teaching techniques (btw, don't view if you don't post)

[lau]

let's discuss teaching in a manner where we don't view without posting

[pianistimo]

but, lau - sometimes silence is golden.

i've always had a hard time just letting the student have that 'aha' moment - without saying something.  but, perhaps silence is golden!  they see 'whatever' and then make their own comment.

i'm learning from my five year old the thrills again - when people learn something new.  then, they go and practice it over and over because it's so cool to have done the first time.

also -- i'm coming to the conclusion that younger students benefit from 'playing thru' a piece much more than piecing it together after perfecting every imperfection.  save that for college students.  get the younger ones to sightread a ton of music and just work one or two things per piece.  maybe this is lazy - but i think it develops sightreading and also the ability not to stop and worry 'did i play it right?'  at times students can be so worried about 'right/wrong' that they critique themselves while playing too much.

[lau]

now the thread is screwed. k, fine i give up

[pianowelsh]

Well I viewed - so i'll post - but there is no topic so a bit pointless!

[mknueven]

Lua,
Why don't you try again and post another question to regain focus?
I am with you - I would like to really discuss something instead of a few people doing most of the talking.

[lau]

you're not with me, at all. this thread can go in the trash because it is only one-time use. the concept of what wasn't to discuss teaching techniques, that was just a cover from the moderators.

what i mean by don't view without posting..if you do this you'll end up with the same number of views as posts. which i think would look really cool. but it failed and there is no way to even the posts with views, which makes this thread a failure, in it's original significance.

but fine i guess i could make it into some sort of teaching thread.




NEW  SUBJECT: how much money do you spend on your teaching resources? 

[pianistimo]

my library or resources are mostly from college.  occasionally, i will go to pepper music and buy random music that i think i might use later for lessons or whatever - but usually i buy it with the intent of using it for personal use (familY) so i don't have to keep meticulous tabs on reselling music.  i think it's better to refer parents of students to the music stores that have the music they need - and the titles - and let them put it on their credit card (or cash).  it's just not economically feasible anymore (imo) for the piano teacher to play store.  for one thing - you lose on the interest - having held it longer just to provide the music.

libraries are very cool - because, until they buy the score - you can just ask the student to borrow it from the library.  and, the uni bookstores sometimes sell music for a decent price or have sales.  also, some of the used books are a good price. 

for pencils, stickers, etc - probably the dollar store or www.friendshiphouse.com

[morningstar]

LOL
I usually get music from my old teachers or sites.
Usually get teaching resources (syllabi etc) from the music store
and usually just buy pencils, folders, books etc from whatever store I see them in.

[hyrst]

Well, I spend as little as I can and get from wherever I can - and pass what I can onto the students for 'community use'.  Everything is WAY too expensive.  I make as much stuff as possible, too.  Still seem to regularly out put a fair amount.

Now, since the purpose of the thread was lost anyway - I  just wanted to comment to Pianistimo that I don't think mass reading, and half perfected pieces is lazy at all!  If anything, it takes more creativity, organisation and resourcing.  I am 199% behind the concept of not getting hung up on perfection and mistakes - an  attitude that could rob the joy and quality from music.  I also strongly believe it is a much better foundation to play many pieces tp develop for reading, technique, adaptability, independence and more.  The perfection and skill develops over time as the young pianist is ready for the level of control required.

Sorry, lau, totally thrown your thread again - but I felt compelled.

[morningstar]

Ah well, I think it was doomed from the start. lol

[db05]

Oh. Should I post?

I get all the free stuff I can. And CDs and photocopies.

I want to know all the great composers and works at least by name. I like to recommend to pieces to my classmates so we don't end up playing the same stuff for recitals. It's a good start; I am still a student, but I know a lot of pieces. 

[kookaburra]

oh well, I'm a student not a teacher.

so my required post is not very helpful.

 teachers, be nice to your students!

[johnk]

Teaching devices:

I have a strand within my piano teaching that uses relative solfa, and to make the degrees of the scale concrete for students, I have a "degree card" which can be placed at the back of the piano keys in whatever key the piece is in. It is very useful for exploring 5-finger positions, chords, scales, key signatures, etc and getting young students used to playing in tonalities long before they would reach them by gradually going through the key signatures in order.

You can see how the degree card is used here:

[pianowolfi]

oh well, I'm a student not a teacher.

so my required post is not very helpful.

 teachers, be nice to your students!

Well if they are nice to me I am also nice to them. And I have almost only nice students
Though, some are nice and don't do their part of the job. To them I say nicely goodbye. There are some that are not nice and don't do their part of the job. In that case a farewell can be rather unpleasant for both....

So far I haven't encountered a student who is not nice and does his part of the job.....hmmmm
(*grübel, grübel* )