New to teaching

[ilikepie]

Okay, so here I am, 16 years old. I've been asked by an acquaintance to teach his three children. They're not too young, as I've heard, probably 14, 12 and a bit younger. So basically, if they agree to learn piano, I will teach them, but I'm not sure what to teach them.
points to consider:
1. they're not considering going to any music courses in college whatsoever, they just want to learn enough to play songs and stuff.
2. I just finished my Grade 10 examination and am now in ARCT(canadian grading system)
3.The way I understand it, the father wants them to learn more about reading music so they can play simple songs, but not probably pieces.
4. I am in no way a fast reader, I'm somewhat slow in fact.

help ;_;

[pianistimo]

i teach the same regardless of the students intentions of 'what to do with it.'  i mean - the only thing that might slightly change is the amount of practice time.  what you are giving them is a 'foundation' which is pretty much standard in MTNA guidelines - but very unstandard amongst people just wanting to have a good time and 'mess around' so to speak.  i would join MTNA asap (even for a year) or a similar teachers association and obtain a syllabus of what each level is expected to know.  then, if you want to be sneaky - just continue to follow it and make your own certificates.  the certificates of merit are basically stating that all the required conditions for that level have been met - but there is no pressure for students (such as these) that might not want to invest more money into a lot of recitals or testing at this point.  giving a casual test at the end of the year - just means they will have evidence for their scholarship portfolios of having taken piano lessons and learned the basics.  knowing their level is extrememly important - and something to keep track of as they progress.

write down the date of the first lesson - and give them each a different book.  somehow, with siblings , this is very important.  to have one's own book.  at least with the ones i've known.  younger children qualify for easier, larger print notes (which help a lot in learning) - and the older two might share one book but have separate pieces that they are working on.  even if you switch pieces every other week.  i'd just buy separate method books, though.

i happen to like bastien.  but, everyone has a method that they like - or make up their own.  basically sticking to the generally regarded levels of difficulty of pieces and not skipping from something easy to something very difficult.

preparatory level:

1. name the staff notes
2. distinguish between whole steps and half steps
3. recognize intervals
4. five finger patterns in major and minor  (C G D F)
5. chords/triads in major and minor (blocked and broken - C G D F)
6. scales - major C G D F

*i like to start ALL students out with understand the 8 note concept of scales by using tetrachord patterns   5432 2345 and playing the major scales with both hands.  i have them count up 10 notes from the lowest note in the bass - play a C scale - then take the lh and place it over the rh and pull the rh out from under.  they are now set up to play the G scale (and so forth).  put a ring on their rh ring finger and they'll remember to play the correct note sharped.  the system of learning scales by fifths can be continued to all keys (C G D A E B) instead of only the ones above.  remember that if you write these letters in the greek style of writing - each line of the letter signifies how many sharps you have.  G is one continuous line - therefore one sharp.  D - you have to make two strokes to write the letter.  by the time you get to B you can use triangles for the upper and lower rounded strokes - making five lines and five sharps. 

now, when you start learning flatted scales and notes - you work backwards and use the C scale high in the treble.  after playing the C scale - you take your rh and place it over the lh.  pull the left hand out - and you are at the F scale.  the second finger in the lh is where you place the ring now (to remind where sharps are).

usually with preparatory level you have basic time and rhythm 2/4 3/4 4/4

you can count:  whole note, quarter note, half note dotted half note, eighth note, and similar rests.

signs and terms:

1. p = piano (and meaning )
2. f = forte (and meaning)
3. > = accent
4. staccato
5. slur
6. tied notes
7. repeat signs
8. fine
9. dc al fine
10. fermata
11. ritard, ritardando
12. a tempo


ear training:
recognize the dif between major and minor five finger patterns
recognize dif between maj/min chords
recognize intervals of 2nds (happy birthday) 3rds (michael row) 4ths (here comes the bride)
recognize the number of taps in a measure and give adequate importance to the first beat of each.
be able to recognize a simple melody

sight reading (usually learning notes at the this point) but i give A LOT of random stuff to sight read in all areas inside the treble and bass clef with tetrachord form.  don't move around too much when learning the notes!  you can move placement, though.  let them learn the notes fully is my opinion. 

[gonzalo]

Okay, so here I am, 16 years old. I've been asked by an acquaintance to teach his three children. They're not too young, as I've heard, probably 14, 12 and a bit younger. So basically, if they agree to learn piano, I will teach them, but I'm not sure what to teach them.
points to consider:
1. they're not considering going to any music courses in college whatsoever, they just want to learn enough to play songs and stuff.
2. I just finished my Grade 10 examination and am now in ARCT(canadian grading system)
3.The way I understand it, the father wants them to learn more about reading music so they can play simple songs, but not probably pieces.
4. I am in no way a fast reader, I'm somewhat slow in fact.

help ;_;

Here:

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2260.msg19270.html#msg19270
(Bernhard's general approach)

https://www.pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,8050.msg81500.html#msg81500
(List of links)

https://www.pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,5714.msg55753.html#msg55753
(List of links)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,1871.msg14384.html#msg14384
(Reading notation – Richmann’s book – Cambridge word scramble example)

https://www.pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,1976.msg16072.html#msg16072
(Sight reading – Richmann’s book)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2406.msg20820.html#msg20820
(the grand staff)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2577.msg22247.html#msg22247
(Keyboard topography – how to find notes by touch)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2713.msg23282.html#msg23282
(Teaching bass clef – the full explanation for the grand staff)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2751.msg23710.html#msg23710
(detailed explanation of the sight-reading process)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2757.msg23890.html#msg23890
(Sight reading techniques – Good post by faulty on the folly of pedagogues)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2763.msg25148.html#msg25148
(music to develop sight reading from scratch)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,3205.msg28255.html#msg28255
(how not to look at the keys – Richmann’s reviews)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,3334.msg29381.html#msg29381
(Reading both staffs as a single grand staff - Reasons for working on scales - Detailed discussion of Richmann’s book)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,4461.msg41580.html#msg41580
(Looking at the keys: Good or bad? exercises to help finding notes by touch. Good contributions by Chang).

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,4506.msg42967.html#msg42967
(accompanying as a way to teach sightreading)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,5090.msg48850.html#msg48850
(the score is tabs for piano)

https://www.pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,7466.msg74462.html#msg74462
(Sightreading – Comparison with reading – St Augustine reading skills)


Take care,
Gonzalo

[ilikepie]

preparatory level:

1. name the staff notes
2. distinguish between whole steps and half steps
3. recognize intervals
4. five finger patterns in major and minor  (C G D F)
5. chords/triads in major and minor (blocked and broken - C G D F)
6. scales - major C G D F 

I was planning on teaching them these ones(except 3) I don't know what you mean by five finger patterns though.
The father of the students told me that he just wants them to be able to play something(honestly, the way he talks, even though he's a friend, shows that he knows nothing and cares not to listen too much to a 16 year old.) He just wants them to be able to play songs(don't know what kind) but not "traditional"(he means classical), as he calls it, pieces.
Sight reading is a must, since they want to be able to play music by themselves. I would like to teach as much as you have recommended, but I'm not exactly sure if they will be able to stay focused and keep their interest(kids these days...). Any ideas to make these topics interesting?

Thanks pianistimo for your comprehensive(and lengthy) method guide.
Thanks gonzalo for the links, looks like I have some reading to catch up on. My sightreading needs quite a bit of working.

[joyfulmusic]

You will find that what works with one student may be different with another.  I think it's great that you're starting.  Don't be too hard on yourself.  The rewards are great when they really start playing the piano.  Have you seen the website from University of Pittsburgh?  Type in "free piano music" in the search engine.  One can select beginning pieces and make a notebook for each student.  I use this all the time for introductory lessons.  It's a big hit.