Blog by Merlin B. Thompson

Most of us teach the way we were taught—at least at first. Why? Because those lessons live in our hands, our ears, our habits, and our comfort zones. The teaching we experienced shaped how we think, how we listen, and how we show up in our studios. We can honour the role those lessons played in form...

How do you think of your students? When it comes to describing each one of your students, what words would you choose? Do you describe your students in terms of aspects like their method book level or the piece they’re working on? Or do you use descriptors that describe their progress? Things like b...

Do you ever feel like the real value of music lessons gets pushed to the side? Many times we highlight aspects like improved math and reading skills, or increased coordination and perseverance, discipline and memory. All valid points, to be sure. But these traditional talking points don’t really tel...

Many, many years ago, when I was a youngster and piano student, my piano teacher decided it would be beneficial for me to play for our church services once a month. Not just one tune here and there, but the whole church service from beginning to end. It was an immense opportunity!! So let me tell yo...

If you’ve ever caught yourself thinking, “My students this year just don’t seem to be as committed as a couple of years ago,” you’re not alone. These days it feels like I routinely hear from music teachers who wonder why today’s students seem less focused, less prepared, or less resilient. At first ...

Here's a scenario - You know your student is in their final year of lessons. They hardly have any time to practice. What do you do? Is this a time to push ahead or pull back? How do you help students like this navigate through their last months/weeks of instru...

Recently I seem to be meeting music teachers with one student who really challenges their teaching approach. Not every single student. It could be just one student here and there who doesn’t practice all that often. Or the student who never wants to commit to their own choice selection. Or the stude...

When I recently asked my teen student Peter to share his thoughts on “getting out of the comfort zone”, he explained it’s a phrase his hockey coach and band director frequently use that means it’s time to try something new. Something that’s not just a copy of what we’ve always done. Something that p...

What do you say to a teen student with lots on their plate and no sign of that changing any time soon? Their practicing time has shrunk considerably. They have a ton of homework. Every day seems to be scheduled to the maximum with extracurricular activities. Do they ever have a moment to themselves?...

For this blog post, I'm grateful to Dyane Protzmann Rogelstad for sharing her real life experiences in the piano studio. Thanks so much Dyane!

When we talk about neurodivergence (ND), we’re not describing a one-size-fits-all experience. The ND brain doesn’t follow a straight line.  It’s more lik...

When asked about their musical interests, many music students have no problem coming up with a whole list of pieces. But certain students, when teachers inquire about their musical preferences, have no idea how to respond. They shrug their shoulders, look away apologetically and say, “I don’t know”....

What is the best approach for beginning students? Should music lessons start with learning to read? Is it Ear-Before-Eye? These are compelling questions because how music teachers respond will definitely impact our students’ musical journey for years to come. So what’s the best answer? What do music...

With September music lessons just days away, I’m wondering about what the year has in store. What will my students take away from their music-making explorations? Fresh directions? Comfortable experiences? Taking risks and exploring the uncharted? When I think about the year ahead, I’m always r...

The final weeks of August can be an intense time for music teachers. Getting ready for September. Organizing the teaching schedule. Looking for fresh music. Tweaking everything possible. It can take a lot of time, energy, and thought. So let me share with you my own experiences regarding the end of ...

It's the middle of summer. A perfect time for some reflection and looking back on my teaching career. What jumps out? Two “pivotal conversations”. I call them my “pivotal conversations” because they genuinely shifted my attention and challenged me to think about teaching in ways I hadn’t anticipated...

Over the last several months, it’s been interesting for me to note how the topic of “efficiency” in music teaching has surfaced from time to time. I see it on social media platforms when music teachers reach out with concerns like the following: “I’m not sure what to do. How can I get more effi...