Many years ago there was a wonderful little kitchen tool on the market called an autochop. It consisted of a small tub with a chopping blade inside and when you bashed on the handle a few times the blade would descend, rotate, and duff up whatever was inside. I used to keep it on the worktop, and on fridays when a particular pupil had finished her lesson I would race into the kitchen and autochop a welshcake or two! She lived about two hundred yards away, always "forgot" her books and had to back home for them, always wanted to go to the toilet as soon as she arrived, and didn't do much practice either! But she and her parents always insisted that she loved coming for lessons and really wanted to play the piano. I sorted out the book problem by telephoning her five minutes before her lessons to remind her to bring them, and the loo problem by telling her on one occasion that of course she could go to the bathroom if she wanted, but that I had seen a big ghost on the stairs the day before. (Nasty wasn't I!) We never reaally got over the lack of practice problem as she was happy to do a little occasionally and was also quite happy with her own progress. Ah well. Happy Days!

It's possible to rid yourself of quite a lot of agression with scales or Hanon excercises.

I tend to scream rather loudly but not when anyone else can hear me. Alternatively, I put some calm music on.

Clicking into ABRSM forums is quite destressing*. People don't interrupt you when you're "talking" there.

EDIT - That is - de-stressing. Not distressing!

That's true.

I have a rule when I'm teaching....
When I'm talking the only sound I want to hear is my own voice.
(I have a couple who insist on playing when they should be listening).

That infuriates me no end!

I go to the gym after a heavy days teaching - It is a 20 minute walk through our "village " area and
after a couple of hours exercise I feel much better

I use the pec deck violently and as I bring my hands together on the 100 kg weights I imagine the head of my least favourite pupil stuck in the middle !

I just go for a walk/jog round the block with the dog. After sitting still for a couple of hours (I don't have as many pupils as you) it's good to get outside for a burst of something energetic.

Erm... now I'm worried.....
My teacher usually takes the dog for a walk after my lesson...
Is it me??

At least she's not hitting the bottle! I usually reach for a glass of wine when the last one leaves.

Maybe only because My lesson finishes around lunch time and not late evening....

The chocolate bar is a favourite of mine!

Suzi

I have a loud sing in the kitchen or put on some music eg Verdi Requiem very loudly.

After my lesson this morning my teacher said she was going for a walk!

I told her about this discussion and she diplomatically declined to comment...

Now I AM worried.

I can just imagine that my music teacher for GCSE music uses a lot of these techniques after teaching me. I expect she would get great pleasure in imagining my head was between a load of weights!!