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Piano teaching gets a lot easier once you stop treating every missed practice session like a personal insult! I’m joined by Dr. Christina Mathis, founder and director of Carey Music Academy at William Carey University, to talk about what it looks like to teach with infectious joy and humor while still honoring the reality of busy schedules, neurodivergent learners, adult beginners, and stressed-out college students.

Christina shares how she helps students build sustainable practice habits, stay creative when life is packed, and find joy in the process, not just the “big moments” like festivals, exams, and performances. We also talk about human capacity and boundaries, including the hidden cost of “yes” when students stack commitments, scholarships, sports, and theater. As pedagogues, we want to ensure that students are enjoying their lessons rather than create environments where students approach lessons with dread and anxiety, and sometimes that means we have to check our egos at the door.

If you’re looking for real-life music education strategies that still produce strong musicianship, this fun and engaging conversation will meet you right where you teach.

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Awareness is a start, but it’s not the finish line. Tara Mock joins me to unpack three words we hear constantly in music education and piano pedagogy right now: autism awareness, autism acceptance, and accessibility. From there, we move into what accessible teaching actually looks like for neurodivergent piano students and for learners with invisible disabilities.

Tara shares lived perspective around Tourette syndrome and the complicated reality of concert etiquette, judging processes, and policies that unintentionally exclude. The takeaway is simple but demanding: accessibility is not an option, and we can keep learning by asking better questions, listening to families, and staying skeptical of miracle solutions.

✨ Subscribe for more conversations on neurodiversity, inclusive piano teaching, ADHD, dyslexia, meltdowns, and accessible music education, and if this helped you, share it with a teacher friend and leave us a review! What’s one small change you could make this month to increase accessibility in your studio?

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Create a free Member Account to access the freebies in the Member Resource Library!

Last call for Spring Book Club! Join us and read Bright Not Broken together!

Support the show

Subscribe to Elizabeth's email list here so you won’t miss future courses, freebies, teacher events and more.

Love the show? Buy us a coffee and support the podcast.

Let's stay in touch!
On the website/blog
Follow on Facebook
Follow on Instagram
Follow on YouTube

You can find all of our favorite repertoire and teaching tools on the Amazon Storefront (affiliate link)
Questions or suggestions? Send Elizabeth an email:
elizabeth@creativepianopedagogy.com
As an Amazon Affiliate, we may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you if you purchase through our links. Thank you for helping support the podcast!

Send us Fan Mail

Recital season can bring out the best in a studio and the most stress in our students. We’re taking a fresh, practical look at performances, festivals, and adjudications with one guiding question: does this experience help a student leave feeling joy, momentum, and pride in their music, or does it pile on fear that makes them want to quit? I share how I decide when an adjudicated event is a great fit and when it is simply not worth the anxiety, and you’ll also hear my perspective after more than two decades of adjudicating. We wrap up with an encouragement for end-of-year lessons and how to keep the joy in music making.

From today's episode:
Last chance to join the Spring Piano Teachers Book Club- there's room for you!
The Repertoire List we love (with ratings/motivation)
Join our Free Membership to access free resources!
Carnegie Hall Kids- great music games/quizzes!

Support the show

Subscribe to Elizabeth's email list here so you won’t miss future courses, freebies, teacher events and more.

Love the show? Buy us a coffee and support the podcast.

Let's stay in touch!
On the website/blog
Follow on Facebook
Follow on Instagram
Follow on YouTube

You can find all of our favorite repertoire and teaching tools on the Amazon Storefront (affiliate link)
Questions or suggestions? Send Elizabeth an email:
elizabeth@creativepianopedagogy.com
As an Amazon Affiliate, we may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you if you purchase through our links. Thank you for helping support the podcast!