Skipping Grades

[meli]

Hi everyone, I am a new teacher (2 years) and recently a mother asked me if her daughter (grade 1) had to take the next grade exam i.e. why not skip to grade 3, 4 or even 5 if she is ready. I think what the mother was implying, was do I need to spend so much $ on exams AND lessons, if my daughter can make it to grade 3 in 1 year. This is quite new to me, as I am not used to skipping grades. I thought about the rational behind it, when I learn't piano (ABRSM) I took 1 year to reach each grade! Now it feels like a long time for each grade. I could have just taken 3 exams (grd 1, 3 & 5) and spend less money too. Do you do this with your students and what are the advantages and disadvantages of skipping grades?

[go12_3]

It depends upon the student's skills and abilities on the keyboard.  I am not quite sure about the *skipping grades* concept.  I feel that technique, theory and skills that is introduced needs to be done step by step, in increments, so to speak.  Some students excel quickly than others.  If a student progress at a rapid rate, it may seem feasible to skip a grade.  For me I am not familiar with that, so I may not be of help to you, meli.  But, do what you think is best for your student and that she is comfortable in the grade that she is in; I think that would be the most important issue to look into before considering skipping a grade to save cost and time. 

best wishes,

go12_3

[quantum]

Grade systems are usually designed to create a logical progression of knowledge that works for the average student.  Not everyone falls in this category.  Some students take well to the progression, some on the other hand feel limited by it.  

If your student is eager to learn, and is asking to play pieces other than in lesson books I think you should allow her to explore further.  Give her more advanced pieces and observer her reaction.  If she shows even more enthusiasm and dedication to practice with advanced pieces this is a sign that this may be a better path for her.  Sure she may struggle with technique more, however the focus here is her enthusiasm for learning.  A student who is eager will certainly progress well under a teachers guidance.  


I can speak personally on this issue.  Feeling limited and constrained by grade levels and exams, I too asked for more advanced repertoire as a student.  Yes, I did skip a number of grades and exams.  Ultimately, I searched for a teacher who's teaching was not constrained to grades and conservatory methods and I am very glad to have found such a person.  Our work focused acquiring technique and musicality rather than churning out diplomas.  Lessons became a time of open discovery rather than controlled feeding.

Now I apply such teaching philosophy to my own students, letting them show me the the path they wish to follow - or create!

[mike saville]

In my experience of teaching over the last 20 years I have never felt the need to do grades in order. The students do them depending on their own progression. If a student is progressing really quickly it can be a hinderance to spend time on an exam at a level they will already have exceeded by the time the exam comes. Equally skipping to the next can be a challenge to which they can rise.

Having said that I do find that all of my students tend do grade 5 and 8.

There are plenty of other ways of introducing challenges and performance opportunities without actually doing grade exams - which get more expensive as each year passes.

[pianoplayjl]

I strongly advise against skipping grades because it is a huge gap from from the grade you are in to the grade you are going to skip to. I mean wouldn't you miss out on alot of stuff? wouldn't the pieces be alot harder? but of course many child prodigies start with advanced pieces.