What do you teach your students during their first lesson?

[lelle]

Let's say you have a student who is interested in playing piano but is completely new to the instrument, and never has played anything on his/her own. The student can be any age from say 10 years and up.

What do you do on their first lesson? What do you teach them first? What do they carry with them from their first lesson with you? What kind of plan do you usually make up for such a student? You can be as detailed as you want 

Thanks!

[pianoplayjl]

I know I'm not a teacher but I can offer tiny bits of advice because I can remember parts of my very 1st lesson. 

1. Tell your student to cut their nails before every lesson and their nails must always be short.
2. Teach the student to recognise where middle C is and perhaps where all the C's are. the middle C, as I remember, is played by the thumb.
3. posture: must play with a straight back, no slumping. the palm must not be flat, must be in relaxed hand position while on the keys. 
4. Tell your student to wriggle the fingers you tell them to, e.g. If you tell them to wriggle the first finger of each hand, they must wriggle their thumb. So they must know what numbers correspond to each finger.
5. They must be really relaxed when playing as it is only their first lesson
6. Tell them how to count
7. Teach them note values of crotchets and minims.

Of course, this is what I can remember during the first lesson or first few weeks of lessons.

[miriamko]

I teach the meaning of high and low notes . We sing them ,compare them recognize their place on the keyboard.

Then we move on to learning the names of some keys (by recognizing groups of two black keys and the three white keys that are before , between and after them)

We talk about the piano stool and at what height they must sit and the the distance from the piano.

Then we number the fingers from 1-5 and I write a little melody using those digits (e.g. 3 2 1 2 3 3 3-
2 2 2- 3 3 3- etc.) .

After that we learn some time values.I write the rhythm and they can play whatever notes they want as long as the note values are correct.

To finish off, I talk about lines and spaces. If there is time left over I will write a rhythmic exercise on one line only  and the space above it while I make it clear that these are not real notes yet as we can only identify them if we have 5 lines and a clef sign.

That is basically my first lesson and it is adjusted according to the child's ability to take in all that information and his age.

I hope this makes sense!!

[cjp_piano]

I'm sure there are many posts on this topic. For me, I do not have a set plan for any student. Usually the first lesson isn't really a lesson, it's more getting used to each other, getting to know each other, and me getting a feel for what the student is like. I usually do some ear tests to see if they can hear high/low, loud/soft, imitate a rhythm, copy a simple melody on the piano, things like that. We might talk about and explore lines/spaces, finger numbers and such, like miriamko stated, but nothing is set, it all depends on the student.

There is no assignment usually for the first week, except for maybe some finger drills or slow easy warm-ups or something. The most important thing I focus on is having fun and making music right off the bat. If the student feels like it's going to be a lot of terms and book knowledge, they will get turned off sooner than later. They want to PLAY piano, so get them to PLAY music in the first lesson!

[love_that_tune]

If the student is coordinated enough i teach them a c major arpeggio.  Sometimes I have them play a note of their choice repetitively and I make up an accompaniment.  This lights a spark every time.  I learned a little trick I forget how... Once I've told them where middle c is a couple of times and have them play it, I then ask them to rub their eyes slightly and "forget" where it is.  We both laugh because of course it doesn't work.  This is very relaxing.  I often ask them if they have ever played the piano themselves and ask them to show me what they played.  the object is to get them mentally in the driver's seat.

My methods attract other family members into the fold and I'm having fun as well.

[cjp_piano]

If the student is coordinated enough i teach them a c major arpeggio.. . . 

Seriously? An arpeggio at the first lesson? One handed?

[chelseafrancis]

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[lovelandpianoacademy]

I do a lot of the same stuff that miriamko suggested at a first lesson.  My main goal is to get to know the student, what their musical interests are, and let them relax and feel comfortable around me.  We go over high and low notes, correct position (although this is just a first lesson, so don't be hard on them!), groups of 2- and 3-black notes, and finger numbers.  I always get them playing a simple song with finger numbers so they have something to take home and play the very first day.  We play games, laugh and talk, and do activities.  I always try to open up the piano on the first or second lesson and let the student experiment, watch the keys as they play, and try all the pedals and see what each one does.  I think it's important that they know how the instrument works... plus it's just fun!  You want music making to be a POSITIVE time.  My students always want to stay longer when their lesson is over... one girl told me this week that she would love it if her lessons were three times a week!
karen

[benechan]

You might find these useful:
Simple 5 finger Piano Songs - Tunes for complete beginners from the Piano Sage Blog
https://pianosage.blogspot.com/2011/11/simple-5-finger-piano-songs-for.html

[pianoplayjl]

You might find these useful:
Simple 5 finger Piano Songs - Tunes for complete beginners from the Piano Sage Blog
https://pianosage.blogspot.com/2011/11/simple-5-finger-piano-songs-for.html

I wouldn't be teaching them to play songs in the first lesson. It is more like teaching them some general principles of piano playing ( ie posture, hand position) and where middle C is.

JL

[cjp_piano]

I wouldn't be teaching them to play songs in the first lesson. It is more like teaching them some general principles of piano playing ( ie posture, hand position) and where middle C is.

JL

I may get chastised for saying this, but I don't address posture and hand position in the first lesson, or the first month, or even anywhere near the start of lessons! As soon as you tell them there's one way to sit at the piano and one way to shape your hand, they will become rigid, tense, and self-conscious. Most students have no problems with posture, hand position, etc. once they are free to find out how their mechanism works 

[pianoplayjl]

I may get chastised for saying this, but I don't address posture and hand position in the first lesson, or the first month, or even anywhere near the start of lessons! As soon as you tell them there's one way to sit at the piano and one way to shape your hand, they will become rigid, tense, and self-conscious. Most students have no problems with posture, hand position, etc. once they are free to find out how their mechanism works 

No problem, you have your point too. Obviously a beginner needs to settle in at the piano for the first few months before teaching him/her the actual stuff. But maybe just tell them not to position their hands below the keys or on the keys. Isn't this position the most comfortable hand position though there are other ways to position the hand?

JL

[trhmusic]

Every teacher has their own habits and things they prefer. Here is what I usually do.
I start by asking why the student wants to learn the piano, then respond positively to what ever they come up with.
I then teach them their finger numbers. I trace their hands on paper and they number them, then we put in the air and wiggle them, with me naming numbers first and then having them name the numbers they want to wiggle. For the younger students, I call this the finger game. Calling things like this a game, make it more enjoyable for the child.
I then go over high and low sounds. I like to use the Mozart Mouse and Beethoven Bear from the Little Mozarts curriculem. I have the students play keys at the high end and the low end and ask them which character sounds like the sound. This is usually a great way to get them to differentiate between high (mouse sounds) and low (bear sounds).
We then find all the groups of 2 black keys (I call the Dog House) and then the 3 black keys (I call the Big House).

We play songs based off finger numbers on the black keys.

Depending on the age of the child and how well they are understanding what we have already gone over I then introduce the following.

Piano vs Forte
White key names:
For CDE, I have them look at the "Dog House" (2 black keys) and ask them who lives in a dog house. Once they answer a dog, we find all the Ds on the piano. Then I tell them the dog has 2 friends, first we find the Cat, and then the Elephant (I know, a little bigger than a cat or dog).

If the student is still doing very well and seems to be absorbing everything, I then go over the Big House (3 black keys). We find the Front Doors and the Back Doors; then the Girls Bedroom and her Aunts Bedroom.

I usually introduce the Quarter note, Half note and sometimes the Quarter rest (which I have them say shh, everytime they see the rest).

I think giving them a song or 2 to practice after their first lesson is a good idea. Kids love to actually play the piano on their first lesson. It also gives you a chance on your second lesson to see what the student has retained from the first one.

I hope this helped!

www.trhmusic.org

[pppfff]

Mapping the Keyboard, correct hand position and fingerings, basic Rhythms.

1. I teach them lay out of the keyboard (black keys pattern 2-3-2-3-2-3)

2. Then hand position on the keyboard in one set position in the white keys (say c position)

3. The finger numbers and make them try to trigger fingers by numbers

4. Basic rhythms (quarter, half and whole) and make them play in a 4/4 measure: 4 quarters in loop, two halfs, 1 whole note  and make sure they understand the counting.

[bengoodwin]

I start by identifying finger numbers and have the student locate 3 of each letter white key with different finger numbers on each hand. if this is quick for the student to mater, i start having them mirror what i play in a c position and we introduce note durations, quarter, half, dotted half, whole. All the while seeing how adept the student is at these different tasks, from coordination, to remembering the values, understanding duration, remembering letters, i either give the student a 2 line treble clef only piece for the right hand that has only quarter and halves. The top line has finger numbers written in, the bottom line doesn't. We learn what middle C looks like and learn to play by step either up or down. The mnemonics are given.


If the student is doing particularly well, we play london bridge in middle C position with both hands with the same concepts covered. The bass clef is finger numbered and the mnemonic isn't given until the next lesson.

[cjp_piano]

If the student is doing particularly well, we play london bridge in middle C position with both hands with the same concepts covered. The bass clef is finger numbered and the mnemonic isn't given until the next lesson.

Can you explain how you do london bridge in c position?

[sidewinder_7]

"If the student is coordinated enough i teach them a c major arpeggio"  
No Kidding? How often does this happen?

[sidewinder_7]

I try to cover several basic concepts during a first lesson. Posture/hand position, fingering, design of the instrument (patterns and pitch movement, and basic rhythm. (usually quarter and half notes is PLENTY, at first)
How much and how I present this information varies significantly. It often depends on the student's age, their focus and overall comprehension.  It's KEY" to to make them feel that they CAN "WIN" and that they "CAN DO IT" from the start (with kids and adults alike).

The first thing is, posture and hand position. I differ with the notion that correct posture and hand position just "happens by itself", esp. with really young children, yet this is when it's most important. it's possible to be nice, and insistent at the same time! I positive reinforcement when there is a positive action. As teachers, it's important to be ever mindful of the following "It's not WHAT you say, it's HOW you say it". 
Next, we discuss fingering, (R.H and L.H thumb is 1, middle fingers are marked as "3", an d so on) Usually, this takes no more than a couple minutes. With young children, this may take longer, but there are some fun, age-appropriate techniques to help them learn it quickly. 

Basic design or "lay out" the groupings of the 2 and 3 black key sets. Starting at the low end of the piano with left hand fingers 2 and 3, they play all 2-black key sets. When they reach the middle of the piano, they continue up the keyboard with their right hand fingers 2 and 3.

They proceed to the 3 - black key sets in the same fashion using fingers 2-3-4. During this time, I ask what happens to the sound as they move up the keyboard. (Fortunately, in my 14 years of teaching privately, no one has given the answer, "it gets lower"!).

They're now ready to learn about quarter and half notes. I stress that they look different because they are different, and to please honor this accordingly.

In the first segment of the method I use, we look at short musical examples which use only quarter and half notes. Before they touch the piano, we tap (AND COUNT) the rhythm of each example. if the example is played with the right hand, I have them tap and count the rhythm with the Right Hand, and left hand accordingly.
once they seem comfortable, I introduce to them where middle C is located and to use it as a "guide" to help them find their position. The examples use the black keys only in the beginning segment of the method I use. There's a 'diagram" of the keys just above each example, of what finger goes on which key, with middle C being marked, which tells them where they need to place their fingers.

Once they locate the spot, they are ready to play. I stress keeping their eyes on the page, even if they miss something. (I guess it's a natural tendency for people to look at theur fingers whenever they miss something. To prevent this, I hold a notebook just over their hands.

 

[sidewinder_7]

Tlove_that_tune. You mentioned "if a student is coordinated enough, you'll have him play a
C major arpeggio...during the first lesson??? No kidding??? Does this happen often?

[keypeg]

Can you explain how you do london bridge in c position?

Well he didn't say that it was in *5 finger* C position.

[pianoplayjl]

C major arpeggios? I wouldn't teach them arpeggios but rather scales if I have time. Didn't Chopin say that the C scale is hard? I guess that applies to the C arpeggio too IMO. I'm still coming to grips with playing it.  The beginner would have to be good enough to convince the teacher to instruct him/her to play the arpeggio.

I make them memorise the Holy Bible first. Then they are ready for the GREAT MASTERS of COMPOSITION!

Only if the Bible had music.

JL

[keypeg]

Sidewinder, that's an incredible lot of stuff.  Do they remember all that when they come back to the next lesson?

[pianoplayjl]

That's a lot to cover even in an hour. And I thought I had too much stuff in my post. Maybe just cover a bit of everything so that the beginner gets the gist of what you're talking about. IMO it's best that you only teach them where the middle c is and hand position/posture for the first lesson.
In that amount of stuff I think a beginner can't cover in 1 lesson but maybe can in 1 month.

JL

[bengoodwin]

Can you explain how you do london bridge in c position?

middle C position is thumbs sharing C, C position is both hands have their own bass C

[keypeg]

middle C position is thumbs sharing C, C position is both hands have their own bass C

I'm wondering whether the assumption is that a beginner on his first lesson would only get music that covers a span of 5 notes for the 5 fingers.  Long Bridges has more than 5 notes.

[sidewinder_7]

pianoplayjl,

I see your point. Perhaps it was too detailed in terms of how I teach the elements listed. Thank you for bringing that to my attention. What they learn in the first lesson is, in reality, "the gist" the elements mentioned (and YES, they can find middle "C")*
Do they remember "all of that" at their next lesson? YES! Usually about 85% - 90% of it, but mostly in a "general sense", thus it's unlikely to be "solid".

Keypeg,
You are right, in that it does take about a month to thoroughly comprehend the elements mentioned. One just doesn't mention them and simply "move on" to something else at the next lesson.
Over the next 4 - 6 weeks, those elements are the focal point of the lessons, During that time, only a couple more topics are added--1) the whole note 2) the musical alphabet/white key names and location. After that stretch of time, rest assured, they remember "all of that"!

*NOTE: I REFUSE to teach the "middle C" approach for learning notes on the grand staff, because it's seriously FLAWED! Perhaps it's a good topic for future discussion.

[popifirt]

I think that there is only ONE first lesson, and it should not be easy to forget. I make sure that every pupil DOES something and LEARNS something. They learn the names of the notes, because they have to learn how to read music. I gently place the hand they use to write on the piano, the key does not matter at the begining and ask them to play finger after finger (not legato until they can control the individuality of every finger  - it can take two or three lessons). Most times the fourth needs extra care.  When they are too tired to hold their body straight any more (10 minutes or so) it' s time to learn again. I ask them to sing me a song they like, and I play it on the piano with the simplest accompaniment. Then I play the same notes but I play them all with the same duration and ask the pupil to tell me what he or she likes better, and of course they prefer the first one. So, I find the opportunity to speak about the need that made people write the note marks differently according to how long they want them to last. Then I ask them to place their other hand on the keyboard, but without my help this time. When they leave the classroom, they think that they it all by themselves, and that I was rather useless. Lots of kings and queens!!!!!!

[williampiano]

I have never actually taught anyone before, but if I were a teacher, I would probably start out by explaining where middle C is. Then you might want to explain how octaves work. Perhaps explain to them that the piano can be separated in groups of eight, and point out all the different C's on the piano, starting from middle C and outward. Then, once they understand what octaves are, show them all the different notes in the octave, D,E,F,G etc.
Once they understand all the notes in the octave, point out to them how those notes can be found in every other octave on the piano. Then, once they understand the 7 basic notes in a 1 octave scale, get some musical staff paper and show them where all the notes can be found on the staff. You should probably start out with having them write in whole notes when they practice writing the different notes out on the paper. Then you could give them an exercise on reading notes. Perhaps, write a bar long piece, solely based off of whole notes. Have them practice finding the written notes on the piano.
Thats how I would start my student on their first lesson. Then on the second lesson you might want to explain different kinds of rhythms, for example quarter notes, eighth notes etc.

[Edit: Perhaps before you teach them all of the things I just mentioned, you may want to give them a basic assessment on posture and technique.]

If anyone thinks there is anything I should change about my approach, tell me, because possibly in a year or two I might try and teach some piano students in order to make a little money before I go off to college.

[ajspiano]

I have never actually taught anyone before, but if I were a teacher, I would probably start out by explaining where middle C is.

...
 
If anyone thinks there is anything I should change about my approach, tell me, because possibly in a year or two I might try and teach some piano students in order to make a little money before I go off to college.

"Middle D" is the easiest note to find because it sits in the exact center of a symmetrical pattern.

its all dependent on the student..but..

start with posture, bench height... then some keyboard note names..  then how to play notes on the keyboard, numbers of the fingers, hand position etc.. 

some thoughts on where to start playing.. you have to make up your on mind..

technically speaking C is arguably one of the harder scales..  B is significantly more comfortable and easier for the student to remember where to place the thumb (always after the black notes, rather that have to remember after 3, then 4, then 3, then 4) ..B requires very limited or zero in and out motions.

I read that chopin started with B, Db or F# scales on day one in order to develop good touch..  interesting? these are all long fingers on black notes, short fingers white note type scales, which makes them comfortable to play... though I also believe that he dealt with more adults than kids, which may change things.

with the staff I do reading rhythm before reading pitch.

[pianoplayjl]

Generally I wouldn't teach them all the notes but C and D. While your plan is really good I think there is too much material for one lesson. Even I thought my post covered too much material. Perhaps as the beginner progresses you can start to teach him/her more each lesson but not too much. Every lesson or so you can give the beginner some worksheets to do as a revision. But don't forget to write their homework in a homework book to serve as a reminder. I wouldn't start scales on the first lesson, perhaps a few weeks later. Of course, a basic assessment on technique and posture is necessary so that they don't develop a bad habit throughout their piano studies.

JL

[ajspiano]

While your plan is really good I think there is too much material for one lesson.

not sure if that was directed at me or william..

my post in no way reflected what i'd expect to achieve in a single lesson with a beginner..  probably should have said that..

[pianoplayjl]

not sure if that was directed at me or william..

my post in no way reflected what i'd expect to achieve in a single lesson with a beginner..  probably should have said that..

Sorry it was directed towards myself and william. I should've clarified that in my earlier post. Perhaps I'm not digging deep enough in my memory. Most of the stuff in this thread I would expect a beginner to cover in a few weeks or months, not a lesson. Anyway the threads is about what would a teacher teach in a beginner's first lesson.

JL

[mcdiddy1]

I have never actually taught anyone before, but if I were a teacher, I would probably start out by explaining where middle C is. Then you might want to explain how octaves work. Perhaps explain to them that the piano can be separated in groups of eight, and point out all the different C's on the piano, starting from middle C and outward. Then, once they understand what octaves are, show them all the different notes in the octave, D,E,F,G etc.
Once they understand all the notes in the octave, point out to them how those notes can be found in every other octave on the piano. Then, once they understand the 7 basic notes in a 1 octave scale, get some musical staff paper and show them where all the notes can be found on the staff. You should probably start out with having them write in whole notes when they practice writing the different notes out on the paper. Then you could give them an exercise on reading notes. Perhaps, write a bar long piece, solely based off of whole notes. Have them practice finding the written notes on the piano.
Thats how I would start my student on their first lesson. Then on the second lesson you might want to explain different kinds of rhythms, for example quarter notes, eighth notes etc.

[Edit: Perhaps before you teach them all of the things I just mentioned, you may want to give them a basic assessment on posture and technique.]

If anyone thinks there is anything I should change about my approach, tell me, because possibly in a year or two I might try and teach some piano students in order to make a little money before I go off to college.

Depending on the level of student and assuming you will teach beginners, you want to first make sure they can see the different patterns of black keys and the fact you only use the first seven letters of the alphabet before you teach finding octaves. What seems obvious to most of us is not necessarily obvious to other students. You may also want to consider finding out exactly what musical experiences the child has had in the past in order potential connect to like if they sung songs at schools, played another instrument etc because you can make the lesson more interesting and help them learn it better.

The last part of your lesson has some flaws because you are skipping some major steps such as understanding what a staff is and how clefs affect the staff, ledger lines (assuming you are teaching them middle c), understanding note placement on the staff affects right to left playing on the keyboard. The problem with the exercise is you are preparing the students to read notes that are in a random order which is not inherently musical and notes they probably would not need to know anyways. Keep in mind for many of the younger students the alphabet itself is a new concept. Rather than having students randomly plunk keys or slam (which they will if you do not address technique) it would be better to teach them song they know and love so they can be excited about piano and then cover how to read notes later.

I think what you want to teach them is important and valid but i honestly think experience will be your best teacher. I think you will find what you worked out in your head may not translate to well to children. My best advice is to seek advice, knowledge from other experienced teachers and practice with real students and see what works and what doesn't. I think if you tackle posture, technique, steady beat, finger numbers, high and low sounds vs soft and loud and teach a simple tune in the first lesson then you have taught more than enough and can expand on that in every lesson afterwards. If you can get the kid excited about playing their little tune in fun, creative ways ( different octaves, different keys) and experiment on their home and associate piano playing with fun and exploring then they will have a chance to practice on their own which will make all the difference of whether they continue to learn piano and how successful they will be at it. 

[williampiano]

Hey, thank you ajspiano, pianoplayjl and mcdiddy1 for the advise! I think my approach was a slight bit rash, as most of what I explained would take much longer than one lesson to teach. I think it is best for me to meet the student and when I start working with them,decipher what would be best to study, based on their past musical experience, as mcdiddy1 mentioned.
Also, ajspiano, I just thought the C Major scale would be a good scale to start out with, as it has no sharps and flats (as sharps\flats seem like a difficult subject to explain right away). But then again, you do bring up a good point, B Major is more comfortable and a bit easier to remember. And like pianoplayjl said, I don't want to overwhelm the student with too much new material, so I will take it slow and make sure the students understand what I'm teaching.
 
If anyone has any more suggestions, don't feel afraid to reply. I do want to improve my teaching basis, so I can make some money off that in the next few years. I will also talk about this with my piano teacher and see if she can give me some good ideas on how to teach beginning students.

Thank you

[ajspiano]

C is easy to explain.

B is easy to play.

Now how do you find the balance between the two? Or even what more important at this point?

I also like G from a modal explanation point of view - easy to see the single sharp moving it's position within the scale for each mode. Hardly a beginner topic though..

[pianoplayjl]

Hey, thank you ajspiano, pianoplayjl and mcdiddy1 for the advise! I think my approach was a slight bit rash, as most of what I explained would take much longer than one lesson to teach. I think it is best for me to meet the student and when I start working with them,decipher what would be best to study, based on their past musical experience, as mcdiddy1 mentioned.
Also, ajspiano, I just thought the C Major scale would be a good scale to start out with, as it has no sharps and flats (as sharps\flats seem like a difficult subject to explain right away). But then again, you do bring up a good point, B Major is more comfortable and a bit easier to remember. And like pianoplayjl said, I don't want to overwhelm the student with too much new material, so I will take it slow and make sure the students understand what I'm teaching.
 
If anyone has any more suggestions, don't feel afraid to reply. I do want to improve my teaching basis, so I can make some money off that in the next few years. I will also talk about this with my piano teacher and see if she can give me some good ideas on how to teach beginning students.

Thank you

No problem. I'm also trying to absorb ideas from this thread as to what to teach during their first lesson. I haven't seen any other elementary books for beginners but I seriously recommend John Thompson books 1-4. One more thing. You definitely have to tell a beginner that he/she has to cut their finger nails before each lesson. Too many times have I forgotten that, even now. I was told about that in my 2nd or 3rd lesson.

JL

[ajspiano]

I haven't seen any other elementary books for beginners but I seriously recommend John Thompson books 1-4.

I'm not really familiar with the content of these..

I have the faber piano adventures books though..  whether or not you actually study from the book it has a really obvious and clear progression of information, I dont necessarily always follow it, some students are different from others. It is roughly as below (without going too far into it)

posture
hand position
finger numbers
black keys in 2s, 3s,
octaves
playing on the black keys, no rhythm.. there is a hand position different notes are determined by which finger number is playing

reading rhythm
playing on the white keys, reading a rhythm but still using finger number to determine the note (at this point there is a visualization of the notes moving up and down with pitch, but there is no staff)

keyboard note names/musical alphabet

.........this is a rough progression for 6-7yr olds and up. The adult book moves through it very quickly, multiple steps at a time, where as the kids book is much slower..

I also have one that is aimed at 4-5 yr olds. Its a completely different story, whole lessons on just feeling rhythm (clap in time with songs), then playing loud or soft (which may be just playing multiple notes with the whole hand at this point for some kids whose attention span is so low that trying to play a single note is not an option)

[pianoplayjl]

Sounds like the Faber series is better than the Thompson series! The Thompson books obviously progress in difficulty with every piece and book. In each piece they have some sort of diagram. Every new note that is learnt by the beginner is shown on a keyboard diagram.

I might have a look at the Faber series but looks like the Faber series has too much info while Thompsons have slighty too little info IMO. I mgiht also look at the suzuki series in the future.

JL

[williampiano]

I think when it comes to really little kids, it is most important how the teacher incorporates those different technical appliances (posture, hand position, finger numbers etc.) into the pieces chosen for the student. I don't think it necessarily matters all about the books. When I was younger, I never worked out technique from books, but just by how my teacher taught it to me. I choose most of my repertoire from the Keith Snell Repertoire series. Then my teacher would explain everything else from there.

[ajspiano]

I think when it comes to really little kids, it is most important how the teacher incorporates those different technical appliances (posture, hand position, finger numbers etc.) into the pieces chosen for the student. I don't think it necessarily matters all about the books.

I think this is very much the case..  teaching well requires a great deal of observation and adjustment to the explanations/focus points...

the books are an excellent resource for getting into the mind of the 'average' (if there is such a thing) child..  The people who wrote them have likely spent a significantly long time analysing the best order for the concepts to be presented in based on what the age groups can generally handle..

its easy to make poor assumptions about what a child can do or how they will react to a challenge until you know them reasonably well I think..  But then early childhood is hardly my specialty..