All About Choosing Piano Schools And Teachers
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phankao:
Of course that goes without saying. That's why I would prefer my beginner students to learn fewer pieces over longer period of time. Rather than can play the songs in the entire method book but all have technical and musical issues. Quality over quantity. Children can derive satisfaction too from playing well and challenging themselves to be better rather than just going through the motions.
I wanted to say that every piece should be done neatly and in correct rhythm and reasonable tempo. But maybe that's my own goal as parent. haha.Dreamaurora:
So a teacher can say for example she plans the student to be able to perform 2 grade 1 pieces level to the distinction levels by the end of the year in a student concert, for this purpose the teacher can draw 2 pieces from the current or past exam syllabi so the students know they are definitely attempting grade 1 level pieces. Then she will need to set the smaller milestones to achieve this goal e.g. complete the last few pieces in method book by end of July, start first grade 1 level piece in August to be performed in a group class by end of October, complete and memories 2 Czerny exercises by end of September, and so on. While obviously the plan may change depending on the student's rate of progress, the smaller milestones will allow the student and parents to measure their progress, and then the goals may be adjusted accordingly to suit the student's learning sped. -
waiyean:
Agree that parents should not be the ones setting plans and checkpoints. That is what we pay the teachers to do, and any responsible teacher should do that.
Good idea.Dreamaurora:
[quote=\"Gifts from Heaven\"]Hi starz,
If you are still interested to keep your teacher, just tell her that you wish to sign your child up for ABRSM Grade 1 or 2 piano practical exams next year Aug(2015) and see what she says. If your child is ready and her teacher is confident, there is more than enough time to prepare for it. If teacher says your child is not ready, then you can ask her to work towards getting your child ready by the following Mar (2016). Ask her to give you a checkpoint sometime in Dec this year and next year Mar (2015) to see if your kid can attempt Grade 1 or Grade 2 in Mar 2016. Like that, you will be able to see the progress as a parent.
Hope this helps.
Honestly, if a parent has to be the one setting the plans and checkpoints instead of the teacher, the teacher may not be the right fit for the student.
Having said that, parents do have a role to play, in terms of being proactive, and following up with teacher if the focus and direction is not clear, or made known to the child, especially a young one.
A teacher's schedule may be packed, and lessons time may be very hectic, with the next student following immediately after your lessons end. Many a times, the teacher may not have a chance to talk through her plan with the parents. In this case, it could be just a case of miscommunication, rather than having no plan.
If the teacher really has no plans for the student, then it would not be a lack of fit.... it's simply the teacher is not qualified to teach any child.[/quote]The issue of miscommunication with teacher is one that is very common among complaints here in this forum. I think really the onus is on the teacher to ensure sufficient time is set aside in lessons for review and to communicate to the parents any instructions or concerns. What I do is I normally set at least the last 5 minutes of the lessons for the students to repeat back to me their homework and tell parents what to do at home. If a long discussion is needed then the parents can call me after my teaching hours. So I feel like there is simply no excuse for a teacher not to communicate to the parents.
I fully agree with you that if a teacher can't plan, he/she has no business teaching. Lack of progress resulting from poor planning often kills interest in the long run. -
All the theory papers are brand new
mehchek:
Lots of ABRSM syllabus books for sale, do check
http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum ... 21&t=74511 -
Dreamaurora:
Agree that parents should not be the ones setting plans and checkpoints. That is what we pay the teachers to do, and any responsible teacher should do that.
Good idea.Gifts from Heaven:
Hi starz,
If you are still interested to keep your teacher, just tell her that you wish to sign your child up for ABRSM Grade 1 or 2 piano practical exams next year Aug(2015) and see what she says. If your child is ready and her teacher is confident, there is more than enough time to prepare for it. If teacher says your child is not ready, then you can ask her to work towards getting your child ready by the following Mar (2016). Ask her to give you a checkpoint sometime in Dec this year and next year Mar (2015) to see if your kid can attempt Grade 1 or Grade 2 in Mar 2016. Like that, you will be able to see the progress as a parent.
Hope this helps.
Honestly, if a parent has to be the one setting the plans and checkpoints instead of the teacher, the teacher may not be the right fit for the student.
Having said that, parents do have a role to play, in terms of being proactive, and following up with teacher if the focus and direction is not clear, or made known to the child, especially a young one.
A teacher's schedule may be packed, and lessons time may be very hectic, with the next student following immediately after your lessons end. Many a times, the teacher may not have a chance to talk through her plan with the parents. In this case, it could be just a case of miscommunication, rather than having no plan.
If the teacher really has no plans for the student, then it would not be a lack of fit.... it's simply the teacher is not qualified to teach any child.[/quote]
The issue of miscommunication with teacher is one that is very common among complaints here in this forum. I think really the onus is on the teacher to ensure sufficient time is set aside in lessons for review and to communicate to the parents any instructions or concerns. What I do is I normally set at least the last 5 minutes of the lessons for the students to repeat back to me their homework and tell parents what to do at home. If a long discussion is needed then the parents can call me after my teaching hours. So I feel like there is simply no excuse for a teacher not to communicate to the parents.
I fully agree with you that if a teacher can't plan, he/she has no business teaching. Lack of progress resulting from poor planning often kills interest in the long run.[/quote]
Well said, one has to experience a good teacher to recognize a weak one. Although it's also important not to burn bridges.
That's why when I 'fired' DD's 1st piano teacher, I just said I was busy and DD will be stopping lessons. That's that. -
hi,
my 5 yo son has just started his piano lessons 1-1 and am wondering what I should look out for to evaluate if the teacher is a good fit? thanks! -
defamily:
In my opinion, a teacher who is suited to teach this age group must be able to:hi,
my 5 yo son has just started his piano lessons 1-1 and am wondering what I should look out for to evaluate if the teacher is a good fit? thanks!
- vary the activities e.g. clapping, story-telling, sing-along, dancing, in lessons to stimulate the child rather than just sitting down and going through a method book throughout entire lesson.
- communicate on the same level by stimulating the students' imaginations e.g. to instruct the student to play staccato the teacher could tell the child to imagine a ballerina tip-toeing.
- exercise restraint when the child could not understand or execute something readily. Teacher teaching this age group should not raise their voice or use negative reinforcements to coax results out of the child.
- understand the technical limitations associated with children from this age group. Teacher teaching this level must be able to assign appropriate repertoire and know how to simplify pieces or fingering. -
Dreamaurora:
Playing Game in Lesson.
In my opinion, a teacher who is suited to teach this age group must be able to:defamily:
hi,
my 5 yo son has just started his piano lessons 1-1 and am wondering what I should look out for to evaluate if the teacher is a good fit? thanks!
- vary the activities e.g. clapping, story-telling, sing-along, dancing, in lessons to stimulate the child rather than just sitting down and going through a method book throughout entire lesson.
- communicate on the same level by stimulating the students' imaginations e.g. to instruct the student to play staccato the teacher could tell the child to imagine a ballerina tip-toeing.
- exercise restraint when the child could not understand or execute something readily. Teacher teaching this age group should not raise their voice or use negative reinforcements to coax results out of the child.
- understand the technical limitations associated with children from this age group. Teacher teaching this level must be able to assign appropriate repertoire and know how to simplify pieces or fingering.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtoQQjd3XAc -
Dreamaurora:
i totally agree with you as my 5 year old's piano teacher is doing what you say.. she loves the piano very much now.becoz at this age developing interest is more important then drilling the techniques at point before we had this teacher we were on the verge of giving up the piano altogether.
In my opinion, a teacher who is suited to teach this age group must be able to:defamily:
hi,
my 5 yo son has just started his piano lessons 1-1 and am wondering what I should look out for to evaluate if the teacher is a good fit? thanks!
- vary the activities e.g. clapping, story-telling, sing-along, dancing, in lessons to stimulate the child rather than just sitting down and going through a method book throughout entire lesson.
- communicate on the same level by stimulating the students' imaginations e.g. to instruct the student to play staccato the teacher could tell the child to imagine a ballerina tip-toeing.
- exercise restraint when the child could not understand or execute something readily. Teacher teaching this age group should not raise their voice or use negative reinforcements to coax results out of the child.
- understand the technical limitations associated with children from this age group. Teacher teaching this level must be able to assign appropriate repertoire and know how to simplify pieces or fingering. -
Blissedsher:
i totally agree with you as my 5 year old's piano teacher is doing what you say.. she loves the piano very much now.becoz at this age developing interest is more important then drilling the techniques at point before we had this teacher we were on the verge of giving up the piano altogether.[/quote]Still have to emphasize and drill proper techniques when playing the pieces lar, just that at this age group we don't really use dry and more serious finger exercises or studies such as those pesky Hanon or Czerny.
In my opinion, a teacher who is suited to teach this age group must be able to:Dreamaurora:
[quote=\"defamily\"]hi,
my 5 yo son has just started his piano lessons 1-1 and am wondering what I should look out for to evaluate if the teacher is a good fit? thanks!
- vary the activities e.g. clapping, story-telling, sing-along, dancing, in lessons to stimulate the child rather than just sitting down and going through a method book throughout entire lesson.
- communicate on the same level by stimulating the students' imaginations e.g. to instruct the student to play staccato the teacher could tell the child to imagine a ballerina tip-toeing.
- exercise restraint when the child could not understand or execute something readily. Teacher teaching this age group should not raise their voice or use negative reinforcements to coax results out of the child.
- understand the technical limitations associated with children from this age group. Teacher teaching this level must be able to assign appropriate repertoire and know how to simplify pieces or fingering. -
[quote=\"Dreamaurora\"][quote=\"defamily\"]hi,
my 5 yo son has just started his piano lessons 1-1 and am wondering what I should look out for to evaluate if the teacher is a good fit? thanks!
In my opinion, a teacher who is suited to teach this age group must be able to:
- vary the activities e.g. clapping, story-telling, sing-along, dancing, in lessons to stimulate the child rather than just sitting down and going through a method book throughout entire lesson.
- communicate on the same level by stimulating the students' imaginations e.g. to instruct the student to play staccato the teacher could tell the child to imagine a ballerina tip-toeing.
- exercise restraint when the child could not understand or execute something readily. Teacher teaching this age group should not raise their voice or use negative reinforcements to coax results out of the child.
- understand the technical limitations associated with children from this age group. Teacher teaching this level must be able to assign appropriate repertoire and know how to simplify pieces or fingering.
i totally agree with you as my 5 year old's piano teacher is doing what you say.. she loves the piano very much now.becoz at this age developing interest is more important then drilling the techniques at point before we had this teacher we were on the verge of giving up the piano altogether.[/quote]
Still have to emphasize and drill proper techniques when playing the pieces lar, just that at this age group we don't really use dry and more serious finger exercises or studies such as those pesky Hanon or Czerny.[/quote]
Sounds so \"chim\"... but yea, I do agree on the fun part for teaching younger kids. as of now, the lesson seem fun from what I observe and son is still looking forward to the next lesson. Will even ask me to go into music schools when he sees one, but more for \"banging\" the piano. :slapshead:
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