GUILT IS THE WRONG WAY TO BUY ATTENTION
Paying attention is the essence of playing the piano.
When you see a master pianist’s hands flying over the piano, the artist is paying attention to a myriad of details, muscular, musical and mental.
The piano may be the first place that a child is asked to focus attention in this very intense way. Some kids like it, and are drawn to it, whereas and some kids find it very hard to grasp.
How do you get a child to focus in this way, at the piano specifically?
Many piano teachers have great difficulty answering this question with any other word than “guilt.”
That’s right, piano teachers buy attention with guilt. They make the child feel guilty, most of all, for not practicing as they should, and then for not delivering advancement on the very homework they have not done.
Unless the child is extraordinarily inspired and gifted, it will only take a few weeks of the “guilt” regime before they simply give up on the piano in an emotional sense. It may then take months for them to admit this to you, the parent.
“Piano is too hard, and I’m just stupid.” That’s exactly what I’ve heard kids say. How demoralized do you have to be to utter such a truth?
There is only one way to counteract guilt. Praise.
You’d be surprised how well kids react to praise and a relentlessly positive attitude on the part of the teacher.
The hard part is to make the bar so low that the praise is deserved. This is difficult for most piano teachers because children’s difficulties with utterly basic skills secretly frustrates almost all piano teachers. They wish the child would go faster.
But instead, the piano teacher should be fascinated with what EXACTLY makes that child have difficulty with that particular skill. You, as a teacher, should launch an intelligent, compassionate search for a way to teach that particular child the skill that is needed.
The reason for your patience is that no child seeks out failure at the piano. The piano is often made unattainable to children by the teacher’s pointlessly elevated standards.
The key element these kids lack is confidence, brought about by constant and repeated failure to scale the teacher’s rigid curriculum.
Begin by evaluating the child’s general motor skill and mental acuity levels. Do they have the following basic skills? Can they…..
- Distinguish left from right?
- Understand up and down at the keyboard?
- Distinguish the fingers from one another?
- Demonstrate awareness of the pattern of 2 and 3 in the black keys?
If they do not have these skills, they will be unable to begin to acquire the finer skills that beginning piano requires. You’d be surprised how many young piano teachers fail to make the above observations and launch immediately into reading music.
You need to delay formal study until the above list is, if not mastered, at least broached. If you do not delay, the child may simply not grasp the nature of the “musical task.”
The best course, in the above example, is to use games at the piano to teach the needed skills. This you must do at the child’s pace. The piano is remarkably suited to learning these skills and perceptions (up/down, left/right, etc.)
It’s pointless to rush a child’s perception of anything. You can prepare for it, you can nurture it with hopes for the future, but you cannot rush it. Children have a way of learning things when they are good and ready.
Thus, guilt is really completely unnecessary. If you make a child feel guilty for slow progress, the real reason for the child’s “failure” is the teacher’s ignorance and impatience.
Let me repeat it for the 10,000th time: any child can learn the rudiments of the piano if you go slowly enough and make it enjoyable. No exceptions, even for kids with disabilities, both medically and attitude-wise.
A joyous piano student, regardless of skill level, is the product of a patient and wise piano teacher.
A guilty piano student bears the mark of an impatient teacher.
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
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