Welcome to the Piano Pantry Podcast, where together, we live life as independent music teachers. In this space, we will talk about all things teacher-life-related, from organizing our studios to getting dinner on the table and all that comes between. You’ll get loads of easily actionable tips on organizing and managing your studio while balancing life and home.
The Piano Pantry Podcast is available on these podcast streaming networks:
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New episodes drop weekly on Tuesday mornings. You can also listen right here if you like!
Welcome to The Piano Pantry Podcast where together we live life as independent music teachers. Listen in with Amy Chaplin, your host, as we talk about everything from running and organizing a studio business to getting dinner on the table and all that comes between.
What does it mean to “gather with intention” when saying goodbye to long-time students? In this heartfelt episode, I share reflections, practical ideas, and meaningful rituals for the final piano lesson—celebrating growth, affirming identity, and creating a memorable close to your students’ musical journey.
Items Mentioned and Other Related Content
Episode Links & Transcipt: https://pianopantry.com/podcast/episode158
Show Notes
157 – Seasonal Joy: 5 Easter Favorites for Teachers
156 – Big vs. Little: Audiating Macro-Micro Beats in Duple and Triple Meters
155 – Starting Over: Moving & Rebuilding a Studio (With Laura Harding)
154 – Recurring Reminders: A Simple Way to Stay on Track
153 – What I’m Letting Go Of in 2025 (And Why it Matters)
152 – Audiating “Lavender’s Blue”: No Sheet Music Required!
151 – The Art of Progress: A Balanced Mindset for Any Project
150 – What’s NOT Working In This Season (With Christina Whitlock)
149 – Auto-Payment Processing Options
148 – 6 Non-Musical Performance Skills for Students
147 – 3 Kitchen Tools You Didn’t Know You Needed
146 – ICYMI: Versatile Christmas Music
145 – Teacher Talk with Jennifer Foxx
144 – Utilizing Voice Memos for Student Updates
143 – Adjudicating Advice with Janna Williamson
142 – 5 Ways to Add a Personal Touch to Your Studio
141 – 12 Office Must-Haves for Studio Music Teachers
140 – Using Google Classroom for Assignments & Studio Communication with Elizabeth Davis-Everhart
139 – ICYMI: A Huge Music Video Collection
138 – Presenting Advice for the Newbie and Novice Alike
137 – Survival Tips for the Busy Musician with Kyunghoon Kim and Elizabeth Yao
136 – How Valerie Merrel is Using Notion to Manage Her Studio
135 – How Stephanie Thompson is Using Notion to Manage Her Studio
134 – How Jill Gilbert is Using Notion to Manage Her Studio
133 – ICYMI: An Assignment Sheet Superstore
132 – Life After Tonara: A Teacher Talk Follow-Up
131 – Lessons on Learning From 365 Days of Duolingo
130 – Freezer Meal Prep with Michelle Kallod
129 – A Process for Onboarding New Students
128 – Using 3-Ring Binders for Student Materials
127 – 4 Things for the 4th
126 – ICYMI: Piano Safari Stuffed Animal Shopping Guide
125 – RETREAT Teacher Talk with Michelle, Jeanine, Trudi, Mary, Becky, & Krysta
124 – Clean Up Your Contacts
123 – Spotify Playlists: 5 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Do
122 – Your Annual Website Update
121 – Purging Your “Idea” Clutter
120 – A New Teacher’s Journey with Gretchen Steffen
119 – Tap & Grow: Free Community-Based Marketing
118 – Recital Programming Considerations
117 – Embracing Micro and Macro Adjustments in Your Studio
116 – The Case for Your No Makeup Policy
115 – An Alternative to Student “Evaluations”
114 – ICYMI: Free Student “Award” Programs from MTNA
113 – Taking Time Off: The Tradeoff
112 – Ponderings on Piano Teacher “Friends”
111 – Conferencing Small and Large
110 – Peter Mack on Teaching, Life, and MTNA 2024
109 – Joy & Amy: Ways We Used Notion This Week
108 – 9 Useful Canva Features
107 – March Minute Madness
106 – My 2024 Valentines
105 – Evernote vs. Notion
104 – Streamline Your Group Classes
103 – Technical Pattern Progressions
102 – Freezer (Meal) Prep
101 – ReThink, ReAdjust, ReNew
100 – Piano Teacher World: 2022-2023 in Recap
099 – Holiday Wishes (AI-style)
098 – ForScore (pt 2): Need-to-Know Features
097 – ForScore (pt 1): Organizing Digital Scores and Setlists
096 – Manage Your Waiting List
095 – Teacher Talk with Wendy Stevens
094 – Amy’s Favorite Things
093 – Rebekah Maxner: How to Help Students Who Are Not Reaching Their Full Potential
092 – Shake Up Your Holiday Performances
091 – Equip Your Students for Holiday “Singalongs”
090 – Teacher Talk with Sally Eppert
089 – The Curious Piano Teachers on Asking the Right Questions
088 – Top 10 Halloween Resources
087 – 9 Items I Regret Not Buying Sooner
086 – On Assignments and Lesson Planning
085 – Tonara Transitions: A Special Teacher Talk
084 – Student Gift-Giving
083 – Olivia Ellis & Davis Dorrough: Getting Started with Lead Sheets
082 – 12 Easy Ways to Save Money on Sheet Music
081 – What’s for Lunch?
080 – Teacher Talk: Schedule “Highlights”
079 – NCKP 2023 Wrap-Up with Janna, Kate, and Christina
078 – Fall Scheduling: Don’t Be Afraid!
077 – 7 Useful Chrome Extensions
076 – 5 Productivity Hacks for your Digital Workspace
075 – Teacher Talk with Florence, Laurie, Shelley & Laurel
074 – What I’m Rethinking
073 – Chrissy Ricker: Adventures in Travel Teaching
072 – Teacher Talk: LouAnn Knight, Jennifer Kurtz, & Gabrielle Tee
071 – The Great Purge (Part 3): College Notebooks & Prof. Magazines
070 – Teacher Talk with Jason Sifford
069 – The Great Purge (Part 2): Sheet Music
068 – The Great Purge (Part 1): Games and Resources
067 – Year-End Meetings Made Easy (Replay)
066 – Samantha Coates: How to Not Give Makeup Lessons
065 – Teacher Talk with Ashley Danyew
064 – Eight YouTube Channels Piano Teachers Should Follow
063 – Amy Talks “Favorite Digital Tools” With Carly Walton
062 – Melody Payne: Improve Your Piano Teaching Business in 4 Steps
061 – A Note-Naming Challenge for Your Students
060 – Teacher Talk with Anna Haugen (6 months traveling the US)
059 – Get More From Your Conference Experience
058 – Abigail Proffitt: Motivating Students with ASD and ADHD
057 – How to Avoid Isolation as An Independent Music Teacher (Replay)
056 – What to Do When Your Students Don’t Practice
055 – Teacher Talk with Daniel Light
054 – Tackling Tax Prep
053 – An Email Tip You Didn’t Know You Needed
052 – Think Again: A Mindset for Getting (and Staying) Organized
051 – Take Notice: Your Year in Review (and some exciting updates)
050 – Teacher Talk with My Piano Teachers
049 – Reset Your Studio Before the Holidays
048 – Upgrade Your Recipe Management System
047 – Holiday Activities for Your December Group Classes
046 – How to Teach Jingle Bells by Ear
045 – Teacher Talk with Rebekah Maxner
044 – Student Updates Simplified: It’s the Little Things!
043 – To Stew or Not to Stew, That is the Question
042 – Life Share: A European Trip Recap
041 – Mental and Emotional Resets (replay)
040 – Teacher Talk: Valerie Merrell (Heading to Grad School Later in Life)
039 – Kate Boyd: Preparing Students for College Auditions
038 – Janna Williamson: Ingredients for Effective Intermediate Teaching
037 – Sara Campbell: Market Your Studio Like a Pro
036 – Natalie Weber: 7 Teaching Inspirations from My Third Grade Teacher
035 – Teacher Talk with Anna Fagan on the RV Teaching Life
034 – How to Teach Students to Play Happy Birthday By Ear
033 – Utilizing Student Binders
032 – What Your Refrigerator and Stacks of Music Have in Common
031 – Easing into the First Lesson
030 – Teacher Talk with Laura Harding, Emily Susko, and Laurie Bender
029 – Simplify Your Studio Communication
028 – Flexible Studio Calendars
027 – Apps I Use Daily
026 – Summertime Favorites
025 – Teacher Talk with Abby Maser and Nicole Douglas
024 – Rabbit-Hole Syndrome
023 – A Little Desktop Dive
022 – Lessons from a Long Waiting List
021 – A Simple, Effective, and Magical Element for Student Evaluations
020 – Teacher Talk: Jonathan Roberts (RCM & Music Lights the Way)
019 – Spring Cleaning: It’s Time
018 – Grounded: Mental and Emotional Resets
017 – Recital Program Formats: Pros, Cons, Ideas, and Resources
016 – Recital Planning Made Easy
015 – Teacher Talk with Joy, Janna, and Christina
014 – From Knife Sales to Piano Teacher: Three Life Lessons
013 – How to Make Music Teacher Friends
012 – Share Your Stuff, I’ll Go First
011 – Practice What You Preach… Literally
010 – Teacher Talk with Karen Thickstun, MTNA President (2021-2023)
009 – An “In-Between” Moment
008 – Preparing Yourself As An Adjudicator
007 – Using Your Photo App for Task Management
006 – Tasks: They’re not all created equal
005 – Teacher Talk with Ben Kapilow
004 – Dinner Hour Meets Teaching Hour
003 – Group Class Scheduling Experiences and Ideas
002 – Managing Your Podcast Consumption
001 – Organizing Student Materials
