When a student says “I don’t know”, it doesn’t always mean they don’t know. Today, I’m chatting with Georgina Wilson, creator of Busy Little Turtle and Marketing Manager for TopMusic, about using games and off-bench activities with beginners. She shares three no-equipment games that work just as well online as in person. Stay tuned for a free handout with six games to try in your lessons this week.

  • Tim explained why games and off-bench activities matter when teaching beginners.
  • Georgina shared how she teaches online from her simple, low-tech studio.
  • Why “I don’t know” can mean a gap, low confidence or zoning out.
  • How reframing a question re-engaged a student who said “I don’t know” 37 times.
  • Why today’s fast-paced, screen-driven kids need more engaging lessons.
  • How bringing in students’ interests, like Pokemon and video games, makes theory click.
  • She explained the Ribbit Game, where students make a sound on a chosen note.
  • How the Secret Animal game gets students repeating lines without complaint.
  • Why the “I went to the shops” memory game builds note and chord knowledge.
  • How magnets and posted printables make physical games work in online lessons.
  • Tim explained how the new Creativity Boost Cards tool matches a card to your lesson.
  • Why the students who stay longest have teachers who think outside the box.


Links Mentioned


Today’s Guest

Georgina Wilson is a piano teacher who is a big believer in making music education fun and engaging for both the students and the teachers. Georgina runs BusyLittleTurtle, a site dedicated to quirky and creative music resources that help make teachers’ teaching lives a little easier and give students another reason to love their music lessons! Today’s Sponsor

Beginners quit when reading music feels like decoding. Andrew Ingkavet built the Musicolor Method® to change that. Color makes notation readable from the first lesson, then scaffolds step by step to the standard staff. Piano is where most kids start, and the approach now works on ukulele, guitar, violin, viola, and drums too. Andrew is a guitarist, singer, songwriter, and composer, a former MTV VJ, and author of Superpowers Through Music. He founded Musicolor Method NYC, where 20 teachers use the method every week. Today he trains music teachers of every instrument to bring Musicolor into their own studios.

Find your beginner teaching breakthrough. Take the free assessment at MusicolorMethod.com/topcast TopMusicPro 14-Day Free Trial Heard about TopMusicPro Membership? As a valued podcast listener, I’d like to offer you a special chance to try our community free for 14 days. You can access a treasure trove of teaching resources, professional development courses, and creative lesson ideas. Click the link below to access your exclusive 14-day free trial for our Studio Membership. TOPMUSICPRO MEMBERSHIP 14-DAY FREE TRIAL

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