Every August feels like a fresh start.
As I prepare for another year of lessons, I organize shelves, refresh lesson plans, and think about the kind of experience I want my students to have when they walk through the door.
This year is a little different.
I'm actually rebuilding my teaching studio from the ground up. As I've unpacked materials and decided what deserves a place in my teaching toolkit, I've had to ask myself one simple question:
If I could only keep the resources that truly made a difference in my lessons... what would I choose?
Surprisingly, the list wasn't very long.
These are the teaching tools I reach for over and over again because they save me time, keep students engaged, and help create meaningful musical experiences.
1. Dry Erase Sheet Protectors
One of the simplest—and most-used—items in my studio is a set of dry erase sheet protectors.
I love using printable games and worksheets in lessons, but I don't love printing the same activity over and over again. By slipping my favorite pages into reusable sheet protectors, students can complete them with dry erase markers, erase them, and they're ready for the next lesson.
They're perfect for:
- Music theory games
- Note naming activities
- Rhythm practice
- Lesson warm-ups
It's a small investment that has saved me countless hours of printing and prep. Pair them with any of our printable worksheets or teaching tools for a reusable lesson kit.
2. Composer Portfolios
One of my favorite additions to lessons has been creating a special composer portfolio for each student.
Instead of worksheets getting folded into backpacks or lost between lessons, every Composer Chronicles worksheet has a permanent home. Students love watching their portfolios grow throughout the year, and parents enjoy flipping through everything their child has learned.
By the end of the year, each student has a beautiful keepsake showcasing their musical journey through the lives and music of great composers. (Bonus: I love keeping a copy of the timeline at the back and adding each composer's picture to the timeline so students can get a good idea of where each composer lived in relation to other composers they have also learned about).
It's amazing to watch students take ownership of their work when it's presented in a way that feels important.
3. Composer Chronicles Worksheet Bundles
Composer history has become one of my favorite parts of teaching. In my group piano lessons, I have a whole station completely dedicated to music history!
Our Composer Chronicles Worksheet Bundles help students connect with the people behind the music they're learning. Composers begin to feel like friends rather than black and white names on a page. Each bundle includes engaging activities, listening pages, coloring sheets, timelines, fun facts, and age-appropriate worksheets that make music history something students genuinely look forward to.
Rather than simply memorizing names and dates, students begin recognizing composers, understanding their stories, and making meaningful connections to the music they play.
A few favorites from the collection:
- Composer Chronicles – Beethoven
- Composer Chronicles – Florence Price
- Composer Chronicles – John Philip Sousa
- Johann Sebastian Bach Bundle
- Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Bundle
These bundles have become a regular part of my lesson plans because they add variety while reinforcing music appreciation in a hands-on way.
4. The Staff Puzzler
If you've ever watched a student struggle to remember whether a note belongs on a line or a space, you'll understand why I reach for the Staff Puzzler so often. It's also my favorite tool for introducing the staff in the first place.
Instead of relying on memorization alone, students physically build the musical staff while placing notes where they belong. That hands-on experience helps abstract concepts become much more concrete.
It's one of those teaching tools that often leads to those exciting "Oh! I get it now!" moments.
Whether I'm introducing note reading or reinforcing concepts with more experienced students, it's become one of my favorite resources. (Teaching a larger group or want to implement stations into your lessons or classroom? Check out the Staff Puzzler Classroom Sets.)
5. Piano Village
This might be the newest addition to my studio, but it's already earned a permanent place in my teaching toolkit. (actually right on my piano so it's always within reach).
Piano Village™ helps young beginners learn keyboard geography by turning the piano into a neighborhood of colorful houses. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by 88 keys, students quickly begin recognizing the groups of two and three black keys through play.
I've found that this playful approach helps build confidence from the very first lesson. Young students stay engaged, parents immediately understand the concept, and transitioning to finding letter names becomes much more natural.
It's become one of my favorite ways to introduce preschoolers and early elementary students to the keyboard.
Building a Studio You Love
One thing I've learned over the years is that having more teaching resources doesn't necessarily make us better teachers.
The best teaching tools are the ones we reach for again and again because they genuinely help our students learn.
As I rebuild my own studio, these are the resources I've chosen to keep close at hand because they've earned their place through years of real lessons with real students.
If you're preparing for a new semester, I hope this list gives you a few ideas that help you feel excited to welcome students back into your studio.
Here's to another wonderful year of making music!
Happy Music Making,
Megan