The Piano Pantry Podcast

Teacher Jonathan Roberts, director of the South Shore Piano School in Boston shares his experiences with the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) as an examiner, mentor, and US representative. We also discuss the impact of the RCM’s Music Lights the Way campaign, which gifted over 400,000 books to 20,000 teachers in the US and Canada from the new 6th edition of the series. The campaign includes an incredible new festival and competition as well. ITEMS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Jonathan Roberts - South Shore Piano School Music Lights the Way broadcast Royal Conservatory of Music Mentorship Program The Creeks by Jason Sifford Join The Piano Pantry Retreat FIRST notification email list CONNECT  Facebook @PianoPantry Instagram @amychaplinpiano TRANSCRIPT: There is no transcript available for this episode. SEND ME A VOICEMAIL

Spring is a season of rejuvenation and renewal so why not re-energize by giving your studio a good spring cleaning and physical overhaul? We’re not talking about your everyday dusting and sweeping here, people. It’s time to go deep. Deep cleaning, that is. SUBSCRIBE Click here to subscribe to Piano Pantry's GENERAL email list to keep up-to-date on all things new! CONNECT  PianoPantry.com/podcast/ Facebook @PianoPantry Instagram @amychaplinpiano TRANSCRIPT: There is no transcript available for this episode. SEND ME A VOICEMAIL

Five things we can do (outside of time off or vacation) to help us feel grounded and reset. That is, an extra breath of fresh air when down, a boost of energy when worn out, or a shot of inspiration when creatively dry. ITEMS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE MTNA’s Music Achievement Program Join the Piano Pantry Retreat FIRST notification email list SUBSCRIBE Click here to subscribe to Piano Pantry's GENERAL email list to keep up-to-date on all things new! CONNECT PianoPantry.com/podcast/ Facebook @PianoPantry Instagram @amychaplinpiano TRANSCRIPT: There is no transcript available for this episode. SEND ME A VOICEMAIL

In this episode, we look at three different formats we can use for our studio recital programs: print, digital, and verbal. We’ll talk through some of the pros and cons of each format and consider some good resources to help you through.

Crafting a recital preparation timeline and checklist is a simple and effective way to make your annual event run smoothly from year to year. ITEMS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Recital Preparation Timeline and Checklist Studio Awards Policies and Procedures Recital Signs The Best Chicken Soup You’ll Ever Eat CONNECT Subscribe to Piano Pantry's email list PianoPantry.com/podcast/ Facebook @PianoPantry Instagram @amychaplinpiano TRANSCRIPT: There is no transcript available for this episode. SEND ME A VOICEMAIL

Listen in on a fun “teacher talk” group chat with three of my very own piano teacher friends: Joy Morin of ColorinMyPiano.com, Janna Williamson of JannaWilliamson.com, and Christina Whitlock of the Beyond Measure Podcast. ITEMS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Post-It Note Reflection Printable (Christina Whitlock) Episode #67 Cheers to the Best Advice I’ve Ever Received (Beyond Measure Podcast) Determining Tuition Rates for Piano Teachers (Color in my Piano) Flat Tuition Payments for Private Music Lessons (Chad Twedt) SUBSCRIBE Click here to subscribe to Piano Pantry's GENERAL email list to keep up-to-date on all things new! CONNECT PianoPantry.com/podcast/ Facebook @PianoPantry Instagram @amychaplinpiano TRANSCRIPT: There is no transcript available for this episode. SEND ME A VOICEMAIL

Life lessons taken from my brief time in the sales industry more than 20 years ago that have stayed with me to this day. ITEMS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Cutco 4“ Trimmer knife (Amazon Affiliate Link) Episode #11 - Practice What You Preach...Literally (The Piano Pantry Podcast) Webinar: Connect and Engage: Professional Development Resources for the Independent Music Teacher SUBSCRIBE Click here to subscribe to Piano Pantry's GENERAL email list to keep up-to-date on all things new! CONNECT PianoPantry.com/podcast/ Facebook @PianoPantry Instagram @amychaplinpiano TRANSCRIPT: There is no transcript available for this episode. SEND ME A VOICEMAIL

In this episode, we’ll look at four ways we as studio teachers can develop and nurture friendships with other teachers. Through each avenue, I’ll also share the stories of how I met three of my own piano teacher friends. ITEMS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE 2022 Music Teacher’s National Conference Joy Morin - Color in My Piano Christina Whitlock - Beyond Measure Podcast Janna Williamson 8 Tips for Making the Most of a Virtual Conference (Natalie Weber) Quote from The Lazy Genius Podcast #250 How I Make This Podcast SUBSCRIBE Click here to subscribe to Piano Pantry's GENERAL email list to keep up-to-date on all things new! CONNECT  PianoPantry.com/podcast/ Facebook @PianoPantry Instagram @amychaplinpiano TRANSCRIPT: There is no transcript available for this episode. SEND ME A VOICEMAIL

A brief history tour of the development and evolution of the world of piano teacher blogs and websites. Through this view from my perspective, I’ll interlace my own story of Piano Pantry, highlighting some of the resources available to you. Lastly, we’ll wrap up with a look into how you too can “share your stuff.” ITEMS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE BOOK: Share Your Stuff, I’ll Go First by Laura Tremaine Hot Air Balloon Ride with Natalie Weber of Music Matters Blog Piano Pantry - celebrating 6 years with a discount in the shop. SUBSCRIBE Click here to subscribe to Piano Pantry's GENERAL email list to keep up-to-date on all things new! CONNECT PianoPantry.com/podcast/ Facebook @PianoPantry Instagram @amychaplinpiano TRANSCRIPT: There is no transcript available for this episode. SEND ME A VOICEMAIL

While practice is one of the biggest lines we tow with students, the truth is, as teachers, we aren’t always practicing what we preach. In today’s episode, we’ll look at reasons we may not practice enough ourselves and find ways we can enable a regular routine because practice...it’s not just for students! MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Atomic Habits by James Clear (Amazon) Book Review - Atomic Habits by James Clear (PianoPantry.com) 5 Reasons to Perform Alongside Your Students at Studio Recitals (ColorinMyPiano.com) Amy’s Spotify Playlists Listening Playlists To Accompany Music-Themed Children’s Books SUBSCRIBE Click here to subscribe to Piano Pantry's GENERAL email list to keep up-to-date on all things new! CONNECT PianoPantry.com/podcast/ Facebook @PianoPantry Instagram @amychaplinpiano (Please note that Piano Pantry is a participant in the Amazon Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Simply put, being an associate allows me to make a small percentage from Amazon on items to which I link at no extra cost to you.) TRANSCRIPT: There is no transcript available for this episode. SEND ME A VOICEMAIL

A casual teacher-friend chat with Karen Thickstun, President of Music Teacher’s National Association (MTNA), 2021-2023. Karen Thickstun, NCTM, teaches piano pedagogy at Butler University, operates an independent studio, and recently retired as founding director of the Butler Community Arts School. She holds degrees in music, economics and business administration. Thickstun is currently serving as national president of Music Teachers National Association (MTNA). Contact Karen: kthickstun@butler.edu OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE’S CONVERSATION (1) Karen’s background including a business degree in economics (2) Butler University pedagogy position (3) Her path to MTNA President (4) Begin engaged in the profession - Say YES! (5) Attending Conferences  / MTNA 2022 (6) An organizational tip - she says it’s “old school” but I think it’s great! (7) The non-teacher side of Karen - including auto racing! (8) Silly/Fun Fact about Karen (involves March Madness!) SUBSCRIBE Click here to subscribe to Piano Pantry's GENERAL email list to keep up-to-date on all things new! ITEMS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Podcast Episode: 001 Organizing Student Files (The Piano Pantry Podcast) Blog Post: File Fever: Organizing Student Files (PianoPantry.com) Blog Post: Tips for Presenting: Tools, Resources, and a Pep-Talk OTHER RELATED RESOURCES Blog Post: Organizing Your Hard Copy Music Books (labeling file folders) CONNECT  PianoPantry.com/podcast/ Facebook @PianoPantry Instagram @amychaplinpiano TRANSCRIPT: There is no transcript available for this episode. SEND ME A VOICEMAIL

A few ways we can give small offerings in our lives and studios when we feel a world away but hold current events in our hearts. We’ll wrap up the episode with a moment of silence as a collective community to offer thoughts and prayers for all those in Russia and Ukraine but even more specifically for our colleagues affected there and elsewhere. ITEMS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE National Anthem of Ukraine (sheet music by Daniel Light) RSS Reader SUBSCRIBE Click here to subscribe to Piano Pantry's GENERAL email list to keep up-to-date on all things new! CONNECT  PianoPantry.com/podcast/ Facebook @PianoPantry Instagram @amychaplinpiano TRANSCRIPT: There is no transcript available for this episode. SEND ME A VOICEMAIL

No matter how long we’ve been teaching or what level of education we have, giving written feedback and ratings to an unknown student in a one-off event is a completely different setting and format than working directly with a student you know in person on a weekly basis. In this episode, we’re going to look at four ways we can conscientiously prepare ourselves as adjudicators leading up to a festival or competition. SUBSCRIBE Click here to subscribe to Piano Pantry's GENERAL email list to keep up-to-date on all things new! ITEMS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Episode 24: Cheers to Adjudication Success (Beyond Measure Podcast) Judging Cheat Sheet - Free Printable (4D Piano Teaching) Preparing for Fall: Useful Adjectives for Teaching (Compose Create) 4 Ways Judging Can Make You a Better Teacher (Compose Create) 7 Qualities of a Great Piano Judge (Compose Create) 10 of the Best Judging Comments for Piano Judging (Compose Create) OTHER RELATED RESOURCES The Language of Teaching (Piano Pantry) Adjudicating: 5 Tips for Preparing Ahead of Time (Piano Pantry) CONNECT PianoPantry.com/podcast/ Facebook @PianoPantry Instagram @amychaplinpiano TRANSCRIPT: There is no transcript available for this episode. SEND ME A VOICEMAIL

Track tasks with your photo app. Shockingly simple? Yes, but there’s an important kicker you won’t want to miss. After taking a brief look back at the evolution of photo management in our lives, I’ll share how my photo app has become both a way of tracking tasks as well as a daily recurring task in and of itself. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Blog post: Digital Photo Organization (2017) Blog post: 5 Reasons Why Google Photos Might Be the Perfect Solution for Your Studio Blog post: Build A Lending Library of Piano-Themed Children’s Books Blog post: Music-Themed Comic Books for Your Studio Lending Library SUBSCRIBE Click here to subscribe to Piano Pantry's GENERAL email list to keep up-to-date on all things new! CONNECT  PianoPantry.com/podcast/ Facebook @PianoPantry Instagram @amychaplinpiano TRANSCRIPT: There is no transcript available for this episode. SEND ME A VOICEMAIL

Is your task list stressing you out? Does it feel like your task list is never-ending? In this episode, we’ll talk about how we can identify three different types of tasks and separate them out in a useful, practical, and sustainable way because it’s true - they’re not all created equal! SUBSCRIBE Click here to subscribe to Piano Pantry's GENERAL email list to keep up-to-date on all things new! ITEMS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Keep.Google.com Calendar.Google.com Evernote.com Christmas By Ear Book Amy’s available speaking sessions OTHER RELATED RESOURCES Book: Getting Things Done by David Allen CONNECT  PianoPantry.com/podcast/ Facebook @PianoPantry Instagram @amychaplinpiano TRANSCRIPT: There is no transcript available for this episode. SEND ME A VOICEMAIL

A casual teacher-friend chat with Ben Kapilow, host of the podcast “All Keyed Up.” Ben Kapilow is the Resident Music Director at the Media Theatre for the Performing Arts in Media, PA, where he teaches a private studio of 60 students and music directs musicals for the Broadway and Children's Series. He is the host of "All Keyed Up," an interview podcast aimed at piano teachers. MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: benkapilow.com All Keyed Up Podcast Episode with Nicola Cantan: Teaching Composition focusmate.com/ (Productivity accountability website) SUBSCRIBE Click here to subscribe to Piano Pantry's GENERAL email list to keep up-to-date on all things new! CONNECT  PianoPantry.com/podcast/ Facebook @PianoPantry Instagram @amychaplinpiano TRANSCRIPT: There is no transcript available for this episode. SEND ME A VOICEMAIL

The conflict between prime teaching hours and the evening meal can make getting dinner on the table tricky. In this episode, we’ll look at 6 different ways or tools, if you will, that you can keep in your back pocket to help make dinner happen despite our schedules. My hope is that you might consider there’s more than one way to juggle a teacher’s dinner struggle. AMY’S FAVORITE SLOW-COOKER RECIPES Get your download here. ITEMS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Key Ideas podcast - Episode 11: Organizing Tips for Piano Teachers with Amy Chaplin Blog post: Food Prep and the Studio Schedule RELATED RESOURCES Facebook group: Cookin’ Piano Teachers CONNECT PianoPantry.com/podcast/ Facebook @PianoPantry Instagram @amychaplinpiano SUBSCRIBE Click here to subscribe to Piano Pantry's GENERAL email list to keep up-to-date on all things new! SEND ME A VOICEMAIL

Today is all about incorporating group classes into your studio offerings. After experimenting with a variety of formats over the years, I’ll share my experiences with each. We’ll also touch on how fees come into play as well as times of year that seem to be the sweet spot for holding these enrichment classes. For the cherry on top, stay tuned to hear about the big group class revelation that took me 10 years to figure out. SUBSCRIBE Click here to subscribe to Piano Pantry's GENERAL email list to keep up-to-date on all things new! RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Charlene Shelzi (Three Cranky Women) Blog Post: Group Lesson Planning Made Easy Beyond Measure Podcast with Christina Whitlock - Episode 38: Cheers to a Less-Conventional August Amy’s available speaking sessions Babbel language program OTHER RELATED RESOURCES A Visual Listening Guide for Group Class Performances Manipulatives and Games for Private and Group Lessons: A Master List December Fun: Christmas Games and Activities for Your Studio CONNECT ****PianoPantry.com/podcast/Facebook @PianoPantryInstagram @amychaplinpiano SEND ME A VOICEMAIL

Before this new podcast gets too far in, we’re going to address the elephant in the room: the fact that I’m not the first piano teacher podcast vying for your attention! In this episode, we’re going to talk about how to manage our own personal intake of podcasts in a healthy way that’s manageable and enjoyable without feeling overwhelmed by all the content or like it’s another task on our to-do list. DOWNLOAD A QUICK REFERENCE SHEET OF THESE 10 TIPS: Get your download here. QUOTE MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: How Podcasts Can Cheer You On to New Heights of Success (The Curious Piano Teachers) MY FAVORITE COOKIE RECIPES: 5 Ingredient Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (Pinch of Yum) Milk Chocolate Chunk Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies (King Arthur Baking) Spiced Pumpkin-Raisin Cookies (Giada de Laurentiis) Soft and Chewy Molasses Spice Cookies (Cook’s Illustrated) Sweet Potato Snickerdoodles (The Kitchn) RELATED RESOURCES: Favorite Podcasts Under 20 Minutes (PianoPantry.com) 12 Podcasts for Piano Teachers in 2021 (ColorinMyPiano.com) My Favorite Podcasts for Music Teachers (ColoufulKeys.ie) CONNECT: PianoPantry.com/podcast/ Facebook @PianoPantry Instagram @amychaplinpiano SUBSCRIBE: Click here to subscribe to Piano Pantry's GENERAL email list to keep up-to-date on all things new!

As this podcast kicks off, it's the first week of January. Lesson schedules are re-launching as students return to our studios. The start of the new semester means a lot of new materials are being organized and distributed. Let's discuss how we can keep all of our student materials orderly and easily accessible including labeling and using two different levels and types of storage. ITEMS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE: The Perfect Teaching Table RELATED POSTS: File Fever: Organizing Student Files CONNECT:  PianoPantry.com/podcast/ Facebook @PianoPantry Instagram @amychaplinpiano SUBSCRIBE:  Click here to subscribe to Piano Pantry's email list to keep up-to-date on all things new on Piano Pantry!