I’m really excited to be reviewing a new practice book for students. I bought this downloadable book over a month ago and the second I read it I knew I wanted to share it with everyone but I had a ton on my plate at that time so it had to wait. Well… the wait is over and now I get to share!
Shhhh… your Piano Teacher thinks This is PRACTICE! is the brain child of Andrea and Trevor with Teach Piano Today, a piano teaching blog, community, and resource center. Their main focus with the TeachPianoToday Blog is to help teachers advance piano education through creative innovation. “We aspire to revolutionize those aspects of learning piano that are, for lack of a better word, boring. Having this goal meant that improving the art of piano practice for students was very high on our list!”
This book is a practice activity book specifically for students. There are 88 activities students can supplement in their practicing. Each activity is unique in it’s own way, many time encouraging students to get up and off the bench. I asked my students at piano summer camp if they have been using the book at home with their practicing and one of my 5 year old students got up and started hopping on one foot singing “Old MacDonald”. I was thrilled to see this! First, I was glad the parent followed through and had her child use it, but I was also happy to see how excited my student was to share one of the practice activities. This meant she was having fun with her practicing!
Some examples of other activities that can be found in the book would be calling a relative on the phone and playing the piece for them right when they answer without saying a word before playing, create a TV commercial for this week’s practice coming up with 3 things that make your piece great, piano practice games such as hangman, practice in the dark or fill out a music mad lib!
Click new-aunt-gladys-sample and new-rockin-rhythm-sample to preview a couple activity pages of the book.
I’m always excited to find new ideas to make practicing more fun for students so I asked Andrea what inspired them with the idea of this book. She shared the following…
“Whether talking with teachers, parents, or students, we always hear the same thing; piano practice frustrates me. Teachers are frustrated with students who never practice, parents are frustrated with the constant struggle to enforce regular practice, and students are frustrated with simply having to practice.
The main struggle for students is not an inability to be able to practice but rather a lack of motivation or desire. Because of this, we set out to create a piano practice book designed to inspire piano students to practice for 88 straight days!
With such a lofty goal we knew we had to create a never-before-seen practice book filled with 88 daily activities that would be absolutely, positively, most definitely NOT BORING!. And with activities such as Calling Aunt Gladys,Play Hello to the Sun, and Left Leg Rockin’ Rhythm we feel we have certainly inspired students not only to practice the piano, but to play the piano… and we do mean PLAY.”
While I can’t see my teenagers using this book (although adding a little silliness in their practice routine might do them some good?), it is a perfect tool for the elementary age child.
Did I mention that this book is reproducible for your studio? Can’t get any better! For more information on Shhhh… your Piano Teacher thinks This is PRACTICE! please visit their website at Teach Piano Today!
Have been seeing this book reviewed and I know my students would love it!
You got my attention–I’m definitely going to have a good look at this!
Always looking for something new for my students to keep them motivated! This resource sounds awesome!
I looked at the sample pages & it looks like fun
I already subscribe to your blog & I think I like you on facebook too.
I’ve seen this book reviewed on other blogs and would LOVE to get a copy for my studio!
I also subscribe to your blog and follow you on facebook 🙂
I’d love to get a copy of this! Looks like a wonderful resource!
I already subscribe to your blog, too!
Thanks for all you do for us and our studios. I know that I am having lots more fun teaching. I know that I Ialways receive more when I share my ideas with my fellow teachers.
What fun to find new and interesting materials! Would love to give it a try.
This sounds great! Pick me!!
Thank you for letting us know about this great tool! I can think of a few of my students who would benefit from this book!
A bit pricey but might be worth it. Thanks for your review!
At first glance it does seem pricey, but then you factor in that it is reproducible for your studio and then I realized it’s not bad. If you gave it to 25 students that makes it $1.60 per student. Not bad when you think of it that way. 😉
I find your blog very beneficial to me as a teacher and have been intrigued by the practice book. Now I feel it is a must have……..
Hope to be the lucky one!
I have been looking for new ways and ideas to excite my students to practice more….I am crossing all fingers….I hope I win! 🙂
This looks like such a great book. I know several of my students who could definitely use a change up during practice.
I definitly want to check out this book! Thanks for reviewing it! It looks like a great, motivating resource!
This book sounds like lots of fun! I’m already a subscriber. Love your blog!
Wow! This book looks really neat and I definitely need a copy. I agree completely that too many kids get bored with practicing but make it a “game” and they are on it. Using games in my teaching has been one of the smartest things I have done! Thanks for all the fun and innovative things you share.
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just came across your site today…Awesome!!! This practice resource looks and sounds wonderful!
I would love to win. This looks like fun!
Andrea and Trevor are just bursting with creative and effective ideas for bringing fun and passion into piano teaching. I would love to win their newest book!
Love the ideas…who can’t use more practice games?
What a fun idea! I would love to try this and see how my students respond!
I already subscribe to your wonderful blog!! 🙂
Oh why oh why did I not know about this book until now. I could have been spared so much aggravation with several students this year…I am so going to use this book next year..(hope I win one!)
Would love to give this a try!
This sounds exciting!
I just downloaded “Piano Hands Shouldn’t Flip Burgers” and am excited to start reading!
I like how easily accessible this book appears to be and would love to give it a try.
Sounds like fun! Can’t wait to get a copy!
BTW, Jennifer, I “liked” your Facebook page!
…and I followed your blog.
This sounds like a great tool to motivate students to practice while having fun! I would love to win this. Thank you, Jennifer, for offering this through your blog.
This is such an innovative and imaginative piano book, that will inspire Students immensely- especially in Australia-Adelaide.
ooh, great resource! It would be a great book for a teaching studio.
Sounds like a great resource to have!
Looks really cute and fresh – would love to try it!
I just subscribed to your blog!
I’m super excited about this book. Count me in!
Hey this sounds great. I am always interested in motivation strategies to grab students interest. I am open to ideas. Curious to read book. Thanks for sharing.
Love the ideas for different ways to practice. I think we ALL could use it!
I am already enjoying being on your mailing list for you blog!!
This sounds awesome!
Yes, i learn much from this blog.
Cant wait to try these ideas~ I so need some resources like this!!!
Thanks for the review. I think my students would enjoy the practice ideas in this book.
Great idea, Jennifer. I’ve looked at this before and will take another look.
Shhh! This piano teacher would really like to own a copy. Awesome!
I would love to use this with my students. I also subscribed to your blog. Thanks for sharing!
This looks interesting and I would love to try it!
Betty L
Looks like it would be a really fun book for my piano students, especially this summer!
I would love to have a copy . I’m already a subscriber .Thank you for your wonderful ideas!
Piano practice is a lonely business. Best to help our students with fun ideas to keep them on the bench. Thanks for posting about this book.
This is amazing! I would love to win that book. I have a couple kids who need more motivation when practicing and they love games and being silly!
Does this book download as a .pdf file? Not a zip file, I hope?
Yes, it is a pdf file. 🙂
Thanks. Just purchased it a few days ago.
Can’t wait to buy this book! I’m starting piano lessons this summer and this is just what I was looking for! THANKS!!