Summary: <br> I’ve always been interested in the concept of motivation. What actually motivates us to do what we do and in particular, what motivations are there to continually improve our teaching?<br> Do you participate in professional development? Do you spend some of your precious free time reading blogs, participating in facebook groups or listening to podcasts like this one? What motivates you to continue your own education?<br> Personally, I think that trying out new ideas and continuing to learn as we teach is what makes our profession exciting. When we are trying out fresh approaches to teaching (even if they don’t always work out!), it makes us better teachers.<br> Apart from lessons being more interesting for students because of the greater variety in their lessons; lessons become more stimulating for students because we’re excited. When you’re enthusiastic as a teacher, your students are much more likely to feel that enthusiasm too.<br> In this episode, you’ll learn:<br> <br> * Why I think teachers should always be learning<br> * How to implement new ideas in a way that isn’t overwhelming<br> * Some different opportunities for professional development<br> * How to not become complacent in your piano teaching<br> <br> Items mentioned in this podcast:<br> <br> * <a href="https://timtopham.com/pianoflix/teaching-pop-video-1/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Teaching Pop Piano Course</a><br> * <a href="http://www.thecuriouspianoteachers.org/what-is-the-legal-minimum-requirement-for-piano-teachers-professional-development/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">What is the legal minimum requirement for piano teachers’ professional development?</a><br> * <a href="https://timtopham.com/5-steps-to-avoiding-a-piano-teaching-rut/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">5 Steps to Avoiding a Piano Teaching Rut</a><br> * <a href="https://elissamilne.wordpress.com/2015/03/09/the-blessing-of-professional-development-tithing/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Blessing of Professional Development “Tithing”</a><br> <br> <br> Action Steps:<br> <br> * Think about why you listen to this podcast and what you want to get out of it<br> * Take one idea from any recent podcast and try it out with one student this week<br> <br> Thank You for Tuning In!<br> There are a lot of podcasts you could be tuning into today, and I’m grateful that you’ve chosen mine.<br> Being a full-time teacher myself, I know how busy teachers are and how much time, effort and passion we put into our students. Sometimes, the last thing we want to do in our time off is listen to more piano teaching stuff! So, well done for using this time for self-improvement.<br> Whether you’re at the gym, on the bike or in the car, I know that you and your students will get lots out of what you learn in the long run. Just make sure you try out some of the ideas before they get lost in the business of your next lessons.<br> If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons on the left of the page.<br> Also, kindly consider taking the 60-seconds it takes to <a href="http://www.timtopham.com/itunes">leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes</a>. Reviews are extremely helpful when it comes to show’s ranking and you can bet that I read every single one of them personally.<br> Lastly, don’t forget to <a href="http://www.timtopham.com/itunes">subscribe to the podcast on iTunes</a>, to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live.<br> So, what motivates you?<br> What drives you to move forward? Is it trying to stay ahead of the competition? Or a love of learning? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.<br> <br> I’ve always been interested in the concept of motivation. What actually motivates us to do what we do and in particular, what motivations are there to continually improve our teaching?...
