Creative Piano Pedagogy

Elizabeth Davis-Everhart

This podcast is an enriching resource designed specifically for piano teachers and music educators working with out-of-the-box students: students with disabilities, physical or learning differences, gifted and 2-E learners and neurodivergent students. Each episode delves into innovative teaching strategies, offering insights and practical solutions that promote creativity, inclusivity, and approaches teaching from a positive and student-first environment. Pedagogue, researcher and music educator Dr. Elizabeth Davis-Everhart will demystify topics such as technique, communication, piano methods, understanding behaviors, autism, ADHD, dyslexia and much more- all with a focus on encouraging teachers to meet the diverse needs of their students and inspiring them to embrace new ideas and cultivate the musical potential of every learner.

  1. 6D AGO

    21- Decoding Dyslexia with Dr. Olivia Colomaio, part 1

    Send us a text In part 1 of the conversation with Dr. Olivia Colomaio, we dive into what dyslexia actually is, why it’s often misunderstood, and how those myths affect piano teaching and our students. Olivia shares research, lived experience, and practical ways teachers can adapt without waiting for a diagnosis, while we urge more empathy for families navigating dyslexia and neurodiversity. We also talk openly about why parents may not disclose diagnoses, the emotional journey of seeking answers, and how music teachers can approach families with respect, curiosity, and care. Most importantly, we offer practical, compassionate strategies you can use right away with your own students. ✨ Subscribe and share with a friend ✨ Leave a quick review/rating to let us know you're enjoying the podcast ✨ Don't forget to follow on YouTube, Instagram or Facebook --> And don't miss out on the new teaching resources [and freebies] on the online store! 📚 The spring session of the Piano Teachers Book Club starts soon- Join the waitlist! Questions about piano teaching? Feel free to contact us: Dr. Olivia- ocolomaio@sc.edu Dr. Elizabeth- elizabeth@creativepianopedagogy.com ☕️ Enjoying the podcast? Buy us a cup of coffee as a way to show support. Support the show Find the full transcript here of this episode and all past episodes! 📚 Join the waitlist for the next Piano Teachers Book Club Session! Subscribe to Elizabeth's email list here so you won’t miss future courses, freebies, teacher events and more. 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!

    34 min
  2. 12/01/2025

    19- Teacher Questions: Grace over Grind and Neurodiversity in Music Lessons

    Send us a text Teaching doesn’t require superhero energy; it requires humane rhythms, clear anchors, and courage to pivot. We sit down to unpack the real weight of lesson planning during a busy season, how we manage exhaustion without guilt, and why lowering the pressure can raise the music. From the “sacred 45” minutes that protect our focus to the 15-minute pauses that keep us present, we share small rituals that sustain big care. We also tackle neurodivergent-friendly strategies with honesty and warmth. When plans flop, we don’t panic—we adapt.  Along the way, we invite your questions for a crowd-sourced Q&A in January and share details about our upcoming teacher chat on Zoom. If you’re craving practical ideas for piano pedagogy, neurodiversity-aware teaching, and low-stress recital planning, you’ll feel right at home here. Press play, save your favorite tips, and tell us what you’ll try next. If this conversation helped, subscribe, share it with a colleague, and leave a quick review so more teachers can find it. Support the show Find the full transcript here of this episode and all past episodes! 📚 Join the waitlist for the next Piano Teachers Book Club Session! Subscribe to Elizabeth's email list here so you won’t miss future courses, freebies, teacher events and more. 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!

    21 min
  3. 11/17/2025

    17- Practical Strategies For Navigating the Holidays in a Neurodivergent Studio

    Send us a text The holidays can be magical—and completely overwhelming. Between school concerts, studio plans, nonstop decorations, and family expectations, our students’ senses get flooded and their routines get disrupted. We talk frankly about what actually helps neurodivergent learners during this season and how we, as teachers, can be the steady, calm center when everything else speeds up. If you’re craving a simple, humane approach to the holidays, this conversation gives you the scripts, structures, and small tips that make a big difference. Subscribe, share with a teacher friend who needs a calmer December, and leave a review to tell us which strategy you’ll try first! Subscribe to the new blog! Looking for some new holiday fidgets, no-prep activities or Elizabeth's students' favorite Scratch Ornaments? Check them out here! Check out our favorite Christmas/holiday repertoire (including the music mentioned in today's episode) Support the show Find the full transcript here of this episode and all past episodes! 📚 Join the waitlist for the next Piano Teachers Book Club Session! Subscribe to Elizabeth's email list here so you won’t miss future courses, freebies, teacher events and more. 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!

    36 min
  4. 11/10/2025

    16- From Solo Project To Partnership: Chat with Elizabeth and Tara

    Send us a text Big shifts are brewing at Creative Piano Pedagogy, and we’re inviting you behind the scenes! After five years of building resources solo, we’re leveling up into a true partnership that pairs big-picture creativity with sharp systems and operations. That means better courses, clearer communications, and a brand-new website designed to make it easier to find the tools you need to teach with confidence. Expect offerings that blend evidence-based strategies with simple, practical steps you can use in lessons right away. To keep things human, we also loosen up with rapid-fire questions: what we listen to when we’re not teaching, the coffee orders that fuel us, and the composers we love to play but hesitate to teach.  If you’re a piano teacher looking for inspired ideas grounded in solid research, you’ll feel at home here. Tap play, meet the team, and help shape what comes next by sharing your studio challenges and wish list. Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a colleague who’s ready for fresh energy in their teaching. Links: Check out the new Etsy shop! Jingle Bells- Elizabeth's favorite 4-hand arrangement by Robert Vandall (or get the single sheet music here) Browse our favorite Christmas ensemble collections Check out our favorite Christmas solo music (beginner-advanced) Listen to Tara's first episode on the podcast We are partners with Amazon's Affiliate Program to earn a small commission from purchases made through our links at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the podcast and mission of CPP! Support the show Find the full transcript here of this episode and all past episodes! 📚 Join the waitlist for the next Piano Teachers Book Club Session! Subscribe to Elizabeth's email list here so you won’t miss future courses, freebies, teacher events and more. 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!

    28 min
  5. 10/13/2025

    15- Label vs. Student: Intake, Assessment and Diagnosis for Neurodivergent Students with Tara Mock

    Send us a text This episode challenges the myth that teachers need a diagnosis to teach well and offers practical ways to create a welcoming intake, read the learner in real time, and build trust with parents who value privacy. We share scripts, strategies, and a mindset shift: see the student, not the label. • privacy and dignity as non‑negotiables • welcoming intake that centers the learner • improvisation and co‑composition as assessment • lowering parent defenses with empathy • labels as hypotheses, not prescriptions • repertoire choice as motivation and access • language that invites, not interrogates • challenge to adapt teaching before seeking labels Please tap the review button on Apple and leave a quick note about what you enjoyed or which episode was your favorite so Apple, Buzzsprout and Spotify will recommend the podcast to others!  Support the show Find the full transcript here of this episode and all past episodes! 📚 Join the waitlist for the next Piano Teachers Book Club Session! Subscribe to Elizabeth's email list here so you won’t miss future courses, freebies, teacher events and more. 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!

    47 min
  6. 10/06/2025

    14- ADHD at the Piano: Myths, Methods, and Mozart

    Send us a text What if the “wiggles” are actually your student’s brain doing its best work? Elizabeth opens up about being diagnosed with ADHD at age three and the unexpected way piano became her first tool for focus, self-regulation, and joy. From caffeinated laps at a recital hall to discovering that busy hands can calm a busy mind, this story threads personal insight into practical strategies any teacher can use. The episode leans into creative problem solving. Through it all runs one idea: teach the student in front of you, not the stereotype. When we design for a busy mind and busy body, we uncover a musician who thrives on challenge and learns fast. If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a teacher friend, and leave a quick rating and review on Apple Podcasts—it helps others find these conversations and supports more inclusive, effective music teaching! Support the show Find the full transcript here of this episode and all past episodes! 📚 Join the waitlist for the next Piano Teachers Book Club Session! Subscribe to Elizabeth's email list here so you won’t miss future courses, freebies, teacher events and more. 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!

    28 min

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

This podcast is an enriching resource designed specifically for piano teachers and music educators working with out-of-the-box students: students with disabilities, physical or learning differences, gifted and 2-E learners and neurodivergent students. Each episode delves into innovative teaching strategies, offering insights and practical solutions that promote creativity, inclusivity, and approaches teaching from a positive and student-first environment. Pedagogue, researcher and music educator Dr. Elizabeth Davis-Everhart will demystify topics such as technique, communication, piano methods, understanding behaviors, autism, ADHD, dyslexia and much more- all with a focus on encouraging teachers to meet the diverse needs of their students and inspiring them to embrace new ideas and cultivate the musical potential of every learner.

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