Playing-Based Methodology

I’m curious how to handle Foundation/Arrangements once studets are in Level 6 and up when we’re actively reading music at that point. Do I keep the music books closed and work with the pieces from a purely playing-based perspective since students should still watch the…

• Last updated 7 years ago
• Foundation sheet music, Laurie Richards, playing-based tools, reading, Time for More Music, using playing-based tools while reading, using sheet music

I’m having some issues with some students that want to move ‘faster’. There’s a lot we’re trying to fit in during a lesson, but for some students it doesn’t feel like enough, at least according to them. Usually with these students, the playlist suffers. Just…

• Last updated 7 years ago
• arrangements, Foundation songs, Gordon Harvey, impatience, Laurie Richards, motivation, pace of teaching, pacing, students moving ahead

I got a call from a mom today. Her son (11 years old) is getting teased by his peers at school for not learning ‘real’ piano. I will spend time with him and his family to highlight the differences of the method architecture, explain the…

• Last updated 7 years ago
• communication, playing-based, SM vs traditional, traditional

Here’s an idea for applying playing-based strategies at a generative level: After a student composes a song, work together as a class to come up with a way to teach it. This might include making a diagram reference, talking about what specific playing-based tools can…

• Last updated 7 years ago
• C&I, class projects, composition, diagrams, generative, generative learning, Laurie Richards, single thought process

I’d like some advice about my 7-year-old student who previously had about one year of lesson (traditional) in China and can already play some lovely classical pieces (reading). I explained why we do not read notes, and she and her parents accept this as far…

• Last updated 7 years ago
• accompaniment, chords, communication, diagrams, difficulty with diagrams, dosage, patterns, prior experience, teaching away from the piano

I have a piano student who has already been introduced to sight reading from a former teacher. Is there any reason they can’t learn the song via pattern playing first, then switch over to the sheet music instead of waiting until level 4 or 5?…

• Last updated 7 years ago
• Laurie Richards, patterns, playing-based tools, previous experience, prior experience, reading notes, reading rhythm, Robin Keehn, sight reading, using sheet music, when to introduce reading

As a new teacher, I am wondering what to tell my students if they ask if they will ever be able to learn a certain song (not by accompaniment but playing the actual melody) even if it is not in the SM curriculum. Eventually they’ll…

• Last updated 7 years ago
• curriculum, non-curricular music, patterns, playing-based tools, teaching outside music

Does anyone have any good ideas to motivate students to listen to the audio tracks? I have all I can do to follow through on videos and assignments but would love to think of something kind of fun to encourage/require them to listen more consistently.…

• Last updated 7 years ago
• accompaniment, audio materials, Laurie Richards, practicing, requirements, SHM, Student Home Materials

I was wondering about a couple of things and if anyone has any advice or thoughts, or can direct me to anything in the library section of the SM intranet for guidance. Here are my questions: How to go about determining and addressing the gap…

• Last updated 7 years ago
• coach, communication, expectations, Laurie Richards, Long Term Relationship, LTR, motivation, truth, truthfulness

I have a parent questioning “numbers” and how we use them as a lyric/support tool. I explained… -Occasionally we use number for sentences and patterns. -Occasionally we give numbers for rhythm -Occasional we use numbers for fingerings/positions She seems baffled by the various ways they’re…

• Last updated 7 years ago
• coaches, counting, counting as lyric, FL1, foundation 1, Fur Elise, Laurie Richards, Numbers, Ode, Ode to Joy, playing-based tools