Teaching a 6 year old

[heller]

I am new to this forum. I wish to know how one would go about teaching a 6 year old from scratch. In particular, what would you recommend in the following respects for a 6 year old(say):

• Help with reading music.
• Appropriate repertoire to start with.
• Attention span. What is their typical attention span? Are there any tricks of the trade to help them focus?
• What should one (conservatively) aim for, say, in a year's time?

Any other advice you all can offer is greatly appreciated.

Best Regards,
Heller.

[llamaman]

Finish the introduction Frederick Harris Music course, and C, G, F major Scales/Triads.

[maryruth]

no two six year olds are exactly alike---particularly in terms of attention span...I teach two six-year-olds.  One can focus for a 45-minute lesson and the other one can't sit still through a 8-measure piece.  They've been taking for one year each....Where have I got? 

The wiggly one can recognize notes around middle C and can play a good legato when she can sit still long enough to do it.  She likes to play things from Walt Disney--currently working on The Siamese Cat Song...She would prefer to learn everything by rote--note reading is just too much work...She plays everything at Mach 10 unless reminded otherwise....doesn't like to practice...

The serious student just transfered to me from another teacher.  She didn't know the names of any notes when she started here a month ago...now she know and reads Bass F through Treble G (Middle C position)....she has troubles with stiffness.  She really seems to have to concentrate to coordinate looking at the music and making the fingers go...so I try to do some exercises where she doesn't look at the music so she can feel more relaxed at the keyboard....One shouldn't have to think so hard at the piano...

[jeremyjchilds]

I think it is important to instill a little confidence in the little guys...

I start with trying to get thier fingers moving in the 5 finger position.

I also make sure that they are  completely confident in what a step looks like of the piano, and what a step looks like on the staff. It can also take a while to help them to see direction on the keys, and music...it sometimes helps to flop music onto it's side so it can be read more intuitively.

[heller]

Thank you for your advice and for taking the time to reply to my query.

I looked at some posts by Mr. Bernhard and he seems to teach really young children around this age Bach inventions etc 

The 6 year old I am referring to can play the C major scale (well with the right hand and a little slowly and hesitantly with the left hand) and recognizes the white key names quite well. I am just not sure how to go about it further. My greatest fear is boring this kid. I was wondering if you all have specific pointers about some simple repertoire I can start. I have seen so many "courses" out there but they don't appear to lead anywhere.

I suppose, I need help with a possible game plan.

Please advise at your leisure.

Best regards,
Heller

[pianistimo]

i like bastien

and bernhard (i think) and others have mentioned lots of easier repertoire of classical composers that you can add to this.  what i like about method books is that you have a 'method' going and are not randomly adding this and that without skipping some piece of important knowledge.  the books help me remember things i might forget on my own. 

i often add to the method as well, with the above mentioned five finger ex. and go through all of the major scales in one year.  i have personally found that introducing the minor scales to early leads to a lot of confusion.  what i do is at least get them to know all the major scales and be able to play one octave (first tetrachord 5432 lh and 2345 rh - then normal scale fingering toward six-eight months when they can figure all the notes in scale and start worrying about fingering - and be able to follow the circle of fifths (creatively by replacing rh with lh each time when using tetrachord form).  you can also show them how to remember all of the keys.

(my trick *remember how many lines are needed to write each letter  G is one line - one sharp, D is two lines - since you have to pick up pencil to write again - A is three lines = three sharps...and so on , until you get to B (which if you wrote letters like the greeks would be 5 lines!) 

also, with younger students, you need a good reward system.  very few (mature ones) do well without some incentive or motivation.  i make up a chart and they have to fill in minutes practiced on each thing (i suggest how to divide the half hour up).  if they achieve the amount, the reward is going on to the next piece (and i have stickers/erasers, etc to choose from).

i used to think, why bother with all this extra reward stuff, but it works.  elementary teachers also know the value of bribery.  whatever works, right!  i don't really consider it bribery though, because they worked hard.  showing the difference between what you get when you work hard vs. diddling around.

[bernhard]

Thank you for your advice and for taking the time to reply to my query.

I looked at some posts by Mr. Bernhard and he seems to teach really young children around this age Bach inventions etc 

The 6 year old I am referring to can play the C major scale (well with the right hand and a little slowly and hesitantly with the left hand) and recognizes the white key names quite well. I am just not sure how to go about it further. My greatest fear is boring this kid. I was wondering if you all have specific pointers about some simple repertoire I can start. I have seen so many "courses" out there but they don't appear to lead anywhere.

I suppose, I need help with a possible game plan.

Please advise at your leisure.

Best regards,
Heller

Have a look here:

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2192.msg21823.html#msg21823
(How to teach very young students – the historical method, the pragmatical  x logical method and total exposure as the best way for under-5s)

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?PHPSESSID=67cd5c11f2aa4caeae9c3a6de14b5500&topic=2260.msg90216#msg90216
(Replies #33, #34 and #35 deal with what to do the first week of lessons)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2994.msg26162.html#msg26162
(Teaching little brats – recorder rules)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,4020.msg36635.html#msg36635
(What to teach a 4-year old in his first lesson)


As for the matter of boredom it will depend very much on the child. Some have good attention spans, some have none. Some have differnt attention spans for differnet activities. The secret is to have a number of activities well planned, that is, you must break down an activity in steps so that at the end it amount to something. As the attention of the child wanders, you change the activity. As long you are consistent (that is you pick up the activity where you stopped), this "rotation"of activities is not bad, quite the opposite it has benficial results.

For games, I suggest you have a look at Michio Yurko's "Musical MInd games" (they are mostly for theory, though), and the excellent "The practice revolution" by Phillip Johnston. Check out his website: practicespot.com.

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[pianistimo]

musical mind games.  that sounds good.  kids do tend to like it if you ask questions and aren't just talking and telling all the time.  over the years i really cut the talking, and try to 'interact' more - especially as they start progressing (but even at the beginning, i warm them up and make them feel comfortable by asking little questions about what they know).  you don't want to put them on the spot, so some questions can be preference questions.  also, they like it if you remember birthdays, and things particular that they like.  repore i guess is what i mean. 

with adults, you don't have to care if they 'like' you, but i still try to be friendly.  one lady, a real sweetie, liked to do what i sometimes do, and change the subject - but, as a teacher you have to stay on course.  otherwise the half hour goes by, and you have to spend more time because some time was wasted.  i like to be honest about the amount of actual time spent teaching.  this happens with six year olds, too, but as bernhard says, you can change to something else and come back to what you were doing - but just keep it musical.  once, i split up a bro and sis (alternating) after 15 minutes because they had limited attention spans and needed break.  they learned more with short lesson than longer one although most 6 year olds can handle a half hour.

[heller]

Thank you all for your time and sincere suggestions. I am trying to chalk out a plan and have ordered the materials you all have recommended. I will keep you all posted about my progress with the student. All your ideas are super 

If I may, could I ask about so called "prodigies"? I have also read Mr. Bernhard's posts and he believes that it is essentially the method and the daily tutoring which makes a difference. I am still curious about how a 10 year old can play all Beethoven Sonatas by memory (Saint Saens in particular who purportedly accompanied Beethoven's Violin sonata when he was 5  ) or the entire WTC by Bach etc?

I see students all over the place, distracted, hammering keys etc and I really wonder 

Best regards,
Heller

[llamaman]

They do that by focusing all their time on those pieces. The kid who plays Beethoven sonatas, I bet can only play the Beethoven sonatas.

[joyfulmusic]

I like Bastien too.  How I address the attention span issue is to respond to "wiggling" with a change in what's happening.  Each lesson includes a jam session where the student directs me on how fast, loud and long to play.  We improvise music about them or, I have one five year old who loves to "play" about Batman and Robin.  The students always begin to organize their playing in some way and I mirror what they have discovered in their music.  They make select a few notes to play over and over and I play them too.  I use a lot of humor.  If a student gets glassy eyed and even puts their head down, I play Brahm's lullaby.  This creates response in them and eventually all of the lesson is working on new stuff.

[eastcountypiano]

I had a whole batch of students that started with me when they were 6, they are all 7 now and have been with me from 9 months to a year.

All my kids are half way through the red book and know a lot.   

Okay that's the majority, but there is one who started when he was 5 and is now 6 and is still in the pre K book.  He is my weekly challenge to keep him motivated and not bored.  I never know what mood he is going to be and how much I can get him to play that day.  I have brought sheet music  of familiar childrens songs to keep him motivated.  I suppose the most successful thing I have done is to find a theory book for young kids that allows him to color.  I can also go to that book when he is getting restless.  Also, I use music education, not just piano, meaning, I will play two or three keys and have him tell me what animal they sound like or have him close his eyes and tell me what note I am playing.  I could go on and on, but the bottom line is to come up with 2-3 things every week that you can pull out of your hat to make things better, and to get him off the piano stool if he's getting restless.  He's my challenge and on the borderline of driving me crazy, but thank goodness for him, because he keeps me on my toes and helps me to learn how to be a better teacher.

[gaer]

(my trick *remember how many lines are needed to write each letter  G is one line - one sharp, D is two lines - since you have to pick up pencil to write again - A is three lines = three sharps...and so on , until you get to B (which if you wrote letters like the greeks would be 5 lines!) 

Your students write letters correctly?

Some of my most talented kids write in a way that would horrify anyone who is interested in traditional rules. Some of my students, for instance, would write "G" with two strokes and "D" with one. And many would make an "A" with two. I do.

But it's a cool idea for those who follow traditional rules in printing.

Gaer

[joyfulmusic]

When I'm teaching a young child, I get to their level.  I'm silly, we improvise together.  One little guy loves it when I make up a song about his day.  He gets all serious and "plays" along.  He was so tiny when he started, he looked under his fingersfor the right keys.   Parenting styles vary a lot, so what works with some kids can vary.  It's definately a wing it deal.  Bu, oh baby, when they start to "get it", it's sublime.

[bernhard]

In my opinion, six year-olds are quite easy to teach. Perhaps the reson you have had trouble with teaching them is because, your a sucky teacher. If they are taking lessons from you, your ripping off their family.

How to make friends and influence people.

[pianistimo]

six year olds are not easy to teach and the more you learn from other teachers about how to approach teaching them is not a vain idea.  bernhard has given some exceptionally good advice (if the parents can afford it) to give lessons more often than once a week.  for six year olds, their memory can be the problem (not remembering exactly what to do after a couple of days - unless the parents are very involved).  in my experience, about 1/10 of the parents actually sit and help the child practice.  mostly, they just tell them to 'go practice.'  if a teacher took the time to see them twice a week or more - that would increase the level  they play at two fold and then it would start multiplying once they learn to read the music.  i never personally contemplated teaching more than once per week until bernhard mentioned this.

[m1469]

I am new to this forum. I wish to know how one would go about teaching a 6 year old from scratch. In particular, what would you recommend in the following respects for a 6 year old(say):

• Help with reading music.
• Appropriate repertoire to start with.
• Attention span. What is their typical attention span? Are there any tricks of the trade to help them focus?
• What should one (conservatively) aim for, say, in a year's time?

Any other advice you all can offer is greatly appreciated.

Best Regards,
Heller.

I currently have only one 6 yr old that I am teaching.  However, I have had others as a piano teacher and literally 100's with experience in being "other types" of teachers.  Almost everything I am doing with my little one is different than what I have done in the past.  I have also been reading, studying, and applying the ideas, informations, and concepts from Bernhard's, Torp's, pianisitimo's, whynot's, Ted's and xvimbi's posts, as well as others on the forum (  ).  I have been gathering some information from books and so on that are recommended throughout the forum on some of these subjects.  So, much of what I am about to say is coming from my experiences with those things, as well as stuff I have added and developed as I have felt the desire to do so.

I have created a list of things I feel I would like for every student I have to be able to "do" by the time they leave my studio.  While this may sound rigid, I do not think it is exactly how it sounds.  This is simply the backbone to my organization for each lesson as well as middle and longer term goals.  This list has come out of my realizing that there are actually, imo, only two kinds of students in the world :

1.   Those who learn and study and/or play for the rest of their lives (in ANY way, shape, or form, and no matter what age they start and no matter what career they may have or end up with)

and...

2.  Those who do not. 

It's as "simple" as that to me.  However, I do not truly know which type is walking through my door (the lives they choose to lead will answer that question with time).  So, my goal as the teacher is to give this individual as many tools as I possibly can to help them enjoy their relationship with music and piano for, potentially, the rest of their lives.

Ideally, everything within the list gets supported by everything else we do and, along with the content of what I am teaching, I feel it is extremely important to provide the opportunities for each student to apply the concepts I am teachering as well as success in its application. 

That is a nutshell of what my studio is about, at this point.

Now, with that having been said, the point is that I expect every student to develop in some degree with every element of what I am teaching (even if we come to some realization that a particular thing is not helpful for their experience with piano and music- which, I would not say has happened in black and white, yet), including the youngies.  The focus of my teaching is on that of the individual, so as Maryruth commented, I abide by the idea that no two six year olds are exactly the same, and for that matter, no two people being exactly the same (no matter what age, etc.).

One of the most important values about learning anything, imo, is that of diligent effort (and no less important, inspiration).  With that, as a teacher I strive to be aware of the fact that I am not merely taking in a "piano student" but an entire person.  So, while I believe in the value of diligent effort, what I feel is more productive for the whole person than learning about "diligent effort" in and of itself, is helping them to also see and experience the rewards of diligent effort.  It cultivates a different attitude in ethics, a different response to results, and an overall better health for the indivdual. 

I suppose my main point in having brought all of this up is that we, as teachers, are not just dealing with 6 year old piano students but with entire people who have their entire life in front of them.  Now, how do you, as an indvidual, wish to influence that ?  What kinds of options do you want this person to have (whether they choose them or not) ?  How can you as an individual help them with these endeavors ? 

I personally believe that students and teachers find each other for reasons.  So, while there is a great resposibility with each student, I think that ultimately, we are up to the challenge.

I was actually going to intially post in with the ins and outs of what I do with them in lessons and so on.  I am still happy to do so, but as it turns out, I have said what I really wanted to say.  With that, I would say that if a person takes these things seriously as a teacher, everything designed to help a student become capable in whatever way will have an overall goal in mind. I think that's the best we can do and hope for.




m1469 

[bernhard]

I personally believe that students and teachers find each other for reasons.  So, while there is a great resposibility with each student, I think that ultimately, we are up to the challenge.

Beautifully put, very deep, very true, and eminently quotable.

[Torp]

Beautifully put, very deep, very true, and eminently quotable.

I concur.  Not that my concurrence really matters.  I was simply trying to think of what to say about the very lines that Bernhard quoted.  He beat me to it...imagine that.