Welcome to the first Friday Finds for 2018! This is the 79th Friday Finds since Piano Pantry kicked off in 2016. Yowsuh – that’s a lot of finds! Here’s the very first one if you’re curious.
I’m using the first one as part of the 12 Days of Inspiration series you may have seen going around the piano blogosphere world.
This is day 11 of the series and thus you’ll find 11 great finds for the new year. Links to days 1 – 10 of the series can be found at the end of the post.
1 – Security
It’s important now more than ever to have strong passwords on the internet. A reader recently shared with me a website she uses and really likes for generating passwords by VPN Mentor. Check out this password generator. You can also use a program such as LastPass like I do to generate strong passwords.
2 – Games First
Tracy Selle has a really good idea that I’m going to try for awhile – starting lessons with an activity/game rather than ending with one. This would certainly be a good way to shake things up as you start back to lessons.
3 – MLT book made FREE
GIA Publications has made available a PDF download of Dr. Edwin E. Gordon’s booklet Quick and Easy Introductions. This is the best book out there for getting your feet wet with Music Learning Theory.
4 – Life Review
Emily P. Freeman, the mastermind behind my current favorite podcast has a blog post called 3 Gentle Ways to Review Your Life in the New Year. If you can dedicate even just 30 minutes to a reflection of the past year I promise you will find it comforting, refreshing, and enlightening.
5 – Healthy and Practical mindsets
What to Do Instead of a Detox: A Gentler Way to Start the Year. I’m liking all these “gentle” ways of gliding into the new year. “:-)
6 – Healthy Outlooks for Food Lovers
A delightful introspective post from Washington Post food writer Jim Webster – When food is your life (and work), losing weight is tricky business.
7 – Homemade Healthy Snacks
Three healthy snacks from one piano teacher to another by Nicola Canton. I’m especially looking forward to trying out the “Powerful Piano Teacher Protein Fudge.”
8 – Manageable Change
The idea is that 3 minutes is all it takes to slowly enact change. Don’t worry about suddenly having to makeover life to hit your new goals. See 3 Minutes that Can Change Everything over on the Art of Simple.
9 – Change Things Around
Piano Teacher Susan Paradis offers up fresh ideas to help you freshen up for the new year in the post Change Things Around This Year.
10 – Book Worms Anonymous
10 Rules to Read More Books This Year: How to Make Reading Central to Your Personal Growth in the Coming Year. I like it!
11 – Presenting Tips
It’s that season for a lot of you out there who are preparing for presentations, especially with the upcoming MTNA National Conference in March. Here are some tips on presenting as you look forward to planning your sessions.
12 Days of Inspiration Series
- Make 1 Change at a Time to Avoid Overwhelm at Colourful Keys.
- 2 Things Every Music Teacher Should Do on Their Break at Mallory’s Music Studio.
- 3 Ways to Reduce Stress at Music Educator Resources.
- 4 New Year’s Resolutions at Violin Judy.
- 5 Ways to Reset Your Music Studio After the Holidays at Pianosaurus Rex.
- 6 Things That Should Happen at a First Piano Lesson at A Very Piano Blog.
- 7 Tax Deductions for Music Teachers at Sara’s Music Studio.
- 8 Questions to Bring Your Studio into the New Year at FunKey Music.
- 9 Ways to Increase Your Studio Retention at Woods Piano Studio.
- 10 Impressive Benefits of Learning Piano by Ear at Piano Picnic.
Be sure to check out the final post (Day 12) from Tracy Selle, 12 Solutions for Teaching Tricky Personalities at TracySelle.com.
