Young students

[amanfang]

Do you teach young students piano?  Or do you teach them music in general?  For example, is a 5 year old's small motor skills really enough developed to have piano lessons?  Or should one merely teach musical skills that can then be applied to piano later?

[m1469]

Well, I am still learning how to teach... anybody, anything...LOL.  But, I do have one 6 year old right now whom I am teaching quite more in-depth than probably any youngie before her, and possibly more in-depth than any other of my students (ever).  The last part of that statement has a lot to do with her as an individual, also.

I have a list of things (skills, informations, understandings) I would like for my students to walk away from my studio with, whenever they have learned sufficiently what I can help them learn of those things off of that list.  At this point, nobody gets anything more than anyone else really, no matter what age, though, their curriculum is entirely idividual and depends greatly on who they are already.  Proportions of each thing will vary at certain times and between individuals.

In short, I help her with the whole enchilada.  And really, that's what I think piano lessons ARE.   How I do that, is another matter.


m1469

[abell88]

I teach children as young as 4, in groups (parent attends as well). It's a program called Music for Young Children; keyboard based but there is lots of other stuff: rhythm, singing, ear-training, etc. They play very simple stuff, but are quite pleased with it.

[bernhard]

I teach them music through the piano. If they are truly not ready (co-ordination, attention span, etc.) then they may be better off doing a different kind of musical activity – here in the UK there are several groups who do that (e.g. “Musical Monkeys”). They are aimed at children aged 2 onwards, and the whole thing is a bit like a playgroup but with music, singing and percussion being the main activities.

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[Jacey1973]

I teach them music through the piano. If they are truly not ready (co-ordination, attention span, etc.) then they may be better off doing a different kind of musical activity – here in the UK there are several groups who do that (e.g. “Musical Monkeys”). They are aimed at children aged 2 onwards, and the whole thing is a bit like a playgroup but with music, singing and percussion being the main activities.

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

Yeah i heard about the "music monkeys" groups. Does anyone know more about them? Are they really worth the money?

When i have children i will hopefully get them into music as soon as they are born myself (actually i was reading a book on instrumental teaching earlier tonight and it said apparently babies are affected by music played daily to them 3 months before birth, when they're in the womb.) Then i was imagining for a bit whether it would actually be physically possible still to play the piano when i'm 6 months+ pregnant - i mean won't the bump get in the way? Lol...I don't know whether i'd bother to send them to a pre-school music club.

I can't wait to have children, it's all looks so exciting.

[dorfmouse]

I can't wait to have children, it's all looks so exciting.

Oh, beware!

It may not be the excitement you bargained for!

[abell88]

Then i was imagining for a bit whether it would actually be physically possible still to play the piano when i'm 6 months+ pregnant - i mean won't the bump get in the way?

Usually the bump is a bit lower than your arms...

The best program I have seen for babies and up is Music Together (and no, I'm not affiliated with them in any way).  It's designed to help children develop their innate ability to sing and tune and keep a beat.

https://musictogether.com/

[amanfang]

Well, I met him today.  He turned 5 in July, so he's not even close to 6 yet.  Today we worked on trying to keep a steady beat and singing.  He is not yet ready for piano, but his parents are very willing to help him with whatever I give.  I am going to look for some sort of program/book that does singing, keeping a steady beat and find some different types of music for him to listen to with his parents and clap/march/sing or whatever.  His seven year old sister is sharp and is excited about playing, and the parents are more than willing to help them at home with practicing.  Their dad wants to take too, which will be my first experience with someone older than I.  But I'm looking forward to it.  He knows what he wants, so the challenge will be putting together a program that gets him where he wants step by step.