TTTV057: Measuring Success in Smiles with Susan Bessette

Sometimes all it takes for a student to be successful in their piano lessons is for the teacher to reframe what success means. Not every student is going to be able to play Beethoven sonatas...which is why Susan Bessette is measuring success in smiles.

Susan Bessette

After Susan retired from teaching in the prison system, she couldn't resist the challenge of taking on a piano student with autism. As she took on more students with special needs, she searched around the web for resources for her students. She didn't find anything and so she started making her own.

Susan has learned a lot from teaching students with autism, down syndrome and traumatic brain injury. She's got some great tips to share today that will make your teaching of students with special needs more effective.

[spp-tweet tweet="Sometimes all it takes for a student to be successful in their piano lessons is for the teacher to reframe what success means."]

Transcript

Please find a full transcript of this episode at the bottom of this page. Alternatively, click below to download a PDF. If you are an TopMusicPro Member, you can find the full video and transcript in the Member Resources Area. Not a member? See below for how you can get $50 off your membership today.

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In this episode, you’ll learn

What prompted Susan to make her own curriculum for piano students with special needs
How her curriculum is set-up and who it's for
Why you should stop talking so much and start demonstrating more
How Susan has learned control the volume of her voice for students with autism
Some surprising things that could distract students
How a kazoo saved one of Susan's students from frustration
Why you might need to work away from the piano more often
How students can be unlocked by the simplest activity