Shows
Creative Piano Pedagogy10- Summer Series: Planning to Pivot- Adapting in Music Lessons for Neurodivergent StudentsSend us a textThe hardest truth about teaching neurodivergent students is the unpredictability. You never know which "version" of your student will arrive each week—focused and ready for challenges, anxious but willing, or struggling with concepts they mastered weeks ago. This variability isn't a failure of teaching or learning; it's simply the reality of neurodivergent brains.Contrary to misconception, adaptive teaching isn't the easy way out. It demands deeper pedagogical knowledge, thorough preparation, and keen observation skills. But its heart remains beautifully simple: know your student, know your pedagogy, and teach to the in...2025-07-2924 minCreative Piano Pedagogy09- Summer Series: Popping Bubbles, Swatting Flies, and Creative Approaches for Coordination/Finger ControlSend us a textEver had a student struggle with hand coordination and finger control despite their best efforts? You're not alone. This deep dive into the fascinating connection between neurodiversity and piano technique reveals why many students—particularly those with ADHD or autism—find fine motor skills (like piano technique) challenging.Whether you teach neurodivergent students or simply want to expand your teaching toolkit, these strategies will enrich your studio approach and help every student thrive at the piano.Links to teaching tools from this episode:Pop-it Fidget ToySqui...2025-07-2123 minCreative Piano Pedagogy08- Summer Series: Navigating Student Overwhelm/Meltdowns in Music LessonsSend us a textEmotional struggles in piano lessons can transform a beautiful learning experience into a source of stress for both students and teachers. How do we handle those moments when a student becomes overwhelmed or has a meltdown at the keyboard? Drawing from nearly 20 years of teaching experience, this episode unpacks practical, compassionate approaches to these challenging situations.Whether you're teaching neurotypical or neurodivergent students, these strategies build a foundation of trust and safety that allows genuine learning to flourish. After all, the greatest honor in teaching isn't just developing musical skills, but...2025-07-0727 minCreative Piano Pedagogy07- Summer Series: Squirrel! Teaching Students with Short Attention SpansSend us a textAre you struggling to teach piano students who seem to bounce from one thought to another? Wondering how to keep young learners engaged or help your neurodivergent students thrive? This deep dive into teaching students with short attention spans might just transform your approach.Ready to transform your teaching approach? Discover how to time your lesson pacing perfectly around your student's natural attention patterns, creating productive learning experiences where both teacher and student leave feeling accomplished. Your students with short attention spans aren't incapable of focus—they just need you to un...2025-06-2327 min
Spirits UncorkedEp. 17 | Shadow People, featuring Rev. Dondra DavisWho—or what—lurks in the shadows?
In this chilling episode of Spirits Uncorked, sisters Erica and Elizabeth are joined by special guest Rev. Dondra Davis to explore one of the most haunting supernatural phenomena: Shadow People. From mysterious figures in the corner of your eye to the infamous Hat Man, these dark apparitions have been reported around the world. Erica and Dondra both share their own encounters, and together we dive into theories about what these entities could be—spirits, interdimensional beings, or something else entirely?
Grab a glass of wine and settle in as we...2025-06-0340 min
Creative Piano Pedagogy06- Summer Series: Creative Communication for Students with Speech/Language DelaysSend us a textStruggling to connect with students who have speech and language difficulties? You're not alone. In this illuminating episode of the Creative Piano Pedagogy Podcast, Dr. Elizabeth Davis Everhart launches a summer series, "So, I Have This Student..." dedicated to creative, out-of-the-box solutions for students who don't fit traditional teaching approaches.We dive deep into practical strategies for teaching music to students with speech and language challenges, exploring both sides of lesson communication. The podcast introduces differentiated instruction as a game-changer, and Dr. Everhart shares innovative ways to let students respond without...2025-06-0222 minCreative Piano Pedagogy05- Balancing Fun and Routine: Summer in the Adaptive Music StudioSend us a textSummer brings a welcome change of pace for most piano teachers, but those of us teaching neurodivergent students face unique considerations that deserve thoughtful attention. While neurotypical students typically thrive with relaxed summer schedules, our students with disabilities often find comfort in routine and structure - making the summer transition more complex than simply switching to "fun mode."The podcast explores this delicate balance, acknowledging that the mental preparation for teaching students with special needs remains significant even during summer months. This episode shares creative approaches to summer teaching, including composer...2025-05-1923 min
Heed The WordWhen God Remembers His Promise: The Story of Zacharias and ElizabethThe silence had lasted 400 years. From Malachi to this moment, heaven had been quiet. No prophet had spoken God's words to Israel. Then suddenly, in the temple, as smoke from burning incense wafted upward, an angel appeared to an aging priest named Zacharias with news that would shatter not only the divine silence but also the reproach of childlessness that had marked his marriage to Elizabeth."Fear not," were heaven's first words after centuries of silence. These words—spoken to a trembling priest—resonate powerfully in our fear-filled world today. What fears paralyze you? What uncertainties keep you...2025-04-1625 minCreative Piano Pedagogy04- Beyond the Curved Finger: Rethinking Piano Technique, part 2Send us a textPlaying piano is a much more physical activity than most people realize, requiring complex coordination that many of us take for granted. For neurodivergent learners, the physical aspects of piano playing often become unexpected obstacles. This episode dives deep into adaptive piano technique, exploring how teachers can modify their approaches for students whose bodies and minds process movement differently. The episode outlines six powerful principles for adapting technique for neurodivergent learners. Connect with the Creative Piano Pedagogy Podcast on social media to see upcoming demonstration videos that will visualize these techniques in a...2025-03-3129 min