Im a new teacher, need advice.

[rachmanny]

hello,
I recently started to give piano classes to beginners in an arts school,  and I would like to know how should I organize myself with all the students (around 10), and what are the steps I need to take to be a good teacher. Any other advice would be appreciated

Rachmanny   

[pianistimo]

if my daughter is any indication of my successes or failures as a parent, it is to let her be as self directed as she can.  she doesn't like it if i make too many specifics - yet, she likes general guidance.  don't know how this exactly relates to piano lessons - but i am seeing a trend here.  i tend to think specifics.  she likes the process - and thinking for herself.

the school classes here in music have a short time where they learn the specifics of notation (reading and writing them), sight singing intervals and melodies, and then locating the notes/chords on the piano.  they get extra credit if they solve a musical riddle (typed out on a piece of paper).  i should have saved all these riddles - they were cute.  will look for some.

combining classical with some pop music may create more interest than all classical.  and, just take a moment before class and cue in on what the strengths of each student are (a couple of students a day).

i guess what i'm trying to say is 'don't make it work.'   don't have a stiff curriculum, but a flexible one according to what gets done that day.  i've been wanting my daughter to act like a little adult to much (sit and pay attention - quit being silly).  it's sort of what happens in between their neuron firings.  humor may work - instead of being like me and saying 'let's get serious now.' (that never fully works).  for the girl/guy that beats his fingers on the desk - maybe a chance to figure out some rhythms? 

[pianistimo]

music in motion catalog has some musical riddle cards

*have been brainstorming tonight.  here's some more ideas.  after the students have learned to adequately pick out notes (i usually try tetrachord form lh (5432) rh (2345) on any given scale (can use the circle of fifths - and try one scale per week - so they get used to it).

anyway, then try to surprise them by coming to class with a stack of music (one page - two line to three lines or less - enlarged!) that has contemporary tune/ or classical tune.  let them pick a piece and work it for a week in class and out.  then, at the end of the week - have an 'competition' where you are the judge (and several other students) - and they have to play their song (and possibly sing to it?)  they can dress up and be creative.  when they work their song during the week - they can ask for help in fingering (according to the tetrachord form)  as with typing, the pinky or thumb can reach an extra note here and there.

you can move on to showing them how to create their own melodies and write them down.  (extra points for lyrics).  once they create enough of their own songs - they could make a pretend 'cd' cover with their pic - either drawn or computer graphically done - the list of their own songs - and the handwritten music for each of their songs - as a project that is turned in together.  give them plenty of ENLARGED score paper.

every day they could open a little homemade musical dictionary book and add a word that you write on the blackboard.  you could give the word- the definition - and then show them an example of how it is used.  mini testing at the end of the week by seeing who remembers terms?

develop a library of books at the back of the room on various composers.  whenever the birthdays of certain composers come up - maybe play a cd of several songs of that composer - tell a bit about the composer's style - do crossword puzzles on questions about that composer.

[pianistimo]

help them develop a chord 'repertoire.'  show the different ways that chords can be used (ie alberti bass, boom chuck, complete chord)  help them become familiar with the ! !V V chords enough to accompany their songs.  write in the chords beneath completed songs.  use red, yellow, blue sticky dots (from stationary store) to highlight the chords on their piano - so they can play every day the I IV V chords in the closest hand positions.  (some dots above others)  three red dots for CEG, three yellow for CFA, three blue for BFG. 

play I- IV - I - V - I together.

guess that with class piano - you have to do some things as a class all together - and some individual attention for specific items of technique to see what they are doing.

[pianistimo]

you can do the same with a rhythm repertoire - paired with speech patterns. 

kodaly has some good stuff with that!

[abell88]

How old are your students? What facilities to you have (keyboards for all, rhythm instruments, etc.)? What are you supposed to accomplish with them?