LESSON #1
TEACHING CHILDREN'S PIANO
To be a private piano teacher, you'll need all the musical skill that profession requires.
As a parent who wants to introduce your child to the piano, you may need only enough musical knowledge to nudge your child in the right direction.
Piano by Number and other "easy start" methods make home teaching and musical nurturing possible for parents, and have proved to be of immense value to professional children's teachers as well.
Let's examine what is required mentally and emotionally to take one child, perhaps on a weekly basis, and show them the rudiments of the piano, making it enjoyable in the process.
Below are the most important traits that a successful children's piano teacher should have. Many of these qualities are needed as well by parents trying to nurture early musical exposure.
You must have a genuine affection for children. And this means children who are sick, lazy, tired, ill-tempered and generally unsuited to learning the piano on that particular day. If you've ever tried to teach a kid who has just been on the computer for two hours, you'll know what I mean.
Many kids are just not in the mood to learn anything at four in the afternoon, so you had better be clever enough to make it fun for them. When kids are at their worst you will be tested the most. Be prepared for it. Remember what it was like when you were a child, and how difficult it likely was to weather the storm of youth.
Kids instinctively know what's going on inside of the teacher, and they must like you personally to give you their best efforts. Be friendly and let them know frequently that you will go just as slow as they need. It's not a race or a contest.
To say that teaching piano to children requires a relaxed attitude on the teacher's part is a gross understatement. The ideal children's piano teacher needs to have an almost Biblical patience, and the craftiness of a fox as well.
If you've ever tried to herd birds, you'll know how hard it can be to engage a child's interest even with a fun subject like the piano. Some children require months and months to barely grasp concepts like fingering and sight-reading, but if you keep trying and are not impatient, any child can toe the musical mark.
One trick is to set the speed of the lesson by the child's mood. What this means is that you may have to joke around a bit when they get tired, just to let them catch their breath. This is what I value piano games for, to relieve tension and start a new "beat" in the lesson.
That's just following human nature. Mixing work and fun appropriately for the particular moment is a recipe for success with children's piano lessons.
Be funny. If there is one thing that helps a piano lesson, it is laughter.You'll get a million times farther with children if you adopt the attitude of a game show host. Being arch, unfriendly or harshly critical are attitudes I don't allow from myself. They are pointless and counter-productive. The child doesn't even know where Carnegie Hall is, after all.
Proceed at the child's pace, always testing their mood and mental status. You may find that the work done in between the laughter and musical games is more beneficial and long-lasting than old fashioned "practicing" (at its worst, the old way was "repeat ad nauseam.")
Let them be kids, make up silly songs, at the right instant, and always look for that perfect time to try a little more work. Bait and switch persistently, fun, work, fun, work.
You must develop a thousand and one ways to disguise rote tasks as fun piano games. Kids can smell rote repetition from miles away, and they zone-out and won't pay attention properly unless you are careful to structure the work cleverly, and are prepared to change your own teaching scenario in a second.
Here's an example of a piano game, called PIANO DICE, which I play with kids to get them to repeat the same songs over and over without the feeling of drudgery associated with "practicing."
Here's how it works. Show the child the first bars of six songs they know, like Jingle Bells and Star Wars. Then number the songs on a piece of paper. Take a dice and let the child throw it. Yes, the dice will fall under the piano. Laugh and bring extra dice.
The child has to play the song associated with the number on the list. If they roll 6, they have to play song number 6. You would not believe how many times you can get a kid to play a song, enthusiastically, using this corny device. Give mock points and prizes. Move on to the next roll of the dice before they are bored.
This is how one disguises rote tasks as entertainment.
Before each lesson, as I am driving there, I remind myself that the child is having a day of their own without me, a good day, maybe a bad day, who knows? But I imagine myself helicoptered into their life for half an hour, and make certain that they enjoyed that time with me, learned something, and will be eager for more next time.
I'm absolutely determined that each child will love the piano more than the last time they had a lesson.
A piano teacher's real job is to forward a child's piano education by making them want to learn it by themselves.
Once the child is launched at the piano, steamed up with their own interest, the teacher can easily move from task to task without drudgery.
Keep feeding them fun songs that they know, from films, from your childhood, anything they have heard and recognize. Make them play that song.
Listen to the child's mood and you'll never go wrong.
Course One
TEACHING TOOLS
#1 TEACHING CHILDREN'S PIANO
#2 WHAT A CHILD SHOULD EXPECT FROM PIANO LESSONS
#3 WHAT IS FINGERING AND WHEN DO WE USE IT
#4 PIANO BY NUMBER AND OTHER STARTING METHODS
#5 THE FIRST PIANO LESSON
#6 MINUTE BY MINUTE PIANO LESSON
#7 TOYS AND ACCESORIES FOR FUN PIANO LESSONS
#8 READING MUSIC FOR KIDS STEP BY STEP
#9 THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WORST AND BEST TEACHER
#10 A CHILD'S CLASSICAL MUSIC LISTENING LIST
Course Two
TEACHING BACKGROUND
#11 A SHORT HISTORY OF THE PIANO
#12 A SHORT HISTORY OF PIANO METHODS
#13 A PLEASANT PIANO LESSON ATMOSPHERE
#14 ADVICE TO A YOUNG PIANO TEACHER
#15 WHY I TEACH PIANO
#16 A PIANO TEACHER'S EMOTIONS
#17 PACE AND CHILDREN'S PIANO LESSONS
#18 CHILDREN'S PIANO MOTOR SKILLS DEFINED BY AGE
#19 CHILDREN'S PIANO FINGERING OVERVIEW
#20 GUILT IS THE WRONG WAY TO BUY ATTENTION
Course Three
PIANO GAMES
#21 FOURS, A PIANO COUNTING GAME
#22 THE PIANO DICE GAME
#23 PIANO HAND POSITION GAMES
#24 THE USE OF HUMOR IN PIANO LESSONS
#25 HAPPY OR SAD: EAR TRAINING FOR KIDS
#26 FOLLOW THE LEADER: VISUAL PIANO GAMES
#27 PIANO GAMES TO PLAY WHEN ALL GOES WRONG
#28 PRECURSOR SKILL PIANO GAMES
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
See also: PIANO BY NUMBER, a series of fun books for beginning piano students of all ages.
See also: EZINE ARTICLES, a list of publications which include John Aschenbrenner's writings about the piano.
See also: ARCHIVES at pianoiseasy.com, which contains a large collection of games and articles about children and the piano. Below is a list you will find on that site:
ARTICLES ABOUT CHILDREN AND PIANO
Click here for the FREE EBOOK, a good place to start.
Click here to read the NEWSLETTER ARCHIVES, including lots of valuable information from teachers and parents from various sources.
Click here to read ARTICLES FROM NEWSWEEK and other periodicals regarding children and piano study.
Click here to read an INTERVIEW with the author of PIANO IS EASY.
Click here to read the essay, HOW CAN I HELP MY CHILD READ MUSIC?
Click here to read the entire tutorial HOW TO TEACH YOUR CHILD TO READ MUSIC
Click here to read the report WHAT IS A GOOD AGE TO START PIANO LESSONS?
Click here to read the essay PIANO LESSONS: A CHILD'S POINT OF VIEW
Click here to read the essay WHEN IS LEARNING FINGERING NECESSARY?
Click here to read the article A CHILD'S BILL OF RIGHTS FOR PIANO LESSONS
Click here to read the article IS PRESCHOOL A GOOD AGE TO START PIANO?
Click here to read the article BRAINS, CHILDREN AND PIANO
Click here to read the article WHY THE PIANO IS THE BEST CHILD'S MUSICAL INSTRUMENT
ARTICLES ABOUT PRESCHOOL CHILDREN AND PIANO
Click here to read the article TEACHING PRESCHOOL CHILDREN PIANO
Click here to read the article PRESCHOOL PIANO ACTIVITIES
ARTICLES ABOUT CHILDREN AND READING MUSIC
Click here to read the article HOW TO HELP KIDS FIND MIDDLE C
Click here to read the article WHAT KIDS REALLY UNDERSTAND ABOUT SHEET MUSIC
Click here to read the article WHY DELAY READING MUSIC
Click here to read the article AN EFFECTIVE STRATEGY FOR KIDS LEARNING TO READ MUSIC
SPECIAL EDUCATION AND PIANO
Click here to read the article AMAZING MUSICAL ABILITIES OF AUTISTIC AND ADHD CHILDREN
Click here to read the article HYPERACTIVE KIDS AND PIANO
Click here to read the article PIANO BY NUMBER FOR A SEVERELY DISABLED GIRL
Click here to read the article DOWN'S SYNDROME AND PIANO BY NUMBER
ARTICLES ABOUT CHILDREN AND PRACTICING
Click here to read the article WHY NAGGING YOUR CHILD TO PRACTICE WON'T WORK
Click here to read the article RULES FOR PIANO PRACTICE
Click here to read the article DON'T CALL IT PRACTICE, CALL IT PLAY
Click here to read the article SETTING UP A CHILD'S PIANO PRACTICE REGIME
Click here to read the article WHY CHILDREN SUCCEED AT THE PIANO
ARTICLES ABOUT CHILDREN AND PIANO BY NUMBER
Click here to read the essay THE PIANO WHISPERER
Click here to read the article STARTING TO PLAY PIANO BY NUMBER
Click here to read the report USE PIANO BY NUMBER WITH SCHOOL CHILDREN
Click here to read the article BUILDING A CHILD'S CONFIDENCE WITH NUMBERS
Click here to read the article TURN YOUR PIANO INTO A TOY
ARTICLES ABOUT ADULTS AND PIANO
Click here to read the introduction to EASY CLASSICAL PIANO BY NUMBER
Click here to read the introduction to TEACH YOURSELF PIANO, an excellent guide to important self-teaching points.
Click here to read the article RULES FOR PIANO PRACTICE
Click here to read the article TIPS FOR ADULT PIANISTS
Click here to read the article PIANO FINGER STRENGTH IS CUMULATIVE
Click here to read the article THE PIANO ZONE
Click here to read the article MAKING EVERY MINUTE OF ADULT PIANO PRACTICE COUNT
ARTICLES ABOUT THE PIANO
Click here to read the article HOW GOOD ARE TOY PIANOS?
Click here to read the article ORIGINS OF THE BLACK PIANO KEYS
Click here to read the article HOW TO BUY AN INEXPENSIVE PIANO OR KEYBOARD
Click here to read the essay WHY GRAND PIANOS ARE BETTER THAN UPRIGHTS
Click here to read the essay PIANO WARS: EVOLUTION OF THE PIANO IN AMERICA
Click here to read the essay THE GREAT PIANO CRAZE OF 1910
Click here to read the essay THE BALLET OF THE PIANO HANDS
Click here to read the essay A PIANIST'S MEANS OF EXPRESSION
Click here to read the report HUMIDITY AND YOUR PIANO
ARTICLES ABOUT PIANO TEACHING
Click here to read the article HOW TO FIND A GOOD PIANO TEACHER
Click here to read the article SO YOU WANT TO BE A PIANO TEACHER
Click here to read the article MY CHILD WANTS TO QUIT PIANO
Click here to read the article WHY KIDS NEED FREEDOM TO LEARN PIANO
Click here to read the article PSYCHOLOGY OF HOMESCHOOL PIANO
Click here to read the article THE PIANIST WITH TWO BRAINS
Click here to read the article YOU CAN ONLY ENJOY PIANO MY WAY
Click here to read the article TEN WAYS TO BE A BAD CHILDREN'S PIANO TEACHER
Click here to read the article KIDS SONGS FOR PIANO
Click here to read the article TEACH YOUR CHILDREN PIANO
Click here to read the article ARE KIDS PIANO RECITALS HARMFUL?
ARTICLES ABOUT PIANO LESSONS
Click here to read the article DISGUISING REPETITION IN KID'S PIANO LESSONS
Click here to read the article PIANO LESSONS FOR CHILDREN: HOME OR TRAVEL
Click here to read the article PIANO METHOD BOOKS FOR CHILDREN
Click here to read the article GUITAR OR PIANO: WHAT'S BEST FOR A SIX YEAR OLD?
Click here to read the article TEACHING GUIDE DOGS IS JUST LIKE TEACHING KIDS PIANO
Click here to read the article HOW COME MY KID HATES PIANO?
Click here to read the article USING FAMILIAR SONGS IN CHILDREN'S PIANO LESSONS
Click here to read the article HOW KID'S COMPUTER TIME AFFECTS PIANO LESSONS
Click here to read the article PIANO SOFTWARE OR PRINT BOOKS: WHICH IS BETTER
Click here to read the article FOLLOW THE CHILD'S PACE WITH PIANO LESSONS
Click here to read the article TOYS YOU SHOULD BRING TO A CHILD'S PIANO LESSON
Click here to read the article THE TRANSPARENT PIANO LESSON STRATEGY
Click here to read the article WHAT KIDS LIKE ABOUT PIANO LESSONS
Click here to read the article WHY CHILDREN FAIL AT PIANO LESSONS
Click here to read the article ATTENTION SPAN, CHILDREN AND PIANO
Click here to read the article PIANO FOR KIDS
Click here to read the article CHILDREN'S HIDDEN PIANO TALENT
Click here to read the article SELECTING CHILDREN'S SONGS FOR PIANO
Click here to read the article KIDS MUSIC AND THE PIANO
Click here to read the article CHILDREN'S PIANO POSTURE
Click here to read the article SHOULD PARENTS FORCE CHILDREN TO TAKE PIANO LESSONS?
ARTICLES ABOUT PIANO STICKERS
Click here to read the article WHY PIANO NUMBER STICKERS WORK FOR CHILDREN
Click here to read the article WHY PIANO STICKERS WORK FOR READING MUSIC
ARTICLES ABOUT PIANO GAMES
Click here to see the game QUARTERS: A PIANO GAME KIDS LOVE
Click here to see the piano game FUN PIANO GAME WITH A PAIR OF DICE
Click here to see the piano game MOZART'S FAVORITE MOVIE
Click here to see the essay BASEBALL, KIDS AND PIANO
Click here to read about PIANO CHORD GAMES FOR KIDS
Click here to read about VISUAL PIANO GAMES
Click here to read about THE FUTURE EFFECT OF KIDS PIANO GAMES
MUSIC HISTORY AND HUMOR
Click here to read the article PIANO LESSONS WITH PAPA BACH
Click here to read the article PIANO LESSONS WITH FREDERIC CHOPIN
Click here to read the story HECTOR BERLIOZ AND THE TRAIN WRECK
Click here to read the story TCHAIKOVSKY'S GREATEST FAN
Click here to read the story STRAVINSKY'S GOOD LUCK
Click here to read the article CHOPIN'S SINGING TONE
Click here to read the article MUSICAL FEUDS
Click here to read the article MUSICAL GENIUS
Click here to read the story FRANZ SCHUBERT: THE FIRST BOHEMIAN
Click here to read the story BEETHOVEN'S RAGE OVER A LOST PENNY
Click here to read the story MOZART'S LAST DAYS
Click here to read THE STORY OF HUGO WOLF
Click here to read the story THE WORLD'S LARGEST BLUE DANUBE WALTZ
Click here to read the story BEETHOVEN WAS NO BEAUTY
Click here to read the story VLADIMIR HOROWITZ GOES TO THE RACETRACK
Click here to read the story EINSTEIN'S GYPSY VIOLIN
Click here to read the story IGOR STRAVINSKY LOSES HIS COOL
Click here to read the story ARTUR RUBINSTEIN WAS A VAMPIRE
Click here to read the story EINSTEIN'S PIANO
Click here to read the essay WHY BRAHMS MUST HAVE BEEN FAT
Click here to read the article PIANO HANDS
Click here to read the article THE MASTER'S HANDS
Click here to see the article TAKE YOUR KIDS TO THE OPERA
Click here to see the article GEORGE SAND KILLED CHOPIN
Click here to see the article I MEET AARON COPLAND
Click here to see the story CARL TAUSIG COOKS HIS CAT
CULTURAL CRITICISM
Click here to read the op-ed opinion column WHY AMERICA IS LOSING THE CULTURE RACE
Click here to read the op-ed opinion column WHAT KILLED THE GOLDEN AGE OF PIANO
Click here to read the op-ed opinion column AGAINST FILM MUSIC
Click here to read the op-ed opinion column CARNEGIE HALL STARTS IN YOUR LIVING ROOM
CHORDS AND MUSIC THEORY TUTORIALS
Click here to read the tutorial ROOT POSITION CHORDS
Click here to read the tutorial FIRST INVERSION CHORDS
Click here to read the tutorial SECOND INVERSION CHORDS
Click here to read the tutorial THE SIX BASIC CHORDS FOR CHILDREN
Click here to read the tutorial TWO NOTE CHORDS FOR KIDS
Click here to read about PIANO CHORD GAMES FOR KIDS
Click here to read the article WHY CHILDREN SHOULD LEARN ABOUT PIANO CHORDS
Copyright © 2009 Walden Pond Press About Us
