131: Applying Bartel’s Taxonomy to Piano Lessons with Christina Liu

Every student is motivated by something different, and figuring out what makes each one tick can transform how they engage with lessons. Today, I'm chatting with Dr. Christina Liu, Associate Professor of Music at Bethel College, about Bartle's Taxonomy, a framework for player personality types she discovered through her love of gamification. We talk about the four types Bartle identified, how Christina uses them to quietly tailor her teaching, and the personal stories that shaped her own piano journey. She also shares how these ideas carry into training the next generation of piano teachers.

• Christina teaches piano, theory, aural skills, and pedagogy at Bethel College.
• How her research into gamification led her to Bartle's Taxonomy.
• She noted rising student anxiety since the pandemic around getting things right.
• Why she started using board games in class to build community with students.
• How Richard Bartle developed the taxonomy from a late-1980s survey of his players.
• The taxonomy sorts players into achievers, explorers, socializers, and killers.
• Christina described achievers as driven by points, levels, and visible success.
• She explained how explorers are motivated by narrative and self-discovery.
• Socializers, she noted, use games mainly to build relationships.
• Killers, though rare, want to dominate and outshine other players.
• She shared how she gamified her own piano learning around competitions.
• Christina avoids formal quizzes, worried students will cling to a fixed label.
• Her own teacher connected with her through jazz before classical repertoire.
• A Debussy piece sparked her own "explorer" phase as a student.
• She teaches future piano teachers about personality frameworks like the Enneagram.

Links Mentioned

• Christina's LinkedIn Page:www.linkedin.com/in/ctinaliu

Today’s Guest Dr. Christina Liu,, is Associate Professor of Music and Music Department Chair at Bethel College in North Newton, Kansas. She teaches music theory and aural skills, history, piano, and pedagogy, and is an active presenter, adjudicator, and advocate for music education. A Nationally Certified Teacher of Music, she currently serves as President of the Kansas State Music Teachers Association. A passionate educator, Dr. Liu is also active as a soloist, collaborative pianist, and chamber musician throughout the U.S. and internationally. 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

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. If you enjoyed today’s show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, which helps other teachers find our show. Stay updated by subscribing to this show, and get automatic delivery to your device every time a new episode goes live! We publish on Fridays weekly. 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