All About Choosing Piano Schools And Teachers
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tong2:
It is quite common for teachers, especially those who just started, to focus too much on learning as many pieces as possible. The reasoning is they are fearful that children will get bored easily and stop learning; admittedly during my first couple years of teaching I also fell into this trap. This is usually accomplished by 'copy and paste' teaching style. Teacher demonstrates and students just try to copy what the teacher has played. Rather than equipping students with the necessary tools for them to read accurately and play in a musical manner, the students become like robots.DO I need to switch to this young girl?
my girl is having private piano lesson with a lady from last Dec. but it seems she couldn't understand note and those information and marks on score properly.
this is always I mentioned to current teacher to take time to teach her theory more and detail. but unfortunately, she only go through home work within 2,3 mins before lesson over.
I am not very sure what she is teaching her in class, due to I had another litter boy to take care, so I couldn't sit in with my girl during lesson time.
recently, I happened to meet a young girl who is studying in NAFA. she is playing double-bass. she told me she is also well on piano for more than 10years, and got cert in China. she recommend herself to me and gave a trial lesson to my girl. she pointed out my girl is not strong on notes. She tested one song which my girl played several times in front of current teacher, but still not perfect on intonation, here and there got mistake. She correct them one-by-one in her trial lesson.
now I am facing doubts to choose.
I felt this young girl can lead my girl to reading notes strongly ability.
but, on other hand, she is quite young, and she only holding cert in China, not from international standard -- ABRSM. in currently, maybe she can teach my girl a while to reach certain level. but after that I have to start to search higher grade teacher again, take quite long time to adjust my girl's chemical with new teacher. It might a harder job and be headache to both of us.
To quit from current teacher , switch to this young girl immediately or stay Parallel for few weeks?
anybody can give me some advise in professional way.
It is possible to 'progress very fast' early in this manner, but there are consequences. I had encountered students who could already play grade 1 and 2 pieces, but totally incapable of learning by themselves very simple pieces found in beginner method books. They lack independence and normally are very reluctant to learn pieces by themselves, preferring instead to wait for me to play for them the passages so they can hear how they sound.
I normally advocate if possible to start immediately from a good teacher who is capable of teaching all the way to grade 8. But a lot of parents are normally reluctant to spend the higher fees commanded by more established teachers or willing to travel to the teacher's studio. But now that you are considering a new teacher, you should discuss with the prospective teachers more thoroughly.
Since it seems you expect ABRSM exams to be taken, the teacher should be familiar with the syllabi and can give you a basic plan on how to prepare students for exams. If the teacher never advertise herself as being able to prepare for ABRSM exams, then it's fair that she is not expected to know. But if she does, then you should quiz her if she is aware of components tested in exams that she prepare for her students. If I say I prepare a student for grade 3 ABRSM, then it is expected of me to know the specific requirements of this grade, from what scales are being tested and what are being tested in the aural exams. If the teacher is not aware of this, I will not suggest studying with the teacher.
You should also discuss with the teacher her teaching approach, what are her expectations and lesson plans. One trial is hardly a good indication of how a teacher may teach in the long term, so you want to make sure you gather as much info as you can rather than getting rude shocks in the future. -
Thank you very much! – Pianoprincess and Dreamaurora.
as you said, this girl is holding 10Ji of cert in China. and I searched via internet, this 10ji is even lower than ABRSM grade 3. she doesn’t have such experience to focus on how to pass ABRSM exam. this is most I am worry about.
I mentioned to her on trial lesson that we are preparing to have ABRSM exam in next year. she promised me that she can help if we followed her teaching method and do homework/practices properly.
As same as Dreamaurora’s opinion, after learning almost 1year, my girl lack independence and she is very reluctant to learn pieces by herself, preferring instead to wait for teacher to play for her ,memorize teacher’s play/ finger movement and sounds like. this is really weak points. I don’t want her be that, feel boring and lost interesting.
So, at this moment, I only can do is to let young girl teach my girl a while just to let my girl re-learn notes. At least, my girl can firm her basic theory .After that I have to look for experienced teacher who did exam of ABRSM.
actually I want to get such kind of valued teacher as soon as possible. but as you know, most in current market, it is a dream or look like a lucky draw. -
tong2:
Dont have to hesitate to change teachers. We are on our 6th teacher right now. Okay, i guess we are the exception rather than the norm to switch so many teachers. Even if you think you found the 'perfect' teacher, circumstances or chemistry may change over the years too that render the need to switch teacher again.
actually I want to get such kind of valued teacher as soon as possible. but as you know, most in current market, it is a dream or look like a lucky draw.
For theory exam prep, we went music school. So different teachers 1 theory and 1 practical. Practical teacher, although strong in practical, is too erractic so hardly prep properly for theory. No choice i engage another teacher just for theory.
Even then, that practical teacher has been spoon feeding my dd. Current teacher complained wrong approach, so my dd is not independent loh -
Hi, may I know what is the standard for one who was graduated from Shanghai Conservatory ? = what of level of ABRSM / Trinity ?
Thanks -
Puzz...zzle:
Shanghai conservatory is renounced.Hi, may I know what is the standard for one who was graduated from Shanghai Conservatory ? = what of level of ABRSM / Trinity ?
Thanks
They have high school section so you probably have to find out more, whether teacher graduated from high school, degree or postgrad
No idea what level to ABRSM.
But if reference to our own Yong Siew Toh, obviously a full time degree from YST conservatory is way higher than ABRSM/Trinity. My impression at least. -
sleepy:
Shanghai conservatory is renounced.Puzz...zzle:
Hi, may I know what is the standard for one who was graduated from Shanghai Conservatory ? = what of level of ABRSM / Trinity ?
Thanks
They have high school section so you probably have to find out more, whether teacher graduated from high school, degree or postgrad
No idea what level to ABRSM.
But if reference to our own Yong Siew Toh, obviously a full time degree from YST conservatory is way higher than ABRSM/Trinity. My impression at least.
What if a Degree? -
Puzz...zzle:
See above quotesleepy:
No idea what level to ABRSM.
But if reference to our own Yong Siew Toh, obviously a full time degree from YST conservatory is way higher than ABRSM/Trinity. My impression at least.
What if a Degree?
You engaging a Shanghai conservatory graduate? What is the asking fees?
Very important to check if that teacher is familiar with ABRSM syllabus.
I ever engaged a degree graduate from another conservatory (not Shanghai), exceptionally good in playing that instrument (not piano) but unfamiliar with ABRSM syllabus and we had some hiccups as a result -
anyone can advise how much do they charge for grade 3 (piano school and private piano teacher?)
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Taking about ABRSM syllabus, it is really not a big issue. As a parent without any music background, I am now able to teach any elements except for practical playing. Purchasing the whole set of syllabus books and reading thru them , that’s all
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