Parents can help make practicing fun!

As discussed previously, we know that practicing can be difficult. A teachers attitude makes a lot of difference. It is good if the student and teacher get along and the student wants to please the teacher. But, it should be noted that parents can make all the difference! You are there every day being the task master. Teachers understand your battle but most of us don't know why you would bother paying for lessons and driving a student around so that lessons are nothing more than another practice session.

Here are a few hints if your teacher hasn't provided you with any:

• Talk you student through the lesson. Your teacher probably writes in a notebook of some kind. Make this notebook your business and get familiar with the books. Explain the lesson to the student and help them understand what is expected of them. This will help you both clarify what goals you should have.
• Give a reward for the number of times the student plays a song or segment correctly. Perhaps a Tootsie Roll or something small for every 5 or 10 times they repeat correctly. Nothing like incentives to get any of us to take action!
• If the teacher has not specified how many times to play something you can use dice. Have the student roll the dice and then that is how many times they play the song or segment. Alter this to meet your students needs.
• Break practicing up into shorter segments. Think of this like some people see exercise. Most people wouldn't mind jogging for five or ten minutes but the thought of 30 straight minutes or an hour is just overwhelming. This is generally how practicing feels to the student. Breaking it into smaller time frames and just doing it here and there through the day will help every one in the house.

Keep a positive attitude. Remember that if your child is not enjoying the lessons at all that there may be bad chemistry with the teacher or they may be struggling. We usually like what we are good at and piano students that have fun actually learn more.

Piano Practice

Many parents want to ask how much time their children or they should put into their piano practicing at home. This, to me, is the bane of existence for piano teachers, students, and parents. We all have this one thorn in common.

As a young girl I started taking piano lessons at the age of 4. I never remember my first teachers making it miserable to practice but I don't remember specifically what they did to create the opposite feeling. I know that I have never minded playing the piano so practicing was not really something a parent had to nag me about. I hated going and sitting with a stern person for 30 minutes while they put up with my mishaps and noise.

When I teach very young students I suggest 10 minute practice sessions. Perhaps for a first grader 10 minutes in the morning before school, 10 after school and 10 after dinner. This makes it so that no one is nagging for 30 minutes straight or listening to a piano train wreck as nerves wear thin through the day. I do think that 30 minutes for any age is the absolute minimum time that should be spent. If you won't commit to 30 minutes I believe you are wasting your money on lessons. Even the most talented of students can perfect their assignments and then use practice time for Hanon, scales, sight reading or extra theory. It isn't like one is every truly finished learning when it comes to music. There is always something more that can be accomplished or learned.

The right age to start piano lessons

So many parents wonder about the right age to start piano lessons is and quite honestly I'm not sure there is a firm answer on this one. Hopefully parents want their child to start piano because of a healthy need to expose the child to something new, to develop a talent or to follow the child's dream - not the parents. Too often I have had parents who wanted lessons for their children and the child hated it so much that it was obviously turning the student off to music lessons in general. At this point in time I always tell the parent they need to find a new teacher.

While all children are not alike and have very different needs and abilities there are some good indicators that lessons may be appropriate.

1. Can the child sit still for 30 minutes? This needs to be a firm "yes" or most teachers will send you packing. I have seen some four year olds who when engaged in music are thrilled to sit with their teacher for 30 minutes. On the other hand I have seen 7 and 8 year old kids who can't physically stay seated for 30 minutes. Be considerate of the child and the teacher. Piano teachers are not baby sitters and should your child be unable to sit still it is extremely frustrating. It does no one any good to start lessons before this is in place.
2. Can the child understand the concept that a finger is associated with a number? Most children at about 3 or 4 years old can get this if someone really works with them to grasp the concept for about a week. If you are going to see if this works for your child you teach them that thumbs are number one and pinkies are number five.
3. Can your child count from one to ten, recognize those numbers and recognize the letters of the alphabet? As you may know the musical alphabet is A,B,C,D,E,F, and G. It is imperative that your child know these letters by sight and their numbers one through ten.
4. Can your child not only sit still for 30 minutes but remain focused for 30 minutes? If not, this will lead to the same frustration discussed in number 1.
5. Have you asked yourself why you want lessons for your child? If the answer has more to do with the child than it does with you, this is a good thing.

Keep in mind that when children are not ready, do not want lessons or are being forced it creates a very big negative atmosphere for both the teacher and the student. Have you tried to sit with a child you do not know well that is restless and won't listen to you for 30 minutes straight while trying to be kind and coaxing them to do what you would like? No matter what a teacher charges it is not okay to expect them to babysit unless that is what was offered.

You may find in your quest for a teacher that you will find many that will not take students below a certain age unless there is some phenomenal show of talent at an early age. I tried to get my daughter in with another teacher that wouldn't even consider anyone under the age of eight. As a teacher I totally understand this woman's point of view. However, I started at age four and it went great. I firmly believe that there are those children that can do it and it does take a special type of teacher for younger ages. I think most of us understand that children learn new things best as early as we can do it but that we have to show caution and not put too much on a child.

Pioneer Shopper Ad Information

For those that are visiting due to the ad in the Pioneer Shopper this November I thought I would post my general information again for you.

My name is Angie. I have been teaching piano lessons for 20 years now and love seeing students progress. I teach in my home in the Red Cliffs area. Lessons are once per week for 30 minutes. I currently have expanded my teaching hours and have some extra time slots available.

The fee for lessons is $65 per month. This is a flat rate. Make up lessons are available once per month on a specific day during specific hours. In the event that a student misses a lesson I will let you know when the make up day is and you can tell me if you are interested in a make up lesson.

The books I use are the Bastien Piano Basics. For most children that are just beginning you will need all the books in the Primer level. There is a link below in another post where you can purchase the books or they are available locally at Music Affiliates. You will also need a set of the flashcards that are listed below. The cost for these books and flashcards is minimal.

I start children around the ages of 7 or 8. They need to be able to read well. I will not, under any circumstances, take younger children.

For adults that are just beginning I suggest:
For more information on scheduling or beginning lessons please e-mail me at: pianoteacher2008@gmail.com. I am not posting my personal information like last name and phone number on this blog for privacy reasons. Please e-mail me for more information and I will get back to you very quickly. Thanks!

Here are the links for the books that a beginning child will need. If your child or you are at another level we can discuss what books you will need.

Flashcards

All beginning students need flashcards as soon as the Bastien books start introducing notes on the staff lines. Flashcards work miracles to help children learn what a note is without having to find it on the keyboard. After much practice a person will just know them like they know their ABC's for school. The flashcards that I recommend are:

Bastien Piano Basics

I require my students to use the Bastien Piano Basics books. I do like the students to have each book in the set (there are four or five in each color/level). Pink is the beginner level.

Holiday Music

I am going to put a few links to holiday music that students may want to use for their "fun stuff" this month.