Daughter wants to stop learning piano

[karmeleon]

luckystar:

Teacher plays an important part, check with the teacher. Do not pressure the kids for exam too, or take a slower pace.

I'm one of those who are all for exams. bc i notice that esp for my younger boy, if no exam, slack. Can slack the whole yr, and then a piece that seems like is so \"not-up-to-standard, and can fail\" would suddenly improve when he become v diligent at the last minute. Wah, like that, har, ... I think he should have exams every 3 months, then would improve 3x to 4x as fast!!!! Instead of slacking the whole year lor.

[sleepy]

karmeleon:

I'm one of those who are all for exams. bc i notice that esp for my younger boy, if no exam, slack. Can slack the whole yr, and then a piece that seems like is so \"not-up-to-standard, and can fail\" would suddenly improve when he become v diligent at the last minute. Wah, like that, har, ... I think he should have exams every 3 months, then would improve 3x to 4x as fast!!!! Instead of slacking the whole year lor.

My dd similar When gearing up for audition or concert, she can practice the same piece over a hundred times to perfection. Super on. Now audition over, no upcoming concert, no exam, no target no timeline

[jce]

It’s important to have a teacher who motivates, provides challenges, teaches methods of practising and makes lessons enjoyable. However having said that, it takes two hands to clap, so the child plays a role too.


Playing pop music is ok but it must be made a challenge, not just merely playing whatever is printed. And also not to forget making the music musical, then that to me is also a form of practice.

I teach my daughter since I’m a piano teacher myself. She started when she was 4.5 (she’s now 6). Right from the start I took the disciplinary route, daily practices of 15 mins then slowly increase. It’s a natural thing cos as one progresses, one has more things to practice hence needing more time. Now she practices an hour, sometimes with my coaching, sometimes I just leave her to do her own practice. Only then will she stop relying on me and start relying on her ears.

[daisyt]

petitemum:

sigh... I find my 12yo son also starts to lose interest. He is doing grade 7 but would prefer playing pop songs. Is it true that children at this age stop to appreciate classical music? I am considering getting a new teacher as the current teacher is inexperienced and not inspiring. Or could it be my son's problem?

The next Jay Chou !

[rains]

red_ryder:

She just says its too hard, and refuses to elaborate.


Sometimes I think she's just lazy

Hi red_ryder,

My kid was also like that when she was under private piano tutors. She said she didn't want to learn piano, that it's very difficult.

I let her stop for a year. Then I asked her if she wanted to learn again, and she said yes.

I sourced for a music school and sat in the lessons. It occurred to me then that the private tutors made my kid skip skills which could have bridged the 'easy' and 'difficult' parts. She didn't understand exactly what was difficult, and neither did I. Now I know.

I used to think it was becos my kid was lazy as well.

Now I know the teacher indeed matters.

[metz]

rains:

Now I know the teacher indeed matters.

Hi rains,

Glad that you have finally found a good piano teacher for your daughter! :celebrate:

[sleepy]

I feel that when the child encounters difficulties, the first reaction is to give up & thus appear to lose interest. That's human nature. When my dd2 started learning piano, she encountered difficulties & we can sense her reluctance to practice. At that junction, we can interpret as no interest & stop her lessons. That thought did cross my mind. In any case, I asked dh to sit with her for 5 minutes everyday. She managed to overcome that difficult stage with our encouragement & nowsaday will automatically practice merrily without any reminder. When we were on vacation, she missed her piano :lol:

[csb]

sleepy:

... will automatically practice for 30 minutes to an hour merrily without any reminder. When we were on vacation, she missed her piano :lol:

Can I find out at roughly what age will kids automatically practise on their own? I'm waiting patiently for that day...

[sleepy]

csb:

Can I find out at roughly what age will kids automatically practise on their own? I'm waiting patiently for that day...

Mine is 5 yo
Learnt piano for a year

[jce]

Now that’s a difficult question…when do kids start studying on their own? I guess the answer lies in (1) the character of the person - some are the active ones, ie will do all things without much of a pester and (2) when they are interested and hence motivated. This works on both sides, ie child must have the interest and secondly teacher plays a part in motivating. I strongly believe that the teacher must make things interesting and sometimes it’s really not just by following the book note by note. I "challenge" the higher grade students to transpose pieces. Younger ones I get them to transpose simple exercises. This trains them to think and not just merely follow what’s printed. I train their co-ordination by doing legato and staccato at the same time. Sometimes give them simple phrases and get them to compose something base on that. Get the beginners to play backwards from the end to the beginning, add simple left hand so that they get to play BOTH HANDS at times, you can see their faces light up when they get to do that cos it’s a sense of achievement.