Help a new teacher begin her career

[bunnicula]

Hello, I am about to start teaching piano and I need some advice.  First of all, are there any preferred "methods" or do you prefer to cater each students' repetoire to their individual learning style (this seems ideal, but quite a complicated task)?  Also, what is the very first thing you'd ask a child on their first piano lesson -- I mean, how do you introduce a child to the piano for the first time?  And finally, what is a good basic theory book/workbook for beginners?
On that note, I want to review my own theory, so can you suggest an advanced and thorough theory book?
Thank you!

Katie

[pianoannie]

Hello, I am about to start teaching piano and I need some advice.  First of all, are there any preferred "methods" or do you prefer to cater each students' repetoire to their individual learning style (this seems ideal, but quite a complicated task)?  Also, what is the very first thing you'd ask a child on their first piano lesson -- I mean, how do you introduce a child to the piano for the first time?  And finally, what is a good basic theory book/workbook for beginners?
On that note, I want to review my own theory, so can you suggest an advanced and thorough theory book?
Thank you!

Katie

Hi Katie!  It would help to know a bit about your background.  What methods are you familiar with?  What books did you learn from?  How much theory background do you already have?

You could ask your questions to 100 different piano teachers and get 100 different answers.  There's no single "right" answer (although some answers might be better than others).

Here's what I do at a student's very first lesson.  I let them get acquainted with the piano---play high and low keys, peek inside and see the strings and dampers, usually they ask about the pedals so I show them what each one does.

Then I spend a fair amount of time on the concept of rhythm and steady beat.  I let them watch my metronome to see and hear a steady beat, then I have them close their eyes as I continue to let the metronome play, but I occassionally disrupt the beat and see if the child can tell that it stopped being steady.  We march, play rhythm instruments, listen to a clock tick, anything I can think of to reinforce the idea and sound of a steady beat.

Then we play some games to introduce finger numbers and proper hand shape.

Then I show them how to sit properly at the piano---correct height of the bench, footstool for the feet if necessary, correct distance from the keys, and how to sit up tall with relaxed arms.  I have them play any keys they choose with the finger numbers I call out.

Often the only thing they will be assigned to play at home the first week is some improvisation/exploration of the keys.

OK, I know I only answered ONE of your questions with this big long answer, but I'll tackle the rest tomorrow.
annie

[leahcim]

My advice, doesn't address anything you asked, mebbe you've got this sussed but FWIW - do a business plan. Work out what you want to earn, what students you want [kids / adults / beginners / advanced etc], how many students you can teach in the time you have and thus what you need to charge them to get those earnings [and ensure that's realistic in the market etc] and how you are going to charge them [ per lesson / monthly / weekly etc etc] and what policy you're going to give parents / students to put it in writing.

All that stuff - which seems at least as big a trigger for threads in here [i.e people that have students and then think about it] as the stuff on how / what to teach, which no doubt loads here will help you with.

[bunnicula]

All right, a little more info about myself:

I've been taking lessons for roughly 17 years, and was raised on dozen a day and pageant's for piano.  My first teacher didn't use methods other than those, and instead chose out pieces on an "as-needed" basis to suit my level.

As for theory, I've had a lot of training, from beginning to advanced; however, there are a lot of holes in my knowledge.  I sort of bounced around, taking some basic theory classes then moving straight to counterpoint, and a lot of my studies took place in France, where I think the teaching was different.  So I just want to refresh myself (perhaps I should start back at the beginning, too).

Hope this helps...

Katie

[bunnicula]

I plan to be teaching absolute beginners, as I am fascinated with the learning process and have the dilligence and patience to make the work pay off.  I know it is a daunting task, but I am passionate when it comes to music and it's benefits for children's development, not to mention their entire lives.  I want to start these tiny musicians off right.  That is my goal. Youngest beginner, I'd say, would be 6 or so.  But I'm open to discussion.

Thank you for ALL your help, this message board has become a life-saver!

Katie

[abell88]

Barbara Wharram's Elementary Rudiments of Music is quite thorough...it uses North American terminology (quarters, eighths, etc.) rather than British, if that makes a difference to you. 

https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0887970044/qid=1125491040/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/102-7572430-1236903?v=glance&s=books

[shasta]

Bunnicula, I love your name!  I read all those books when I was a kid!   

[bernhard]

Hello, I am about to start teaching piano and I need some advice.  First of all, are there any preferred "methods" or do you prefer to cater each students' repetoire to their individual learning style (this seems ideal, but quite a complicated task)?  Also, what is the very first thing you'd ask a child on their first piano lesson -- I mean, how do you introduce a child to the piano for the first time?  And finally, what is a good basic theory book/workbook for beginners?
On that note, I want to review my own theory, so can you suggest an advanced and thorough theory book?
Thank you!

Katie

Have a look at these threads:

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,587.msg14335.html#msg14335
(How to teach a 5-year old to read music – Candida Tobin)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,1884.msg14708.html#msg14708
(Motivating children – joining the child’s model and using other children’s accomplishments to motivate)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2077.msg17179.html#msg17179
(How to become a teacher)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2192.msg18542.html#msg18542
(methods for very young students – Candida website)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2246.msg19041.html#msg19041
(Young teachers – why young/bad teachers are not a problem – When the student is ready the right teacher will appear)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2260.msg19270.html#msg19270
(Dear Bernhard thread – Pieces leading up to the revolutionary)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2032.msg19339.html#msg19339
(How to become a piano teacher – good advice from minsmusic – the pitfalls as well as the requirements)

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://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2907.msg25589.html#msg25589
(how to teach chords to young children)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2906.msg25591.html#msg25591
(How to organise a lesson syllabus – analogy with cooking)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2970.msg25991.html#msg25991
(Areas of study for a complete music syllabus – books for each area)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2979.msg26080.html#msg26080
(Methods)

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

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2972.msg26178.html#msg26178
(advantages and disadvantages of teaching by rote – good for the teacher)

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

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,4405.msg40979.html#msg40979
(method books)

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,2260.msg90216.html#msg90216
(replies 33 - 39 describe in detail the first five lessons)

For a very good general reference theory book, try

Eric Taylor – “The AB guide to music theory” (ABRSM – 2 vols.)

Best wishes,
Bernhard.