May 26, 2016 by Sara Campbell 0 comments

Ready for Theory Review

© 2016 Lauren Lewandowski, photo by Erin Rachel Photography

Happy Thursday, gentle readers! Today I wanted to tell you about a wonderful resource made by a fellow piano teacher, Lauren Lewandowski.

I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to test out my first video review. (Hope you enjoy!) There’s also an interview section with tips from the author about HOW to use these workbooks during lessons.

I’ve mentioned Lauren’s blog here in the past, and if you haven’t checked it out yet… you really should. Piano with Lauren features lots of interesting blog posts, printable resources, and teaching tips. Here are a few of my favorite posts:

BUT WAIT!… Before you go off and read those links, you need to hear what I have to say about the Ready for Theory workbook series. This resource is so well organized – created with both students and teachers in mind.

Let me show you what I mean…

Want to take a closer look at the different levels? There are preview pages for each workbook. Plus Lauren gives you a comprehensive list of topics covered throughout the series. (This makes it SO easy to match up students to the right level!)

Interview with Lauren Lewandowski

What prompted you to write the Ready for Theory series? The series was initially a project for my students. I found that I was constantly making worksheets for students. I wanted to have everything in one place, so that in the future I didn’t have to keep making and printing worksheets.

I also had a hard time finding just the right theory workbook. Others were cluttered or didn’t have enough review. I planned to make workbooks that were simple and that included lots of review for students.

Once they were done, other teachers started buying them from me. Since other teachers liked them as much as I did, it inspired me to make them even better. I worked with a design company to make the beautiful covers and layout that they have now.

Could you give teachers some tips about how to integrate your theory books into lesson time?

The theory and keyboard skills coordinate in each level. So I usually teach keyboard skills at the beginning of the lesson and then reinforce the concept with theory at the end of the lesson.

I typically save the last 5-10 minutes of a lesson for theory. I explain the concept and have students complete just part of a page with me. Then they complete the rest of the page for homework. I give my students a sticker each time they finish a page.

Some of my students work ahead in their workbook to earn more stickers. They get a prize after they earn a certain number of stickers. Because each concept has a very clear and simple explanation, students are able to work on their own at home.

Teacher Desk Copy

Name one of your favorite composers and tell us what you love about their music.

One of my favorite composers is Chopin. Maybe it’s my Polish heritage, but I just love Chopin’s works. I love the beautiful melodies of his music.

Any fun plans in your studio this summer?

I am really excited to do some group classes this summer. I just purchased a few really nice keyboards fo my studio. The ensemble class that I planned is already full for the summer. Students can’t wait to play together. I also plan to do a group class for beginners.

Thank you so much for letting me feature you on the blog, Lauren! I hope that you and your students have a WONDERFUL summer!

Readers, don’t forget… my Music Blast Camp Plans are only available until SUNDAY, May 29th. Click on the image below for more details and sample pages of my camp plans. This special release price is a one-time deal!

Normally ~~$45~~ – Special Release Price of Only $35