When I was learning piano, I only ever had private lessons. Since becoming a piano teacher I have read about group lessons, and over the past couple of years I have been able to try it with some students. I've come to the conclusion that it would benefit every student to be a part of a group that meets regularly as a supplement to private lessons.
Here are some of the benefits of group lessons versus private lessons:
The dynamic is completely different. In a private lesson, there's just one teacher telling one student what to do. There are creative things teachers can do to play with that dynamic, but it's practically impossible to escape that. In a group lesson, the presence of more students takes the pressure off.
Motivation increases. A student needs more than just two adults (teacher and parent) to please. They need to please themselves, and impressing the other students in the piano group is a very satisfying feeling. The right group can provide just enough of a friendly competitive dynamic to push each student to reach their potential, more so than just having to face the same teacher who can only do so much to compel the student to work hard.
They learn more. A group provides an atmosphere appropriate for games which can be used to teach concepts that will not be remembered from just being told in a private lesson. Playing a game against other students of the same ability is infinitely more fun than playing against the teacher who you know is just going to set you up to win. Private lessons tend to focus mostly on playing ability, with concepts being thrown in when they become useful. A group lesson can be used to present these concepts in an exciting and organized way that is more likely to be remembered and can then be applied in the private lesson. It also takes the pressure off the teacher to spend time on these concepts in the private lessons.
It's more fun! It's always more fun to learn and practice with friends.
This was the first year I tried doing a group lesson as a weekly lesson for three girls whose parents wanted to try it. I was very surprised at how well it worked, and how far they could advance in just a year. Of course, their parents have done an excellent job keeping them practicing and ready for each lesson, but I believe the group dynamic also has played no small part in their success.
Around the middle of the year, different learning styles and rates emerged, and I began to consider whether the girls would need to start having their own private lessons. It wouldn't be fair for anyone to be either held back by the group, or to be overwhelmed by the fast pace. This is the main problem with group lessons, because of course, each student is unique.
I and the parents have decided to do private lessons for each student followed by one group lesson for the last lesson of the month. This way, the students can progress at the right pace with private lessons tailored to what they need, and can still have the group lesson to look forward to at the end of the month where they can share what they've been working on, and can learn and practice theory and eartraining.
Ideally, I would like all students to participate in such a model. Scheduling and determining which students to group together makes it logistically hard to do, but I'd like to start working towards it.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Piano Camp
This year marks the second year I've done beginning piano camp for kids age 4-6. Last year we had five kids, this year it doubled! Having ten students and only two pianos made things a little bit tough at times but I was lucky enough to have two other teachers working with me. Between activities away from the piano, super fun team games, and cramming four kids on one piano at the same time, we made it work and had fun, too!
Students learned how the piano works and got to see and touch the inside of one; proper sitting position and how to use the hand and arm; how to identify high and low sounds and where they are on the piano; finger numbers; steady beat; quarter, half, dotted half, and whole note rhythms; the groups of black keys and all white key names. They also learned several songs and each performed one for their parents on the last day of camp. This camp was four hours a day for five days, so we did a LOT!
A few of my favorite moments:
Having a camp is a great way to give young kids an opportunity try out piano and learn basics quickly. What we covered in one week normally takes several weeks of lessons to master, so if the student decides they want to do piano, they will be ahead of the game when they start lessons.
The group atmosphere does wonders for motivation, too. Last year, three of the girls in piano camp ended up doing a group lesson for their regular weekly lesson. It's turned out better than I could have ever imagined! More about group lessons in the next post....
Students learned how the piano works and got to see and touch the inside of one; proper sitting position and how to use the hand and arm; how to identify high and low sounds and where they are on the piano; finger numbers; steady beat; quarter, half, dotted half, and whole note rhythms; the groups of black keys and all white key names. They also learned several songs and each performed one for their parents on the last day of camp. This camp was four hours a day for five days, so we did a LOT!
A few of my favorite moments:
- Finding notes while wearing the google goggles (a crazy-looking blindfold mad from plastic safety goggles, masking tape, and big googly eyes). Finding notes without looking solidifies knowledge of the topography of the keyboard which will be very helpful when playing.
- Falling down when the beat wasn't steady - when learning about steady beat, I told the campers that I could only march to a steady beat. If it's not steady, I fall down! Of course, they all delighted in making me fall down.
- Giving directions on the giant keyboard mat - someone had a funny idea to face backwards when finding a note on the giant keyboard mat and everyone wanted to do it that way! It made it more difficult to find the note, but maybe it was a good brain exercise!
- Animal charades - in partner teams, one partner acted out an animal while the other provided music that expressed the character of that animal.
Having a camp is a great way to give young kids an opportunity try out piano and learn basics quickly. What we covered in one week normally takes several weeks of lessons to master, so if the student decides they want to do piano, they will be ahead of the game when they start lessons.
The group atmosphere does wonders for motivation, too. Last year, three of the girls in piano camp ended up doing a group lesson for their regular weekly lesson. It's turned out better than I could have ever imagined! More about group lessons in the next post....
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
How can you stand all those wrong notes?
That question was a response I once got when I told someone I was a piano teacher. Those of us who do teach music and love it understand that it's about so much more than correcting errors: it's about putting a puzzle together; going on a journey; making discoveries together; always learning more as we strive to illuminate music to each unique student in the way that works best for them.
"Wrong notes" is not something to be annoyed with, but a puzzle to solve, different for each student. The first step is to identify the problem. For right now, I'm talking wrong notes in reading situations; in other words, when students are playing music from a sheet. The following is a list of problems I've noticed:
1. Being tethered to five finger positions - the main problem with five-finger positions happens when students have been learning from books that present note reading by teaching positions such as "C position," "G position," etc. All the student has to do to find their position for the song is look at the top of the page where it might say "G position" or whatever position. Then they know where to put their hands, and they can just play the finger numbers. This still can develop skills of directional and intervallic reading, but some students struggle terribly when they encounter a song in a new position, or if they ever get a song that doesn't tell them the position! This is a huge pain for both teacher and student.
2. Reading finger numbers only - this problem is often a byproduct of problem #1, but not always. It also occurs almost inevitably when a student is learning a piece that requires hand moves, or ventures out of a five finger position for the first time.
3. Guessing notes by ear - some students rely on this more than others: they trust their ear more than their eye and will try to find the right note just by guessing. If it doesn't sound right, they'll try a different one until it sounds right to them. Sometimes their ear might be so good they can trick the teacher into thinking they are reading it for a long time.
4. Not knowing the white key names well enough - It can be so discouraging to be working with a student, maybe for years, and suddenly discover they don't REALLY know their white key names. Especially if students are playing pieces always in the same positions, they don't even have to think about what note is what, so are quite susceptible to losing that knowledge.
For problems 1-3, I can think of no better solution than switching method books to one that emphasizes landmark notes and intervals, and that includes songs in all different positions, all over the piano. I have had several students who were more advanced players but had trouble reading, switch to Frances Clark's The Music Tree series starting with Part 1 and all have improved dramatically.
For problem number 4, I use Laura Lowe (over at The Piano Studio)'s tricks for teaching white keys, and review them often with additional games:
Hats-n-Baskets - Students have to draw a card from two different baskets or hats - one contains letters, and one contains words "high, middle, or low," and then play the correct note, in the correct location on the piano. Sometimes I include only C, D, and E, or F, G, A, and B, so they get used to looking for notes by black-key group.
Cover the Keys - a great game by Susan Paradis
Keyboard Flies - another one from Susan Paradis. I hide these all over the studio, and give students letters. They have to find the cards that match their letters, and then place those in the correct spot on the giant keyboard mat.
Today we learned all the notes on the piano at our In Tune Studio beginning piano camp! More to come on that.
"Wrong notes" is not something to be annoyed with, but a puzzle to solve, different for each student. The first step is to identify the problem. For right now, I'm talking wrong notes in reading situations; in other words, when students are playing music from a sheet. The following is a list of problems I've noticed:
1. Being tethered to five finger positions - the main problem with five-finger positions happens when students have been learning from books that present note reading by teaching positions such as "C position," "G position," etc. All the student has to do to find their position for the song is look at the top of the page where it might say "G position" or whatever position. Then they know where to put their hands, and they can just play the finger numbers. This still can develop skills of directional and intervallic reading, but some students struggle terribly when they encounter a song in a new position, or if they ever get a song that doesn't tell them the position! This is a huge pain for both teacher and student.
2. Reading finger numbers only - this problem is often a byproduct of problem #1, but not always. It also occurs almost inevitably when a student is learning a piece that requires hand moves, or ventures out of a five finger position for the first time.
3. Guessing notes by ear - some students rely on this more than others: they trust their ear more than their eye and will try to find the right note just by guessing. If it doesn't sound right, they'll try a different one until it sounds right to them. Sometimes their ear might be so good they can trick the teacher into thinking they are reading it for a long time.
4. Not knowing the white key names well enough - It can be so discouraging to be working with a student, maybe for years, and suddenly discover they don't REALLY know their white key names. Especially if students are playing pieces always in the same positions, they don't even have to think about what note is what, so are quite susceptible to losing that knowledge.
For problems 1-3, I can think of no better solution than switching method books to one that emphasizes landmark notes and intervals, and that includes songs in all different positions, all over the piano. I have had several students who were more advanced players but had trouble reading, switch to Frances Clark's The Music Tree series starting with Part 1 and all have improved dramatically.
For problem number 4, I use Laura Lowe (over at The Piano Studio)'s tricks for teaching white keys, and review them often with additional games:
Hats-n-Baskets - Students have to draw a card from two different baskets or hats - one contains letters, and one contains words "high, middle, or low," and then play the correct note, in the correct location on the piano. Sometimes I include only C, D, and E, or F, G, A, and B, so they get used to looking for notes by black-key group.
Cover the Keys - a great game by Susan Paradis
Keyboard Flies - another one from Susan Paradis. I hide these all over the studio, and give students letters. They have to find the cards that match their letters, and then place those in the correct spot on the giant keyboard mat.
Today we learned all the notes on the piano at our In Tune Studio beginning piano camp! More to come on that.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Practicing, Performing, and Lesson Time
One of the most important things a music teacher should teach is how to practice effectively at home. It's also one of the most difficult. How can we prepare the students for successful practice at home so that they can have success in their next lesson?
I sometimes find I take for granted the notion that the lesson is a kind of performance. At each lesson, the teacher assigns things for the student to prepare at home, and then present at the next lesson. Ideally, the student would have given the best effort throughout the week and each subsequent lesson can move forward from the last lesson. Often, however, students come to the lesson having haphazardly plunked through their pieces for that week, and then they just sort of ride the tide, letting the teacher do all the work for them.This needs to happen in the beginning, of course. Teachers need to guide students through the problem spots in a piece so they can experience success. But then, somehow, we need to get the student to understand that the steps we are taking in the lesson are things that they can make happen at home.
I sometimes find I take for granted the notion that the lesson is a kind of performance. At each lesson, the teacher assigns things for the student to prepare at home, and then present at the next lesson. Ideally, the student would have given the best effort throughout the week and each subsequent lesson can move forward from the last lesson. Often, however, students come to the lesson having haphazardly plunked through their pieces for that week, and then they just sort of ride the tide, letting the teacher do all the work for them.This needs to happen in the beginning, of course. Teachers need to guide students through the problem spots in a piece so they can experience success. But then, somehow, we need to get the student to understand that the steps we are taking in the lesson are things that they can make happen at home.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Interactive Music Links
Here are several websites I've found with cool music games and tools. They can be a fun way to test your knowledge, keep it fresh, or exercise skills in a new way.
Guinea Pig Theater - You get five guinea pigs of different sizes and colors. When you roll your cursor over them, you'll discover they each sing a different pitch, in their funny, blubbery, guinea pig voices. Together they make the first five notes of a major scale. Mix them up and have them sing a tune!
Speed Note Reading - See if you can make it through all 10 levels!
Theta Music Trainer - Several excellent games to train your ear in melody, harmony, and rhythm. You can keep track of your progress. A free subscription gives you access to the entire site.
Morton Subotnick's Creating Music - I recommend the Creating Your Own Music link from the main page. It's so cool! You draw music on a blank score with piano, clarinet, trumpet, and/or drums. You can make the sounds go up and down, you can stack many sounds on top of each other, you can make the instruments play the whole time or put space in between. For playback there is turtle speed, baby bunny speed, or grown rabbit speed.
Music Tech Teacher Quizzes, Games and Music Help - So many varied and awesome games on this site as you'll see. I've used some of these in piano lessons before.
Jam Studio - Just click on chord names in the box on the right to fill in measures on the left. Then select your instrument on the bottom and you've got yourself a song. Or at least a chord progression which you can then write a melody to. It's also great for making a custom accompaniment track for a song you want to sing, or play, provided it is in 4/4 time.
Enjoy the links! Feel free to share any good ones you know.
Guinea Pig Theater - You get five guinea pigs of different sizes and colors. When you roll your cursor over them, you'll discover they each sing a different pitch, in their funny, blubbery, guinea pig voices. Together they make the first five notes of a major scale. Mix them up and have them sing a tune!
Speed Note Reading - See if you can make it through all 10 levels!
Theta Music Trainer - Several excellent games to train your ear in melody, harmony, and rhythm. You can keep track of your progress. A free subscription gives you access to the entire site.
Morton Subotnick's Creating Music - I recommend the Creating Your Own Music link from the main page. It's so cool! You draw music on a blank score with piano, clarinet, trumpet, and/or drums. You can make the sounds go up and down, you can stack many sounds on top of each other, you can make the instruments play the whole time or put space in between. For playback there is turtle speed, baby bunny speed, or grown rabbit speed.
Music Tech Teacher Quizzes, Games and Music Help - So many varied and awesome games on this site as you'll see. I've used some of these in piano lessons before.
Jam Studio - Just click on chord names in the box on the right to fill in measures on the left. Then select your instrument on the bottom and you've got yourself a song. Or at least a chord progression which you can then write a melody to. It's also great for making a custom accompaniment track for a song you want to sing, or play, provided it is in 4/4 time.
Enjoy the links! Feel free to share any good ones you know.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Guitar Hero for the piano: Synthesia
I discovered something exciting yesterday. I figured it was something I'd have to pay a lot of money for, but there it was, free, on the internet! It's called Synthesia. It's pretty much Guitar Hero for the piano, but, as you'll find out on their website, they received a cease and desist letter when they tried using the name Piano Hero. I have enjoyed playing guitar hero, and have always thought it would be cool to have this sort of thing for the piano, since it would be even more like playing the actual piano.
Before you download the game from www.synthesiagame.com, there are a couple of things to know about it: first, there are no built-in songs. You have to provide the MIDI files yourself. Second, as you might imagine, you will need a MIDI keyboard to connect to your computer if you want to actually play.
So, how does it play? On guitar hero there are at most five buttons, or five falling notes to worry about, each with its own distinct color. In contrast, there are 88 keys on the piano, or however many you have on your MIDI keyboard - but in either case, way more than five. There is a piano keyboard at the bottom of the screen and the falling notes align with the particular keys. There is a grid that indicates the three and two black key groups which can help orient you, and also the black and white key falling note bars are distinct in appearance. Still, it's very hard! I paid $25 to get the Learning Pack which includes a sheet music feature. When I looked at the sheet music, I could play. I'm still working on being able to figure out what note to play just from the falling bars.
The biggest factor that will determine your success with this game is having the right MIDI files. I'm looking into learning how to make my own MIDI files, and I'll also be scouring the internet for MIDI that is out there.
Try it out, and tell me about your experience!
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