LESSON TIPS

Assignment Sheet

All Students should be given an assignment sheet, and the Instructor must complete the assignment portion for that lesson date at each lesson.

Be Aware of the Camera

Keep the camera angle in mind when teaching the student. It is best not to have your back against the camera, while blocking the student. Parents enjoy watching their child on the security cameras to be sure that they are safe and enjoying lessons.

Focus on the Student

One of the biggest complaints we receive is about teachers taking lesson time to promoting their own band or talk about themselves. Though it is nice to share about yourself with the student, don’t start conversation topics that would compel the students to have to ask you more questions to be polite such as:

  • “I play in a band”

  • “I had a rough day”

  • “My boyrfriend and I are fighting”

  • “Mt car broke down this morning”

If a student or parent asks how you are, simply say “Great” and ask how the student is. Please keep questions focused on the student - geared to executing a focused lesson with lots of quality content.

Music

Please do not use any copyrighted music for lessons. All piano books are available for purchase at all locations. Depending on gifting, practicing, and other factors, Students should be moving to the next level every year around April/May. Then in the summer they should look forward to the next set of books. Please make sure all the songs in each book are used, and encourage memorization of at least 1 song a month to build confidence. It is always nice to have a song in your back pocket that you can play anywhere!

Never Touch the Student Under Any Conditions

In the past, piano teachers would adjust their students’ hands to ensure good form. Now, we don’t touch students for any reason. Do not even ask the students if you can touch them for ANY reason. Demonstrate - but do not touch.

Piano teachers should never sit on the same bench as the student.

Piano Lessons

All Students should receive the piano curriculum list. The books in red font are part of the general curriculum - the Lesson and Theory books are required so that there is a steady learning progression of key musical concepts and piano theory. This method prevents accidental skipping over important learning material with not as much overlap. We use the Faber Piano Adventure books to Henle urtext, and everything in between such as Imagine Dragons, Disney, Coldplay, Chart Hits and more.

Recitals

Recitals are every March, June, September and December. Recital Prep Sessions will be held the month before each recital in February, May, August and November. Recitals are included part of the tuition equivalent to the lesson fee, which is unheard of for the scope of professionalism our recitals are. We have our own private concert hall that seats 100, with complete AV and a 9ft Concert Grand CF and more. Students have the opportunity to get the full solo performance experience - which is not available in a place where they are 1 in a 10 person band or 1 in a 20 person musical where he/she is an extra playing a tree or a flower. Sure, those are great and we can have those too but there is nothing like the solo performance!

Recording

Please do not record the student without the permission of Management, who will also need to obtain written approval of the Student parent. The Instructor can record him/herself (the Instructor’s voice) as a sample to aid in learning a song and send it through the portal. If a Student wishes to record themselves - please have the Student bring a device such as an iPad or iPhone to the next lesson. Any footage with a Roos Instructor on studio premises must have mention of the school.

Songwriting

We do not teach songwriting lessons or composition. We have had singer-songwriter Instructors in the past who get inspiration from creative Students and vice versa. However, due to legal complications we specifically ask Instructors to stick to teaching and not composing with students until we have a formal contract system in place.

Voice Lessons

All voice lessons should be taught on keyboards since - not acoustic pianos. Acoustic pianos are always slightly off pitch depending on the date of the most recent tuning, and can also be quite loud. Voice/Piano combo students need to keep warmups to the electric keyboard, and then transition to the Acoustic piano for the piano portion.

Zoom Lessons

Students also have the option of requesting to take the lesson via Zoom. This can be for one lesson or for the lessons going forward. Zoom lessons will be indicated by a small globe, and in-person lesson will be indicated by a building icon. 15 minutes before the lesson start time, a button with the option to Zoom will appear. Each Instructor has their own personal meeting room so no Zoom link is necessary.