! This would make a great addition for any young beginning student. Also great ideas just to use in your studio when you have a student "off the bench". Thank you for letting us know and offering the giveaway!
This looks like something my students would enjoy.
This sounds like a wonderful resource! Thanks for the offer. 🙂
That book looks awesome! I would have loved it as a kid. I'd probably even love it today!
Wow, what an awesome book! Even if I don't win, I will definitely be purchasing one to look over for myself. 🙂
This looks totally fun! I think I need it!!!
This looks like a really fun book. I am always looking for some way for my students to "practice". I would love to win!
Emily F.
That sounds like just the resource for my summer lesson plans!
Thanks for the review! This would be so helpful.
This looks like a great resource! I'd love to have a copy and try out their ideas with my students!
My students would really enjoy these practice ideas!
looks like a great resource for my studio — thanks for bringing it to our attention and reviewing it!
I always need new creative resources!
kimberosew@gmail.com
I have been scouring the internet for unique ways to inspire my young students, here in the UK, to practise and enjoy their music – hence I found your website. I'd love to receive this book!
x
How fun! What a fabulous idea!
moody[dot]joanna[at]gmail[dot]com
I'm bored with my own practice tricks, and I know my students are, too! It would be fun to put this to work during my mini-summer sessions!
This looks great! Really would've come in handy for my recital tonight…
What fun! This sounds like something my students and I would absolutely love.love.love!
I neeeeeeeeeed this book! I teach a lot of younger students, and these activities would so appeal to them!
Perfect timing for the beginning of summer!!! My students would LOVE this!
I would love to have this book. It would be especially great for some of my special learners who keep me racking my brain for ways to get them to repeat things as many times as possible while maintaining the fun of lessons.
I would love this book for ideas for the studio! It looks great.
Wow, I know this book would benefit a lot of my students and help emphasize my teaching that music is FUN!
Wow, this would benefit so many of my students and help make music FUN!!
This looks like a fantastic book! Thanks for posting! I'll definitely be buying the book, if I'm not picked. 🙂
This book looks like such fun, thanks so much for sharing!! I am definitely adding it to my studio wish list!
What a fun book. I am starting up my piano studio after having baby number 3. I've taught off and on for several friends, but not really seriously like I am ready to do now. What a fun resource!
Tamwaliis@gmail.com
Would love having.
Oh I would love to win this! It would be a great tool for practicing over the summer with no formal lessons going on.
Great book. Now I don't have to write it.
Looks good for my students who go on vacation during the summer.
I would love to have a copy!