Deanna Birchard, NCTMDeanna Birchard began teaching in January 2011 as a part of the Directed Teaching component of her degree program. She studied piano under Dr. John Mortensen and pedagogy under Mrs. Connie Anderson. Deanna received her Bachelor of Music in Keyboard Pedagogy from Cedarville University in 2013.
After graduating Deanna began a small studio in her hometown of Akron, Ohio, teaching a handful of students and sharing recitals with her first piano teacher. Upon moving to Grand Rapids, Michigan, she began work as a piano instructor at Meyer Music, teaching there from 2016 to 2019. Today Deanna teaches independently and sees as many as 40 students each week. In 2020 Deanna completed the requirements for the MTNA National Certification in Piano and maintains that distinction through yearly recertification. She is a member of Music Teachers National Association, Michigan Music Teachers Association, and the Piano Teachers’ Forum of Grand Rapids. She is also an active pianist in her local church and community. |
|
Time-Tested Teaching Meets Modern Tools
|
One piece of our curriculum at The Birchard Piano Studio is a new piano method called The Piano Express. This is a progressive piano method that provides a wholistic approach to learning the piano, including a book of pieces to learn, technique exercises, and music theory. The Piano Express integrates an app into the curriculum; when students come to their lesson and play their assigned music, the app will give students a score on note and rhythm accuracy. The app functions as an assessment tool for a student’s playing. This allows more lesson time to focus on teaching concepts such as correct technique, music theory, ear training, and music composition.
Not only that, but if you have a digital piano, your student can connect to the app at home. Your student will receive immediate feedback on their playing rather than having to wait for the weekly lesson, and when they play well they can get passing scores on their music at home as well as in the lesson, dramatically increasing student progress. This method gamifies the learning experience, encouraging students to practice more to achieve the passing score, so home practice is simple and fun for the student as well as the parent!
|