NAFA School of Young Talents - Discussion

[kathyh]

I don't know what to say. I can be very harsh so i am afraid my way is not acceptable by majority of parents

lwzh:

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

Really? U r stricter than nafa teacher? How? Can I borrow some experience?

[lwzh]

I sometimes can’t control my temper, and shout at my son and scold him. Sometime even use cane.

[Puzz.06109.06109.06109zzle]

Hi lwzh, your son in Nafa course? is it very stressfull for the parents and child ? How do you compare the lesson in Nafa and before,with the previous teacher? Just wonder before joinning Nafa , do you need to scold and cane your son for practising or only after he join Nafa ? Heard from people said, some children lost interest after joinning Nafa.

[phankao]

lwzh:

Wah, phanKao, your son is already an advanced player. How old is he? Where does he study? He got his diploma already?


I still have a long way to go.

He's 12 and working on diploma. Private instructor.

[lwzh]

Nafa focus on the techniques, and the practice is quite boring. He only learns one to two pieces in two to three months( the tone quality of each note is refined). His previous teacher give him 2-3 new pieces each week, so he is musical and good at sight reading. That’s why some kids lost interest. But nafa teach professional performance technique, this is what some kids want and need.


I scolded my son not because of joining nafa. Most of time it’s his attitude problem, e.g. He told me he practiced one hour, but I found he only did it 20 minutes after I checked with maid. Or he made an obvious mistake but refuse to admit it or change it. Of course sometimes it’s because I am too demanding or impatient.

[lwzh]

phankao:

lwzh:

Wah, phanKao, your son is already an advanced player. How old is he? Where does he study? He got his diploma already?


I still have a long way to go.

He's 12 and working on diploma. Private instructor.

He is great. He shall got grade 8 with distinction since u mentioned he also got rewards from piano competition. Did he attend national piano and violin competition? Who is his teacher? I know last year the piano first prize was not from nafa.

[phankao]

lwzh:

phankao:

[quote=\"lwzh\"]Wah, phanKao, your son is already an advanced player. How old is he? Where does he study? He got his diploma already?


I still have a long way to go.

He's 12 and working on diploma. Private instructor.

He is great. He shall got grade 8 with distinction since u mentioned he also got rewards from piano competition. Did he attend national piano and violin competition? Who is his teacher? I know last year the piano first prize was not from nafa.[/quote]haha. Yes, has been on high-score list for exams. He does chinese instrument, so no NPVC.

[Dreamaurora]

lwzh:

Nafa focus on the techniques, and the practice is quite boring. He only learns one to two pieces in two to three months( the tone quality of each note is refined). His previous teacher give him 2-3 new pieces each week, so he is musical and good at sight reading. That's why some kids lost interest. But nafa teach professional performance technique, this is what some kids want and need.


I scolded my son not because of joining nafa. Most of time it's his attitude problem, e.g. He told me he practiced one hour, but I found he only did it 20 minutes after I checked with maid. Or he made an obvious mistake but refuse to admit it or change it. Of course sometimes it's because I am too demanding or impatient.

A serious question to you: do you seriously want your son to associate piano with shouting and cane?

To elaborate more, there are other more positive ways to encourage your son to practice and achieve a high standard. Based on your own admission, you thrusted your son into a world of professional piano training even though you are aware that this may cause lost of interest and musicality. And it seems your participation in your son's musical activity is minimal, judging that you checked his practice through the maid and scolded him for his mistakes. Try to put yourself in your son's shoes and you may be able to understand why your son behave that way.

Anyway, let me offer you some positive options. Try to to be more proactive in your son's practice. Make time to sit down with him and practice. Listen to recordings and go to concerts together. Stage mini informal concerts at your home and invite your relative to hear him play. Praise him when he made improvements instead of punishing his mistakes. Cultivate his love for music first. The world of professional piano training is very pressurising and without genuine love for music burnout is a very high possibility.

[lwzh]

Thank you for so many proactive advices and suggestion. I will try to correct my own part. But as a singaporean kid (always busy schedule) and a full time working mother. I must train the kid to do time management and displine himself from young age. Otherwise he will waste half day and depending on his mom with a short night time. Yes, we regularly go to concert, and we also organize mini concert with his friends. But both mom and son have our own problem, you know.

[Dreamaurora]

lwzh:

Thank you for so many proactive advices and suggestion. I will try to correct my own part. But as a singaporean kid (always busy schedule) and a full time working mother. I must train the kid to do time management and displine himself from young age. Otherwise he will waste half day and depending on his mom with a short night time. Yes, we regularly go to concert, and we also organize mini concert with his friends. But both mom and son have our own problem, you know.

Yes, I understand where you are coming from. But for him to be truly happy, your son's desire to succeed must truly come from himself, and not because it is imposed by the parents. I make this very clear to all parents of my students. Good results should be natural results of the students' love for music, and so far from my experience this is very true. All parents want to see their children successful and I as a father-to-be will want to see my son successful also in the future. But what I will do is to guide him to that path where he achieve that out of his own free will. If your son does indeed become succesful despite all the pressure and pain, there is a good chance he may despise you in the future. Would you want to see that happen? You can read 'Battle Hymns of the Tiger Mother' by Amy Chua to understand this better.