Are My Students Really Learning Their Notes?

[go12_3]

I teach piano lessons for a brother and sister, PJ and Pauline, who are twins; they are 11 years old
and has taken lessons from  me for about 2 years.  They have progressed quite well through the usual beginner to Intermediate level and I felt confident about their skills and abilities,  They have been through the Faber & Faber Piano Adventures Levels 1 through 3A.  And after they complete 3A I have them begin learning from other books at their level of classcial pieces.   

Last Thursday, they could hardly play , I had to tell them outloud which note to play in the final piece of Book 3A, The Wedding March, as they stumbled along and they have worked on this piece for over a month, surely they'd know the notes, especially at Intermediate level.  The twins are both in the same book and pieces, by the way.  Anyhow, they know a piece after I teach them and telling them the notes and where to place their hands.  But, I was getting frustrated because I shouldn't have to tell these students which note to play and the fingering.  I mean, the score is right in front of them so read the notes and play the piece.  Then I asked Pauline and PJ if they WERE READING the notes or have they been learning BY EAR. 

There is a difference when a student learns a piece by ear or by reading the notes.  I have students that DO learn to read the notes and learn by audio.  I think the twins have that ability  to recall what I have taught them at their lessons(they come every week)since they were beginners until the pieces were getting too complicated for them to recall the notes. And I think that is what is happening now with the twins.  In fact, PJ, played a piece quite well, but in a different key signature than what was in last Thursday!  I mean he was looking at the score but playing in a different key!  I saw his hand position and didn't think anything of it until I realized the different key.  So I praised PJ for doing that and explained what he just did.

What do you think I should do?  Have them review the earlier level books, but if they do that, they'll recall the piece and play by ear is what I'm thinking.  I have them starting on Jazz 'n Rags book which is a new book and not as difficult pieces as in the Piano Adventures.  Should I have them try another book?

They should know the notes and hand position the minute they are ready to play a piece.  Maybe, as a teacher, it's my fault for not being as attentive as the twins progressed, but they were doing so well in each lesson!  They are both musical and love playing the piano and have been enjoying their lessons....and then last Thursday I sure had an awakening!

I do need some advice about this situation with these students.  They are so sweet and willing to learn anything, but I feel I need to have them learn less complicated pieces for awhile.  Not from the Piano Adventures!  Most of my students have progress well through those books and I just didn't even notice how the twins were not learning their notes.  However, they do know the notes from middle C and an octave above and below each way.  So that's good.  But it's when they are playing a piece when the hand position changes and the fingering is the main problem they have right now.   

Thanks!   

[m19834]

Hey Go, it's strange to me that they would be in the same, exact books, at the same exact place within them, and experiencing the same, exact problems as each other.  Anyway, do you ever have them doing any kinds of supplement materials to support their reading ? 

I like to send my students here : 

https://www.emusictheory.com/practice.html

or here :

https://www.musictheory.net/

To give them somewhere else to practice reading notes.   

[go12_3]

Hey Go, it's strange to me that they would be in the same, exact books, at the same exact place within them, and experiencing the same, exact problems as each other.  Anyway, do you ever have them doing any kinds of supplement materials to support their reading ? 

I like to send my students here : 

https://www.emusictheory.com/practice.html

or here :

https://www.musictheory.net/

To give them somewhere else to practice reading notes.   

Thanks Karli, I'll check these sites out.  Twins usually experience the same things, PJ  doesn't have the quickness of ability as Pauline though.  It depends upon the piece also.  When he hears Pauline plays a piece during her lesson, he usually can learn it. 

[m19834]

Twins usually experience the same things,

Perhaps they don't *have* to experience all of the same things ...

[go12_3]

Karli:  
Perhaps they would prefer to experience the same things~~
They even play duets together on the pieces they are learning and they are close because they're  brother and sister,  they  do a variety of  activities  outside of their schooling.  However, they are learning to play piano  in their own individual style.  Should I put them on different books, instead of teaching them from the same books?  I thought the one listens to a piece that the sibling is learning then perhaps they would learn the pieces better, but with their ability to learn by ear, that could be a factor to take into consideration.... to have them each learn from a different book.   

[m19834]

Karli:  
Perhaps they would prefer to experience the same things~~

What matters most is that it works.

[pianowolfi]

It took me quite a while to understand that there are many students throughout all age groups who are not really interested in learning to read music. They love to play but only if they learn by ear, or they expect that you as a teacher show them every note on the piano. They don't see the point in learning notes. And it took me another while to get that I must not support this attitude. A lot of my efforts in the lessons are dedicated to convincing them that it is necessary to learn note reading to become a serious pianist. Very tedious. And I admit that I haven't found thee solution yet, though it has become slightly better since I got that most of those people that seem to have "difficulties" with the notes aren't dyslexic nor stupid nor immature nor anything like this, they're just reluctant. So it's rather a matter of teaching/learning discipline and concentration. And, of course, patience.

[go12_3]

It took me quite a while to understand that there are many students throughout all age groups who are not really interested in learning to read music. They love to play but only if they learn by ear, or they expect that you as a teacher show them every note on the piano. They don't see the point in learning notes. And it took me another while to get that I must not support this attitude. A lot of my efforts in the lessons are dedicated to convincing them that it is necessary to learn note reading to become a serious pianist. Very tedious. And I admit that I haven't found thee solution yet, though it has become slightly better since I got that most of those people that seem to have "difficulties" with the notes aren't dyslexic nor stupid nor immature nor anything like this, they're just reluctant. So it's rather a matter of teaching/learning discipline and concentration. And, of course, patience.

Pianowolfi:  I DO very much appreciate your comment here and what you said makes sense.  I think the twins will learn to read notes or they will have a more difficult time to progress unto another level of music that I would like them to learn.  It's a step by step process, isn't it?  We as teachers need to be patient and teach our students to carefully learn the notes.  And I think the twins do end up expecting me to show them what to do.  You know, I didn't show them when they have begun a piece, last week, and they had no idea on what to do!  I sat there wondering, they cannot depend upon me to show them how to play a piece at each and every lesson.  So I know I have to get the twins to rethink about this note learning process and see what happens.  I teach them this Thursday, so I hope for some inspiration.  And your post has helped me.   

[go12_3]

What matters most is that it works.

Yes, it does work when the twins play their music together and learning the same pieces together.
I do find in interesting that PJ was behind as a beginner, while Pauline just flew through the pieces as he struggled but he didn't give up and therefore, he was able to catch up with his sister and his abilities has improved.  And it's interesting that I find how the one twin has the ability to play faster than the other one, so they don't play exactly alike either.  Their touch and skills that they
have been developing are both diverse which makes teaching them a rewarding experience each week.   

[go12_3]

For the twins next lesson, I'm going to have them read through Book one level.  Not worry
about anything else.  They need to know hand positions when they are ready to play a piece and I'm not going to keep telling them; I feel that might have hindered them for the past year.  Gosh, I know as a teacher that it's a learning process for me to teach students and each one is so different in how they learn and progress.   So I'll be optimistic and do that this Thursday for their lesson.  It helps to have a plan and then my teaching will be more effective too.   

[meli]

I am a fairly new teacher, and I think I know how you feel. A few of my beginners display an attitude of wanting me to tell them the notes, as they plod along a piece, stumbling here and there. I think you need great patience to convince them to read. Its wierd because they do quite well on flashcards, but when they play a piece, they make mistakes all over! For a few of my transfer students, I have to start right from beginning, and give them simple sight-reading exercises e.g. Dozen a Day etc.. Apart from their repertiore, I even give them 'quick studies' - really easy pieces for them to learn and play their favorite ones for me next week, which I give a score. They quite enjoy this. For real beginners who refuse to read properly, maybe count the no. of notes they get correct and give a prize - I guess the whole point is to give real easy stuff so success is guaranteed, then slowly build up so they feel confident in reading, and hopefully enjoy it.

[gremlokes]

I've had this hgappen to me a few times! THey fly through the early levels then you realise they can't read at all....

I tend to get them to say the notes before they play them. Every. Single. Time. I know full well that they go home and play it by memory.... but since I've had this happen to me a few times now I tend to really push the reading from day dot.

Good luck!

Josie

[go12_3]

The twins came over for their lessons yesterday, and they are doing their best
in learning the notes.  Pauline got stuck with the A below middle C.  PJ has some notes that
he needs to work on.  I think each week, I'll use the flash card with the one note on it, and
whenever they get stuck as they play a piece, then I show that note on the card.  I don't plan
to say the notes for them because they are at the level they should know the notes.
Before they begin to play a piece, I ask them what is the time signature and key signature before they place their hands upon the keyboard, then I have them find the first note for the right and left hand.   Also, they are learning different pieces then that way they are working on them on their own without the other one listening and playing by memory without truly reading and learning the notes.   

[gremlokes]

That sounds like you're trying your best and doing a good job! It's a good idea having them do seperate pieces too. Just one more idea (you might already be doing this), how about giving them each a really short piece for homework every week that they learn by themselves?

[fernando57]

I am sorry, I am an old dog trying to learn new tricks, my teacher teaches young people, I bought a baby grand for my daughter a few years ago, she study piano for 4 years and was very good, but she was better singer and joint the choir, so I had 24k$ piece of furniture and  I did not wanted to feed it to the termites, so picket up her classes, now I am two years into this and I must say it is difficult.

The ability of kids is a bless, but the technic needs to be taught and practice. they have a ear and destrecity that will fool all of us, one trick my teacher as me to practice is not to see the piano keys and only focus on the sight reading, respect the tempo of the notes, and move over all the key board.

Kids are unpredictable, be patient teach them to play blindly.

good luck
Fernando

[go12_3]

That sounds like you're trying your best and doing a good job! It's a good idea having them do seperate pieces too. Just one more idea (you might already be doing this), how about giving them each a really short piece for homework every week that they learn by themselves?

Thank you!  Indeed, I did assign each of them different pieces to learn on their own for homework.
I think it will enable them to think for themselves.  Thanks for your encouragement