NAFA School of Young Talents - Discussion
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pirate:
What is giftedness? Is it the natural ability of a child to excel without putting in too much effort? Or is it the potential to excel given a willingness to put in lots of hard work? It's kind of difficult for parents to be a fair judge of whether a child is \"gifted\" enough to be enrolled in NAFA.
The official name of NAFA SYT's piano course is Gifted Young Pianists' Course. Parents ignore the word \"Gifted\" at their child's peril because the school certainly takes the word pretty seriously.
IMHO if we find that our children, in order to keep up, only has time to practise exam pieces and does not have time to explore other music, we should reconsider whether SYT is suitable for them.
Then, there's the question of whether NAFA is the best place for a \"gifted\" child. From the many postings in this forum, it doesn't seem like NAFA is a conducive place to fully develop a child musically, ie. majority of time spent drilling on exam pieces, having to attend \"supplementary\" music courses in other schools, etc.
As a parent who is considering whether to put my DD in NAFA, I do have many doubts on whether NAFA is the right place for her. Hence I do appreciate the many discussions here on the issue. -
waiyean:
For me, I do not use the word 'gifted' or 'talented' lightly.'Gifted' I feel means the ability of a pianist to transcend his/her expression beyond the ordinary. At certain point, all students will probably be able to achieve similar level of technique and repertoire proficiency. The 'gifted' ones will be able to use their inborn ability to express and comprehend the music at a level different from others. It's quite hard to explain as this is about how certain people interpret the music e.g. the rubato, the length of the fermatas, the tone quality and shadings of the phrases etc.
What is giftedness? Is it the natural ability of a child to excel without putting in too much effort? Or is it the potential to excel given a willingness to put in lots of hard work? It's kind of difficult for parents to be a fair judge of whether a child is \"gifted\" enough to be enrolled in NAFA.pirate:
The official name of NAFA SYT's piano course is Gifted Young Pianists' Course. Parents ignore the word \"Gifted\" at their child's peril because the school certainly takes the word pretty seriously.
IMHO if we find that our children, in order to keep up, only has time to practise exam pieces and does not have time to explore other music, we should reconsider whether SYT is suitable for them.
Then, there's the question of whether NAFA is the best place for a \"gifted\" child. From the many postings in this forum, it doesn't seem like NAFA is a conducive place to fully develop a child musically, ie. majority of time spent drilling on exam pieces, having to attend \"supplementary\" music courses in other schools, etc.
As a parent who is considering whether to put my DD in NAFA, I do have many doubts on whether NAFA is the right place for her. Hence I do appreciate the many discussions here on the issue.
Bear in mind NAFA is afterall a for-profit education provider. And to maintain its prestige, it has stringent admission and assessment procedures to ensure only those who conform to their philosophies to remain in the course. So yes, NAFA probably does not give a hoot if your kids develop the love and appreciation for music as a result of their music study. All it cares is if your kids are good enough and disciplined enough to make it all the way to secure that grade 8 distinction at the end of the course before P6.
I am not saying it is a horrible place to send 'gifted' kids to study there. NAFA does have a very good system in place to train students to be confident and proficient performers. Constant masterclasses, concerts, separate aural theory lessons, internal exams are good and valid tools to develop students further. But what parents need to be aware is that if they decide to send the kids to NAFA, the onus is on them to keep their kids interested and passionate in music. -
kathyh:
[/quote]Do your students still have lessons with you when they join NAFA?
You meant you once sat in the nafa lesson with your student? In fact, video recording for the lesson is encouraged there.
Yes, they had lessons with me when they were still in NAFA. One of the parents recorded almost every lesson, I got to watch them. I got to know the teacher's style/methods, what's taught & what's not being taught. -
osim:
If she's already preparing for Gr 8, then yes, it's a pity to drop. Should just continue with the lessons and prepare for the exam when in Sec 1 - either the March or August exams.. It'd be less stressful than doing in PSLE year.
Agree, agree. My dd enjoyed her band tremendously. She loved working with her band members and also gave her a chance to teach the Juniors. I made her stop her piano lesson in Jan. She had then learnt all her Grade 8 pieces for exam this year and also preparing for Grade 8 theory. Then there was SYF competition and then PSLE. It was so stressful, I decided we have to regroup her life.. -
May I know what is the reason that they still engage u to teach ?
Aren't there any conflict btw ur teaching way and nafa's?
As another forumer mentioned, his way is what body involvement while NAFA is using what PRC way
How do you manage it if there is a way that was taught by NAFA but is not ur cup of tea?broadshouldersgal:
Yes, they had lessons with me when they were still in NAFA. One of the parents recorded almost every lesson, I got to watch them. I got to know the teacher's style/methods, what's taught & what's not being taught.[/quote]kathyh:
Do your students still have lessons with you when they join NAFA?
You meant you once sat in the nafa lesson with your student? In fact, video recording for the lesson is encouraged there. -
phankao:
If she's already preparing for Gr 8, then yes, it's a pity to drop. Should just continue with the lessons and prepare for the exam when in Sec 1 - either the March or August exams.. It'd be less stressful than doing in PSLE year.osim:
Agree, agree. My dd enjoyed her band tremendously. She loved working with her band members and also gave her a chance to teach the Juniors. I made her stop her piano lesson in Jan. She had then learnt all her Grade 8 pieces for exam this year and also preparing for Grade 8 theory. Then there was SYF competition and then PSLE. It was so stressful, I decided we have to regroup her life..
Just wondering is it manageable to go for grade 8 exam in psle year?
Say in Feb/Mar, a few months before psle -
sleepy:
If she's already preparing for Gr 8, then yes, it's a pity to drop. Should just continue with the lessons and prepare for the exam when in Sec 1 - either the March or August exams.. It'd be less stressful than doing in PSLE year.phankao:
[quote=\"osim\"]
Agree, agree. My dd enjoyed her band tremendously. She loved working with her band members and also gave her a chance to teach the Juniors. I made her stop her piano lesson in Jan. She had then learnt all her Grade 8 pieces for exam this year and also preparing for Grade 8 theory. Then there was SYF competition and then PSLE. It was so stressful, I decided we have to regroup her life..
Just wondering is it manageable to go for grade 8 exam in psle year?
Say in Feb/Mar, a few months before psle[/quote]Or course - if you are prepared. -
Dreamaurora:
I am not saying it is a horrible place to send 'gifted' kids to study there. NAFA does have a very good system in place to train students to be confident and proficient performers. Constant masterclasses, concerts, separate aural theory lessons, internal exams are good and valid tools to develop students further. But what parents need to be aware is that if they decide to send the kids to NAFA, the onus is on them to keep their kids interested and passionate in music.
This. :goodpost:
I have no idea what is \"gifted\". We have no knowledge of music whatsoever. All I know is that my DD suddenly started playing Ode to Joy on the keyboard out of nowhere when she was in K1 last year. And when they were practising for the yearly graduation concert, she started playing the K2 piece that the K2 children were learning, apparently just from listening to them practise.
I was wondering how to look for a piano teacher for her when her kindergarten music teacher recommended that she audition for NAFA preparatory. So, we decided what the heck.
At the final masterclass for Preparatory in May, the principal was saying that the children need to practise at least one hour a day. But when she asked how many practised one hour a day, only one child raised up her hand. Most of us were happy if we could get them to practise half an hour.
The one thing I like about NAFA is that not only do they allow us to video each lesson/masterclass, they actually encourage it. There is no \"trade secret\" that we are not supposed to share with others. My plan is to just let DD go on at NAFA until she gets kicked out. :rotflmao: Then I will go look for another piano teacher. See? No stress.
In the meantime, all I can do is just buy the ABRSM and other books and let DD figure out on her own what pieces she likes and how to play them. I just have to make sure I leave time during \"practice\" to let her play whatever she wants, be it Oggy & the Cockroaches, easy listening piano music from the CD or Fur Elise from Yamaha 50 masterpieces book. I just forget to tell her that what she is trying to play by ear or sight read is not necessarily her grade. :evil:
Let's see how long DD lasts there hee hee.
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pirate:
Haha - that was what my littlest boy was doing when he was around 1-2yrs old. So when I found a piano tr (interestingly, while searching for a violin tr!!!), I thought to let him try a lesson with her. See how it turns out.
I have no idea what is \"gifted\". We have no knowledge of music whatsoever. All I know is that my DD suddenly started playing Ode to Joy on the keyboard out of nowhere when she was in K1 last year. And when they were practising for the yearly graduation concert, she started playing the K2 piece that the K2 children were learning, apparently just from listening to them practise.: -
NAFA parents: how is the recent Masterclass going?
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