Teacher Training

Teacher Education is the key to success

Over the past 30 years of teaching and running successful music schools, I developed an understanding and now recognise the importance of education and training for instrumental music teachers. In any other profession, professional development would be mandatory. In the peripatetic music teaching profession, PD only occurs if the teacher is motivated to improve their own skills.

Traditional learning strategies for teaching piano are not offering students a pathway to success. The majority of students drop out of lessons after 1-2 years. This can be seen in the numbers of students participating in examinations as they climb through the levels.

What if, as teachers, we could ...

1. Scaffold learning for students: so that they understood: harmony, rhythmic patterns, etc
2. Build an auditory vocabulary: so they could also play by ear
3. Explore improvisation: so they could make up their own songs and pieces
4. Uncover a pathway to notation: so that they could read and write effectively

These are the goals of Whole Body Learning Teaching Courses.

In the first video you can see a student play a Grade 4 exam piece. In the second video, you can see how the ancillary skills that he has gained during the learning process has given him the understanding of how to create an arrangement to back his singing. Notice how the piano accompaniment does not carry the vocal line and mirrors the sounds of the original recorded by Pharrell Williams, ie the choir part is played on the piano whilst he sings in the bridge section of the song.

Courses that we intend to offer:
How to Teach for Exams Series

Paul Myatt and Susan Head have run several highly successful workshops for the Open Academy (Sydney Conservatorium - University of Sydney) on how to incorporate Orff-Schulwerk practices into piano teaching using AMEB repertoire as the base material.  Both presenters were very engaging, approachable and had lots of enthusiasm.  Our survey of the course produced many positive responses from the participants who were especially appreciative of the new skills and approaches that they could use to keep their teaching fun and fresh.  We are definitely looking to run this course again.
- Marcus Hodgson
​(Program Manager Conservatorium Open Academy)

• ABRSM Grade 1
• ABRSM Grade 2
• ABRSM Grade 3
• ABRSM Grade 4

• Trinity Grade 1
• Trinity Grade 2
• Trinity Grade 3
• ​Trinity Grade 4

• AMEB Piano for Leisure
  Grades 1 - 4
  
• AMEB Piano Comprehensive
  Grades 1 - 4
  

Developing and exploring creativity...

Whole Body Learning strategies for teaching help children extend and develop skills past just playing. The curriculum at Forte School of Music is based on the approaches of Orff, Kodaly, Dalcroze and Suzuki. The philosophies of these educators form the basis of Whole Body Learning strategies. Here are three students who have done exams up to 7th & 8th grade and developed their creativity along side their examination experience.

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Paul Myatt and Susan Head are well informed pedagogues who bring a sense of fun and excitement to learning offering teachers practical, hands on activities that can be used in lessons immediately. Their workshops offer teachers an insight into current pedagogical approaches and technology.
- Barry Walmsley
Trinity College London

“The mind is inextricably biological and embodied; and what it can know is always grounded in the material and experiential world.”

Cognition and the Body: Perspectives from Music Education • Dr Wayne D Bowman

How does it start?

Imagine receiving a book on how to play the piano, drums or guitar. Once you read the book, will you be able to play the instrument? We all know that doesn't happen.

Many children are taught like this. A book is put in front of them and they are expected to read and then play. This is why so many children fail at learning music (and quite possibly at school as well).

Susan & I regularly teach students who are failing at school. Their parents are often surprised that their children are so successful at learning music. One of the children in this video struggles at school and yet achieved Honours in Grade 1 Piano and a Merit in Grade 2.

Embodiment of the learning is essential and builds foundations for extension activities.

“The human capacity to use experience from one domain to make sense of another is an extraordinarily potent cognitive resource.”

Cognition and the Body: Perspectives from Music Education • Dr Wayne D Bowman

It starts with embodied education...

Teachers who have participated in face to face courses have said:

"Engaging workshop with full of refreshing, practical and hand on musical experience - thoroughly enjoyed it and what an instant transformation of skill and knowledge!" - Christy Ou

"Loved this workshop. Gave me a whole lot of ideas to work with but also let me experience why we need repetition and small chunks to learn a piece of music. :)"
​- Marie-Louise Bethune

"A fun, practical workshop with many ideas that I will use in my studio. Thank you Susan and Paul for a great day. The worksheets are fabulous." - Nicola Stanford

"I would absolutely recommend this workshop for piano teachers. It was so helpful to think outside the traditional teaching methods and involve all the senses whilst learning music. Applying Orff Schulwerk teaching methods to specific piano pieces was particularly helpful." - Kerrie 
Keun