NAFA School of Young Talents - Discussion

[phankao]

lwzh:

Yes, parent is asked to sit it and take the video and monitor practicing at home.

The teachers are not afraid that the videos go on Youtube and can be embarrassing sometimes (to the teacher .. hehe).

[kathyh]

I believe teachers and principals here are very open in this. Not like some music school, parents r not not even allowed to sit in, and piano skills require lots of practice not just by attending a few lessons. In fact most o he skills can be found in Internet, not secret at all

phankao:

lwzh:

Yes, parent is asked to sit it and take the video and monitor practicing at home.

The teachers are not afraid that the videos go on Youtube and can be embarrassing sometimes (to the teacher .. hehe).

[phankao]

kathyh:

I believe teachers and principals here are very open in this. Not like some music school, parents r not not even allowed to sit in, and piano skills require lots of practice not just by attending a few lessons. In fact most o he skills can be found in Internet, not secret at all

phankao:

[quote=\"lwzh\"]Yes, parent is asked to sit it and take the video and monitor practicing at home.

The teachers are not afraid that the videos go on Youtube and can be embarrassing sometimes (to the teacher .. hehe).

[/quote]My kids not with NAFA, and also not piano, but I've never dared to ask a teacher if I could videotape the lessons. I think everyone would be so self-conscious. I'd rather the lesson run normally without reservations. I only videotape practices, rehearsals, performances, performing group classes ... the child can review these if he/she doesn't believe what I say are points/areas they can improve on. They'd watch the video and understand what I mean, altho' sometimes they do have \"self-denial\" too, so as not to \"lose face\". But well, at least they did understand, only don't dare admit. HAHA

[kathyh]

It was advised so there is no such concern at all

[watercooler]

kathyh:

Hi water cooler , why don't you teach ur kids by ur own?


I believe video is a surplus hehe

watercooler:

[quote=\"lwzh\"]Yes, parent is asked to sit it and take the video and monitor practicing at home.

Thank you very much, lwzh! I think the kids will improve much faster. I am from China and when I was young, my mom sat in my piano lessons and took notes. It was quite serious. therefore, I was expecting the teacher demands the parents to sit in and take notes. Now it seems video is even a better way.

[/quote]yes, I have started teaching him. however, I felt it would be better to get a good and professional teacher when he gets older. My mom was a music teacher. She taught me before I went to take piano lessons. my lessons with my mom were not very systematic and I did not really care much on her words. Therefore, she found a renowned teacher for me. I learnt a lot from her, however, she was diagnosed with breast cancer after two years. I changed piano teacher who was not bad but not as good as the previous one.
But after I arrived here and started my undergraduate life, I realized my music/piano education was not holistic. I joined in NUS piano ensemble, I found my technique and music expression/dynamics are good, but my fundamental theory, improvisation skills and ear training are lagging. Even if I can catch up later, I did not achieve the same kind of standard as my techniques. Therefore, it is very important to find a good teacher for kids.
I got to say, good teachers are very strict. They could not the flaws and some are not very good in temper, but they are real musicians. their aims are not only earn money, but to nurture young musicians.

[phankao]

watercooler:

I got to say, good teachers are very strict. They could not the flaws and some are not very good in temper, but they are real musicians. their aims are not only earn money, but to nurture young musicians.

I find it very contradictory though. If they only aim to nurture young musicians, then they should know not to destroy the kids emotionally/mentally through loosing their temper and finding faults with the kids. Good teachers would aim to nurture by building up the child's techniques as well as their resilience and confidence. I was reading Lang Lang's biography. His 1st teacher was that way. Even after his later teachers threw tantrums(so to say) and quit on Lang Lang, this 1st teacher still managed to come back and save the situation. Very admirable. Lang Lang's father is scary.

[watercooler]

To phankao:

I just would like to share some of my thought with you. I agree it is always contradictory. Children are different. It is very important to find a way to suit their different needs and character. I got to say, without my first teacher’s strictness,without my mom’s commitment, I could not reach my piano level today.
When I was young, I also wanted to play with my friends instead of playing the piano. But I also know my love of music. Even though I often cried during lessons, I still like to continue playing. My mom pushed me till my puberty, and I got to fall in love with playing. no more forcing. sometimes, she had to force me get down from the piano and do my homework. Young children sometimes do not know what is right and what is wrong. but when they grow up, they will thank your persistence.
I think the basal line of the teachers/parents is not let the children lose their interest in playing. It is Ok to be strict, it is ok to pressurize the student, but the teacher should not extinguish children’s passion of music. Teachers/parents might to use some tactics. Sometimes to praise the kids, sometimes to be more critical, and let them know they still have long way to go.
The starting is always hard and there are also stages during learning. It would be very important to encourage the students when they are experiencing the bottleneck.
JMHO.

[phankao]

watercooler:

To phankao:

I just would like to share some of my thought with you. I agree it is always contradictory. Children are different. It is very important to find a way to suit their different needs and character. I got to say, without my first teacher's strictness,without my mom's commitment, I could not reach my piano level today.
When I was young, I also wanted to play with my friends instead of playing the piano. But I also know my love of music. Even though I often cried during lessons, I still like to continue playing. My mom pushed me till my puberty, and I got to fall in love with playing. no more forcing. sometimes, she had to force me get down from the piano and do my homework. Young children sometimes do not know what is right and what is wrong. but when they grow up, they will thank your persistence.
I think the basal line of the teachers/parents is not let the children lose their interest in playing. It is Ok to be strict, it is ok to pressurize the student, but the teacher should not extinguish children's passion of music. Teachers/parents might to use some tactics. Sometimes to praise the kids, sometimes to be more critical, and let them know they still have long way to go.
The starting is always hard and there are also stages during learning. It would be very important to encourage the students when they are experiencing the bottleneck.
JMHO.

Yeah, every child is so different. Different ways to approach this for girls vs boys too. I'm not sure about other parents' children, but I do have at least one boy who cannot be forced to practise. He would rebel if that's the case and purposely not do what we ask and when he is in this mood, advice/encouragement/incentives don't work. Quite unpredictable, but he does often get in that kind of mood so we have to be very sensitive. He has to be allowed to work at his own pace. He doesn't practise much even though he's an advanced player, but somehow I think he manages to condense everything and does well in exams and competitions. We don't fully know how he does it, but just know we cannot interfere and the other thing that does work is praise and never to criticise bc again, he rebels and would be very defensive, so that has a negative effect. I guess he wouldn't survive a very strict teacher then.

[kathyh]

Anyway I prefer the strict way. And I don’t really think nafa teachers are strict like what they are described in some forums. Probably becoz I am even stricter hehe

[kathyh]

Phankao, I fully understand as i hv almost exactly the same experience, on study not in piano coz this kid not playing piano