069: The Note Reading Struggle is Real

Lately, I’ve been having a lot of conversations with other teachers about something we’re all seeing—students who can play pretty well but still guess at basic notes. In this solo episode, I’m diving into why note reading continues to be such a challenge, even for students who seem to be progressing. I’ll talk about how method books might be part of the problem, why students get overwhelmed, and what we can do to slow things down and build stronger foundations. I’m also sharing practical tools and a sneak peek at the sight reading framework I’ve been developing to help students become confident, fluent readers.

• Rachel shared that note reading struggles came up during a conversation with her teaching team.
• The importance of not rushing through method books as a common teaching pitfall.
• Why some students rely on hand positions and interval cues instead of truly reading notes.
• How the layout of certain method books, like Faber, might unintentionally contribute to the problem.
• She suggested separating elements like rhythm and pitch during lessons to reduce overwhelm.
• Recommended hands-on tools like Easy Notes tiles and magnetic whiteboards for reinforcement.
• How anchor notes like middle C, treble G, and bass F can serve as visual reference points.
• Her success using Flashnote Derby with limited note sets to build confidence.
• Rachel introduced her view of sight reading as advanced note reading, built on strong fundamentals.
• She previewed a new seven-part sight reading framework she’s developing for pianists.

Links Mentioned

• Podcast Freebie: 5 Simple Ways to Improve Sight-Reading Immediately

About Rachel Ehring Dr. Rachel Ehring is a pianist, teacher, music administrator, and lover of piano teaching gadgets. She holds a DMA in Collaborative Piano from the University of Colorado Boulder and a MM in Accompanying from the University of Kansas. She currently serves as Director at St. John’s Conservatory of the Arts in Orange County, CA. Previously, she held positions at Concordia University Irvine and Henderson State University. Rachel is passionate about empowering music teachers to create engaging and exciting lessons for students of all ages. When she isn’t playing the piano, you might find Rachel reading books with her son or walking her beagle Frieda.

• Visit her website at RachelEhring.com
• Visit her Instagram page: @rachelehring
• Visit her YouTube channel: @dreamlavendermusic6694
• Visit her Etsy shop at Dream Lavender Music

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