How to motivate students to think for themselve & practice slowly

[dora96]

I have a 8 year old student who will not think for herself. She passed Grade 1 this year. She can read music, but she will constantly rely on me, and hope I will tell her the note, count for her, correct mistakes for her, she won't pay attention, but she said she is doing her best all the time, but you know she is not. It has been very difficult. I try to encourage her in a positive way. Every lesson, the same thing happen again and again. Playing the wrong note, not counting properly. I am get so frustrated. It is shame, lots of people think she is not interested in learning the piano. She is a talent, she got distinction in your exam. Once she know it she is happy, but try to ask her learn a new song. Specially Grade 2 scales ,both hands scale the fingering confused, She won't pracitice slowly . It is killer - guess what the student is my daughter, please help me

[pianochick93]

Exactly the same thing happens with my sister and me. She is 12, and convinced that she knows everything. She will assume what goes next instead of actually reading it. Basically I just stop her everytime she does it and say firmly "read what it says" and then get her to tell me. If she still plays it wrong I get her to do it again, and again, and again.

Also with her scales. I asked her to play A major, and instead of figuring it out, she just went ahead and played it full speed, I stopped her, told her to figure it out, and then told her to play it slowly. Very slowly.

It eventually sinks in.

[allthumbs]

It's hard as a parent to teach your children, it's only natural that they tend to resist your trying to teach them anything.

I had two daughters who took piano lessons and although I play and could have started teaching them, I decided it would be best if I got another teacher for them.

I relegated myself to attending their lessons and re-inforcing what the teacher had told them to do.

It seemed to be more palatable to them coming from another adult other than their parent.

One daughter went to the Grade 8 level and the other Grade 6.

I doubt they would have lasted that long if I were their sole teacher. The door is still open to both of them to return to the piano, as they did have a positive experience with lessons. Other interests just got in the way for now.


Good luck

allthumbs

 

[dora96]

I agree that it is hard to teach your own. I only teach her in beginer level. She has a teacher. But you can image the lesson is 30 minutes. Once she got out the teacher's door , half of material is lost in her brain already and by the next day, she can't hardly record what she was learning. I have to remind her over and over again. It is very hard for children to understand the musical concept and termology,  value of the note. The name of the note.  My daughter sometimes do thing back to front. It seems that their brain is  constructed in different way. Most kids give up by Grade 2, because their foundation is weak and more pressure when the level goes up.  I just wonder if is there anyone on this forum who is professional pianist that is successfully teaching their own. Please share your own teaching own kid experience and how to not let them to rely on you and think for themselve thanks

[dan101]

I think you have to introduce a lot of humour into the lesson with a child of your own (I speak from experience). Try to be a little more easy going and see if it has a positive effect on her. Also, don't forget praise. Good luck!