Thank-you, my loyal readers, for joining with me through my third year of blogging! We’ve been through a lot together and your support means so much to me!

In this 2021 countdown I’ll focus on my top 5 pedagogical posts! If you’re new to my blog and want a quick introduction to my most popular posts, or if you were busy at times through the year and missed some of these, here they are!

5. Piano play-along duet: I Love Coffee, I Love Tea and Knuckles [Teacher intro]

Organize a complete unit in five sections on I Love Coffee, I Love Tea! Students can: 1) learn the upper duet tunes by rote with tutorial videos and a supporting guide sheet; 2) teach it to a family member; 3) learn the duet chords with a tutorial video and music sheet; 4) learn about the circle of fifths; and 5) become a music arranger! Keep your students engaged with this amazing project! Keep reading >>

4. Intervals: Sure-fire songs for memorizing by ear [ascending and descending]

Here’s the only list you’ll ever need to learn or teach intervals by ear, complete with high-quality sound samples! Presented in an easy-to-search format, cover the intervals in any order! Keep reading >>

3. Leopold Mozart’s guide on how to teach composition to creative kids

Leopold Mozart revealed much about how he taught his son, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, in Mozart’s first little keyboard compositions. Do you want to feel more confident as a composition teacher? It’s actually a relief to learn some of Leopold’s big secrets! Keep reading >>

2. Starting and teaching beginner piano students online

Teaching young beginners online? Don’t let the challenges get you down! With a bit of planning and a few special tricks up your sleeve, you’ll feel more confident teaching young beginners in no time! Keep reading >>

1. No time for theory in piano lessons? Copy J.S. Bach’s approach!

Having no luck fitting theory into piano lessons? Try this clever tip from J.S. Bach! When he was a child he learned about music notation in a clever way that can actually help today’s teachers fit theory into even the busiest of piano lessons. What’s more, this approach helps students pay better attention to the details in the pieces they are currently learning! Keep reading >>

The COVID-19 pandemic is a topic I’ve covered extensively to support my fellow teachers. These are some of my top-visited articles of all time. Whether you’re teaching in person, online or have a hybrid schedule, I have posts to support you! The following roundup includes links to all of the articles I’ve written on the topic.

Guidelines for teaching piano during COVID-19

Piano teachers can overcome the challenges of teaching piano during COVID-19. But sometimes it gets a bit overwhelming. If you need a little help, inspiration, ideas for online teaching or thoughts on staying safer in person, look to the articles linked in this launchpad post. We can do this! Keep reading >>

2021 shop bestsellers!

Top 3 Products

#3 Rock the Boat print and eBook

Jazz, blues, rock and expressive pop piano for Early Elementary to Elementary piano (Primer Level to Prep A).

#2 Johnny Appleseed print and eBook

Joyful songs, prayers, lullabies and children’s hymns. Early Elementary (Primer Level) piano with optional teacher duets.

#1 MaxMusic Piano eSheet Club

Twelve studio-licensed eSheets for one incredibly low price! Get one eSheet delivered to your inbox on the 1st day of each month like a sweet little surprise. 12 titles for the year, delivered one at a time.

I can’t wait for 2022 and how we can work together to make piano lessons awesome!

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I appreciate shares, comments and likes. Happy teaching! ❤

Rebekah Maxner, composer, blogger, piano teacher. Follow my blog for great tips!

Video of the Week

Boogie Woogie Man with Ending Two (Late Elementary, Level 2), Twelve bar blues in a boogie made of a catchy black and white key chromatic pattern that copies across the keyboard, eighth rests, off-beat rhythms, and ends with glissando. Rock That Train, 11 Late Elementary to Early Intermediate piano solos inspired by today’s popular styles! Or, check out the studio-licensed Boogie Woogie Man eSheet!