Teens can be some of the most rewarding and challenging students we teach. In this replay of our member-exclusive Spotlight Session, Turning Meh into Motivation: 5 Tips for Teaching Teens, Andrea Dow from Teach Piano Today shares practical strategies to help you connect with and inspire your teen students. From fostering creativity and confidence to embracing pop culture and structured choice, Andrea offers ideas that can make a real difference in your teaching.

• The value of a reliable teen toolkit to confidently navigate mood swings, low motivation, and inconsistent practice.


• How to reframe practice as “creation” to shift teens’ mindset from chore to self-expression.


• The importance of offering structured choices to foster motivation without sacrificing progress.


• Why balancing freedom and guidance in lessons helps teens feel seen, capable, and respected.


• How pop tutorials and TikToks can become teaching tools, not distractions, by focusing on transferrable skills.


• The role of identity formation in teen motivation, and how music supports emotional development.


• How to build musical confidence so teens proudly identify as piano players within their peer groups.


• Why lightness and humor matter, including how simple games can boost connection and retention.


• The importance of small, steady wins over dramatic breakthroughs in building long-term success.


• Andrea encouraged teachers to be curators, not dictators, guiding teens with intention and empathy.

Links Mentioned

• TopCast 407: The Power of Storytelling with Andrea Dow from Teach Piano Today


• TopCast 431: My Favourite Framework for Piano Teachers: 4 Chord Composing


• Four Chord Composing Course


• Buy the course for only $49 using the coupon code CHORDS100


• Download your latest TopMusic Magazine here

Today’s Guest

Andrea Dow, together with her husband Trevor, are the composers, authors, and educators behind TeachPianoToday.com and WunderKeys. Their collaborative work has transformed piano education, providing teachers with imaginative resources that engage students of all ages. From quirky piano books to game-based learning materials, Andrea and Trevor’s creations inspire piano teachers worldwide to bring creativity and joy into their lessons. Over the years, they have published 207 piano books, each designed to motivate students and make learning music fun.

Andrea and Trevor live on Vancouver Island off the west coast of British Columbia, Canada. When not composing or creating, Andrea and Trevor balance family life with two teenage daughters, and spend most of their time at the hockey rink or track.

Today’s Sponsor

RSL Awards is leading the next generation of creativity. We are an international Awarding Organisation, creating qualifications in music, performing arts, and creative industries subjects.

Our vision is to help teachers and students within the creative arts sector through a range of innovative, relevant, and rewarding resources and qualifications. This includes our flagship Rockschool graded resources for piano.

The new edition of Rockschool Piano offers a holistic approach to piano education, shaped around the needs of today’s musicians. Exploring five centuries of music, from classical to classic rock, this genre-spanning syllabus features an expansive mix of popular Hit Tunes, bespoke Rockschool Originals, and brand-new suites of technical study, all packed with class-leading technology.

• Find out more about RSL Awards here.


• RSL Online Shop


• Pre-Order the New Rockschool Piano Syllabus

Thank you for tuning in!

Consider implementing the ideas from this podcast by writing several actionable steps for your teaching practice if it’s inspired you.

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