The PTC Open Forum is a professional development initiative designed to promote growth and foster community among our teachers. Once a month, we gather in someone’s home, share some food and drinks, and talk shop. It is an opportunity to ask questions, get feedback, share experiences and techniques – and even vent to your sympathetic colleagues! It is designed to help us all become the best teachers we can be by pooling our resources, and to combat the isolation that often comes with this line of work. Some topics we discuss include:
PTC Open Forum
- First lessons
- Teaching staff reading
- Sight-singing/solfege
- Teaching rhythm, polyrhythms
- Teaching very young students
- Method books
- Teaching adults
- The teenage transition
- Marketing and publicity
- Teaching technique
- Performance preparation
- Billing and tuition
- Listening and concerts
- Theory and ear training
- Repertoire (beginner, intermediate, advanced)
- Retention/attrition
- Apps and software
- Improvisation and composition
The meetings generally run about two hours. The format is informal, although attendance is limited to the first 15 people to RSVP each month. Notes following each meeting are shared via email with those who attended. We hope to see you at Open Forum soon!
October 11, 2018
Alternative (non-classical) repertoire
November 8, 2018
Holiday studio activities and financial planning
December 4, 2018
Competitions
January 10, 2019
Neuro-diverse students and learning disabilities
February 12, 2019
Chord chart realization and other functional skills
March 7, 2019
Apps and technology
April 9, 2019
Improvisation and composition
May 2, 2019
The teenage transition