Summertime UPDATE for Teacher Friends! Favorite Things, Invitations, and More...
Christina Whitlock, Beyond Measure Podcast
I fancy myself a Friend+Philosopher to the Piano Teaching Profession.
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Happiest Tuesday, my Teacher Friends!
Confession: I'm totally missing weekly contact with you while on my summer hiatus from One Thought Thursdays.
Here is a quick list of things I'd love to share with you:
1. Summer Scheduling Success: I am the happiest I've ever been with my approach to summer teaching.
I've been teaching, roughly, every other week (for a total of two weeks in June and two weeks in July).
For me - in this season of young kids and LOTS of side projects - this pace has been incredible.
I've shared before that teaching is grounding for me. I don't always function well when I'm on an extended break from it. AND YET - I've learned my whole family suffers if I don't slow my schedule down for the summer months.
I've tried a lot of different things over the years, but I must say: this summer's pace has been pretty close to perfection.
...all that to say: TAKE NOTES this summer on how you're feeling. What's working? What's not? What do you want next summer to look like? This is the time to start dreaming.
2. The Summertime Conversation Series: Oh what fun it has been to share the airwaves with some of my favorite people this summer!
I've long feared the challenges of producing a conversation-based podcast. While those fears have definite merit (editing two people is exponentially more work than one!), I've enjoyed the change of pace this summer, and hope you have, too.
Looking forward, I have three more guests to feature in this series, and then it will be back to solo episodes for a bit. My plan, moving forward, is to incorporate one guest conversation each month.
(PS: That will continue to provide Patreon members access to an additional BONUS conversation each month, which many of you have been asking for.)
3. Updated Favorites Page: Just in time for Amazon Prime Days 😂, I've updated my Favorite Things page with must-haves from all areas of my life.
You can browse my favorite studio tools, teacher books, household items, and more. Check it out here!
4. Working on Vacation? A few weeks ago, my family and I spent a beautiful week on Panama City Beach.
I had a few things to finish up for an upcoming presentation, and spent THE MOST GLORIOUS MORNING on my balcony, building a slide deck in Canva with the ocean waves rolling in.
I guess I'm telling you this because I kept feeling this nagging thought that, "I shouldn't be working on vacation". And yet - for that single morning - I could not have been more content. My in-laws had my kids at the pool, my husband was taking a long nap beside me, and I was joyfully working away at my laptop.
Do what makes you happy, my friends. 🥂
5. Summer Presentations: SPEAKING of work that I love...
I had the great pleasure of closing out the Propel to Excel virtual conference on June 29th. I gave a session called Passing the Torch: Training Up the Next Generation of Piano Teachers, reflecting on my work mentoring high schoolers with interests in piano pedagogy.
Other session presenters were Marvin Blickenstaff (!), Kevin Olson, Leila Viss, Bradley Sowash, and Elizabeth Guiterrez.
You can still purchase access to these sessions by clicking this link. Many presenters (myself included!) have created discount codes exclusively for conference attendees, so don't wait too long before buying! Some codes expire August 1st.
...AND! AS IF THAT WASN'T GREAT ENOUGH...
THIS WEEKEND (07.20-07.21) I will be presenting a session at Nicola Cantan's Teacher Turboboost LIVE in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Especially after missing MTNA in Atlanta, I am more than ready to spend time with teacher friends.
My session is called The Secret Lives of Quiet Students: Strategies for Teaching the Timid.
If you can come to Cincy this weekend - or if you're interested in the virtual pass - check out all the details here. PS: Use code BEYOND for $10 off the virtual ticket, or $20 off the in-person event.
6. FREE TRIAL of "What Should I Teach Next?"
BIG NEWS! This summer, I debuted a new repertoire matchmaking service to the Patreon Community called What Should I Teach Next?
Community Members submitted student profiles, outlining what they loved playing, what they didn't, strengths, weaknesses, etc. I took those profiles and compiled repertoire suggestions into a video for those in the "Learning Together" tier of the Patreon.
My Patreon Crew has LOVED this series and I want to share a sneak peek with you.
*This email may contain affiliate links. That's just smart business, but please know all recommendations are purely my own, and are absent of any icky ulterior sales motives.