Piano Lessons for Children, Piano Teachers for Children

Piano Lessons for Children and Helpful Hints!

Mr E's Reward System...

When teaching piano to children, my first step is rapport. The goal is for the student to feel that MrE is a cool and a with-it guy that is interested in lots of things...besides the piano. I take a Holistic approach. I really want to know where their minds are. Sure the goal is for their mind to be centered on learning piano. Yet, in order to get there, one has to know what else is going on in the young person's life. If young Sally just came back from dance and soccer, and is going to do a sleep tonight, I want to know about it...because if so, the lesson plan is going to change.

Asking "How are you?" at the beginning of each lesson helps my students communicate and let me know what is going on in their lives. Sometimes it is quite surprising what comes up. The purpose is to have a really successful piano experience and a relationship with my students encouraging them to love the instrument, spend the time necessary to practice, and raise the value of playing on their list of priorities. The results are quite surprising to parents. "I never have to ask him to practice -- he just sits down and does it" or, "I can't get them off the piano" are phrases that I hear from parents quite frequently. So creating the relationship, praise and encouragement with my students is number one. This is working on the inside-out for my students to really feel good about their progress and their piano accomplishments. Children being who they are and teens, often need more than a relationship and encouragement. For example, when teaching my son words, at first, he did not want to read...later a different story. My rewards with him included many extrinsic rewards...Stickers, toys, money...these things are part of an external reward system. I often ask myself during a lesson if I were the parent of this child what would I do to show them that playing the piano is of great importance? Students really get to know that their playing piano is very important to me. Without a parent's all important interest though, all efforts that I might make are diminished in value. Sometimes parents expect me to take care of it all...The good news is parents can do so much to enhance their child's natural interest in music. In short order, we can be successful at completing the triangle power loop between student, parent, and teacher.

In Home Lessons

In-Home lesson are a great way to conserve your time and energy taking the kids to lessons for more important things. This also creates a positive piano experience. Imagine the difference when the piano teacher comes to you...

(MisterEvan is always available to give lessons at his very well equipped in- home studio, with playstation, games and waiting room!)

Rapport and Laughter with my Students

How serious is the average 5 year old? Not very.The number one goal of any teacher should be and needs to be rapport. Every student is different.One of the great joys of teaching is to find out how each young person relates, then reach to that level where they can say to themselves "Hey, I get this! "How is this done???Well, building confidence for starters. Truly, a lot of parents have had a neighborhood piano teacher who seemed overly concerned with accuracy and holding hands in a certain shape and even using a ruler as a knuckle rapper! I ask you...how much confidence can be built using a yardstick? So my goals are different: Building confidence and enthusiasm is everything in this teacher's mind. The learning will happen when the confidence precedes Praise to the sky, stickers, and sense of humor, are an important part of my teaching tool box. Fun is an integral part of my teaching style...no matter what age my student might be!....and I am serious about this! My adult students know this the best of all. Just can't believe how much fun we have together!

The Importance of the Recital...

Recitals bring together a group of students who have been working by themselves for 6 months. It is great fun to be part of a group with a common mission: to become good at music and piano. When students hear others play, they see that they are not really alone, that there are musical goals that others are accomplishing, and it serves them to set their sites higher on the piano performance ladder. Their efforts are valued by other students and parents! That is why it is a powerful experience and significant and you want to make every effort to be there!! Each recital interestingly enough, has a personality of its own. It is the celebration of my student's efforts and have found it to be very exhilarating..if it doesn't go on too long!!! :)

The Importance of Fingering....

It has come to my attention that some students have been taught using hand positions and have become stuck in that mode. Certain books that are very popular introduce middle C and C below middle C position at once. This is too much material. These books are written to make money for their authors and not with students best interest in mind. This is written as a public service so that parents and teachers might avoid this method. You are welcome to call me about the name of these books so that you can identify if you are going in the right direction.

Hand positions are used at the beginning to create a touch anchor that feels right. When the touch anchor is established, from there it can be expanded. This sense of what feels right, develops with guidance, into proper fingering at the piano. The beginning piano teacher guides this touch sense -- this 6th sense of fingering. "Hand positions" are taught to give the easiest understanding of position, location and fingering at the keys..Later, students need to feel comfortable with any finger on any note..regardless of positions. If your student is stuck thinking about hand positions, call me -- we'll talk.

Piano Lesson Quotes from MisterEvan:

1. "Middle C is the same on the page for both hands...stem goes up for one and down for the other!

2. "It took me thirty years to figure out that fingers of the C scale going up, are the same exact finger numbers going down!"

3. "The C scale fingering is: 123 HOP 12345"

4. "pinky goes on g"

5. "It takes 3 chords to play 90% of music."

6. "Heart and Soul is a great way to learn 4 of your chords"

7. "There are 7 letters on the keyboard....ABCDEFG...that's all!."

Frustration Level in a Child when Learning the Piano

Frustration is a Healthy Communication. It tells a piano teacher when the circuit is not working between teacher and student and correction must be made-- instantly! That telltale sign...quiet, slight head bend, a slight watery eyeball, these communications are very very important. Sometimes you get lucky.. the other day, I asked my student about her eyes. She told me she had allergies. Well I breathed a sigh of relief. Usually though frustration is a sign that the material or communication needs adjustment. If a teacher catches frustration early, real sea changes can be made in the attitudes of students toward piano. The famous teacher Suzuki, said music making needs to be approached with JOY. Does Frustration equal Joy? Without a doubt, 90% of piano drop outs are caused by inexperienced teachers that are oblivious to the warning signs of frustration and the need to make adjustments in lesson plans. When you hear someone say about piano lessons.."I wish I had continued"...that is a product of a teacher who needed to know much more about paving the road properly for their students There is also the teacher who may know some things, yet needs more training in order to inspire students to be their best. A piano teacher who plays beautifully will add inspiration to your child's lessons. You want to have meaning and inspiration in your lessons...otherwise we risk our children thinking piano practice is drudgery because they are not reaching for the sound-beautiful. Frustration does not equal Joy. On the other hand, if your student is one of the 10--20 % that has a high frustration threshold, be sure that your teacher is paving the road with pieces that they can successfully play, no matter the level. Little by little, building success with positive happy feedback. They will go just as far and learn confidence, persistence and self-control.

MrE

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Sing to MrE's America the Beautiful

What's in a Song?

What would it be like to have shared song with a neighbor in the community?
Well, just 50 years ago piano bars were the mainstay in a variety of public places and we did just that. The general public sang these songs together, danced these songs together.
Now it would seem that most young people have little idea of American Music.
All the songs once known, are lost.
For example, I ask my students whether they know Oh Susanna, and they say... "No".

That something missing is part of the fabric that holds our uniquely American culture together.
When there was common song there was...well there just was more in common.

The piano was the instrument that represented that togetherness as a culture.
People would sit around the piano bar an request songs. Usually the musician was someone of real ability and talent...Our culture had a real respect for performance and good music.
I think what we might be asking ourselves is... how can we bring some of this back?
Perhaps these questions shed some light, from a pianistic point of view, on some of the challenges we face today as a society and culture.

E.S.