ABSTRACT
This chapter describes common pitfalls encountered by group-piano teachers and provides strategies to prevent these common mistakes. Several of the problems that surface in classes taught by novice group-piano teachers result from ineffective or unenforced policy and procedures within the studio. Scheduling the wrong amount of time for classes or the incorrect number of classes within a semester can result in an inability to achieve stated goals and trouble attaining appropriate student outcomes. Even once the scheduling issues have been figured out, the biggest source of teacher and student dissatisfaction with group-piano arises from choosing and using inappropriate methods and materials. Classroom management can be one of the most difficult tasks facing a young, inexperienced group-piano teacher. Teaching a group-piano class requires personal traits such as leadership skills, maturity, confidence, and organization. Teaching skills include setting expectations and maintaining appropriate student behavior, maximizing time on task, motivating students, maintaining positivity, and involving students in the learning process, preferably through discovery.
