A little on teaching and a lot on life. Oh, and apparently, it’s a cucumber kind of week…
The Single Best Way to Store Cucumbers (The Kitchn)
Obsessively Good Avocado Cucumber Salad (Smitten Kitchen)
I posted a photo of my Cucumber Cottage Cheese Toast lunch on social media this past week, and everyone went wild. Make it now. (Melissa Ben-Ishay)
Continue reading
Registration is now open for the two-day workshop Organize Your Life With Notion (Amy Chaplin & Joy Morin)
This a delightfully light and flavorful egg salad recipe for you to try this week. I love the swap of avocado and cottage cheese for what would traditionally be mayonnaise, and the small amount of corn and dried tomatoes gave it a nice twist!
My husband and I, though, have to eat our egg salad on some good sturdy wheat crackers. The lettuce bed doesn’t bring joy to our palette. 🙂
OK, I have THREE things relating to actress Jennifer Garner to start us off on this week’s list:
(1) Her movie “Family Switch” on Netflix is really fun and totally worth a watch.
(2) I absolutely love following her @Jennifer.Garner on Instagram – she is so fun!
(3) She interviewed Adam Grant on his podcast ReThinking about his new book Hidden Potential. It is AWESOME. It was such a humorous conversation to listen to!
An Introduction to Notion – A Customizable Digital Workspace to Organize Everything In Your Life (Joy Morin)
Google Podcasts is going away in March, but don’t worry, there are plenty of good alternatives! My favorite app for listening is the Overcast app.
Do you still need to put together your holiday recital program? Check out this really cool “vintage” one from Wendy Stevens at Compose Create!
I’m not a huge ginger fan, but I do use it a lot more in the winter for Hot Toddies and such. Even though using the back of a spoon makes it easier, it’s still a bit of a pain. I finally decided to quickly research if it was even needed and found it’s not!
I was so excited to see Sheet Music Plus’s updated website! I think they still have a few kinks to iron out, but it feels much cleaner, modern, and up-to-date.
A good topic in this day and age: Media Literacy in a Digital World (The Newsworthy)
I’ve attended four music teaching events in the past three months: The Piano Conference (NCKP), Joy Morin’s Piano Teacher Retreat, and both the Indiana and Ohio MTA State Conferences.
While it’s fun seeing old friends and colleagues, it’s also refreshing to see new teachers who are experiencing it for the first time. That’s just one reason why attending conferences is beneficial.
Recently, Natalie Weber shared six more great reasons to attend conferences.
If you’re still looking for Halloween resources to use over the next couple of weeks, check out:
The Piano Pantry Podcast Episode 088: Top 10 Halloween Resources
Are you as underwhelmed with using iMovie for creating videos as I am? Several years ago, I found a better tool and have since been using Camtasia very happily ever since.
Recently, though, I heard about ClickChamp. If I were in the market for an alternative video editing tool, I would definitely check it out! They even have a free version!
Thoughts on music literacy from Eric Bluestine, author of The Ways Children Learn Music.
While I’m not much of a breakfast eater, I still love cereal of all kinds. This homemade “Better Breakfast Cereal” from 101 Cookbooks has me really intrigued. Now, if I could only get my small local grocer to handle some of these healthy items…
For those making the Tonara transition, here are some recommended resources:
-A great compilation of information and the results of a survey from Leila Viss.
-Episode 085 Tonara Transitions: A Special Teacher Talk episode on the Piano Pantry Podcast
An item I think everyone should have in their kitchen: Mini Tongs
I’m picky about the functionality of tongs. I don’t like the ones that release and latch from a lever at the back, as it requires two hands.
These have a little metal piece that slides up and down the handle, making it so much easier to open and close with one hand.
Recommend sightreading resources from Kate Boyd, YouTube’s The PianoProf.
Music Teacher Eats: A Week of Easy, Healthy Meals (Fall Edition)
Podcast episode recommendations:
How I plan a year of student repertoire (Ashley Danyew)
How to add notation to your worksheets and presentations (Midnight Music)
FREE Webinar – Diving in: An introduction to audiation-based instruction (October 2)
Do you enjoy this Friday Finds series? Consider joining Piano Pantry over on Patreon! There are two levels you can support the blog and podcast. Find which works best for you!
Rosemarie Penner’s Unfinished Lesson blog got a remodel and is now Must Love Music
I’ve tried several Sleep Masks over the years, but my latest is hands down the best I’ve ever used. I am a light sleeper, and every night that I wear these, I swear I have slept more deeply than ever. They are incredibly comfortable and fit the nose and face just right.
Best Printers and Paper for Piano Teachers (Colourful Keys)
A 19-Foot Piano with the Longest Bass String (The Music Man)
I feel like it’s been a while since I shared some recommended recipes here on Friday Finds. It’s time to catch up!
Currently making once a week for lunch with Trader Joe’s pre-cooked brown rice: Chili Crisp Fried Eggs
We’re not normally pasta eaters, but I have two pasta-based recipes to highly recommend:
This first one sounds crazy, but Napolitan Japanese Ketchup Pasta is really easy and incredibly tasty.
Make yourself a few days of lunch with this creamy and delicious Thai Chicken Pasta Salad.
Sweet and Savory Shared Brussels Sprouts Salad is perfect for this time of year as we close out summer and enter autumn. It makes a pretty good size salad, so be prepared to make it for 6-8 people or halve the recipe for less.
Interested in some ideas on what to make for lunch? Listen to Episode 81 – What’s for Lunch of The Piano Pantry Podcast.
Easy Piano Lead Sheets and Chord Charts by Olivia Ellis and Davis Dorrough
New podcast!! The Piano Sensei Way by Clinton Pratt
I’ve been needing to invest in some larger storage containers. While I have a couple of different nice 8-cup ones, I really needed some larger sizes. After scouting out what’s out there, I ended up on these fabulous Sterlite 16-Cup Plastic Storage Containers. On Amazon, one container was $15, but there was also a set of four for $30, so… yeah, I now have four large containers!
The Best Way to Clean a Dishwasher
I’m looking forward to trying this and hopefully stop buying dishwasher cleaner tablets.
A new collection of improvisational stories and rote piano pieces that are worth checking out!
A great peak into a classroom tonal pattern exercise from Eric Bluestine, author of How Children Learn Music
3 Easy Ways to Use Printable Games in Online Piano Lessons (Melody Payne.com)
Why Do They Put Butter on Sandwiches (The Kitchn)
Interview New Piano Students: Questionnaire and Hints for Success (Rebekah Maxner)
What a great idea! – Quinoa Rice (The Woks of Life)
My First Piano Workbook: A Workbook for Young Beginners (Piano with Lauren)
Our Experience at the Lost Kitchen (The Woks of Life)
A podcast series worth bingeing: Believe in Magic (BBC)
Barbie movie’s opening music is Richard Strauss’ epic 1896 tone poem. Here’s why… (Classic FM)
A movie that will keep you on your toes: Sharp Objects (Hulu)
The Piano Teacher Reset with Dr. Elizabeth Davis
A virtual retreat for teachers to come and be refreshed, rejuvenated, and enjoy collaborating with fellow teachers!
After reading an article by The Kitchn on the best way to store blueberries, I was pleased to discover I was already using the best method! Who wouldn’t want berries that lasted longer?
Already, I am considering if I should stock up on the rest of the books in his series. I loved this easy read. It’s such a simple concept, yet we often place more “conditions” on our students than we may realize.
Teaching Piano to Your Own Children (Janna Williamson)
I can’t wait to try these Cottage Cheese Pancakes from 101 Cookbooks!
They sounds similar to a high protein oat waffle I’ve made several times and love that also has cottage cheese as a base.
I 100% agree with Tim’s list of what is and is not working with teaching music lessons in 2023.
I enjoyed this conversation with singer and songwriter Audrey Assad on her story and faith journey.
Musical Storybooks for Kids (Dynamic Teaching Podcast)
I love hearing about books other teachers love! There are so many out there, I’ve tried over the years to focus on only purchasing those related to piano. If you’re interested in seeing more, check out these posts here on the Piano Pantry blog:
Building a Lending Library of Piano-Themed Children’s Books
Listening Playlists to Accompany Music-Themed Children’s Books
Music-Themed Comic Books for Your Lending Library
By the way, there are a few newer podcasts for piano teachers that have popped up in recent months:
Dynamic Music Teaching with Rachel Ehring (mentioned above)
For the piano teacher who wants to go beyond the method book.
New Harmony with Amy Elmore
Thoughtful conversations with music teachers, striving to live in wellness and balance as business owners.
Piano Teacher Primer with Angela Toone
For piano teachers just starting out.
What is Kindle Unlimited? The Ultimate Guide (Simply Rebekah)
