My 9 year-old ‘Advanced’ Student
Found in: Accompaniment, Arrangements & Variations, Students with Prior Experience
Susan F., California
I have an advanced student who is 9 years old and has been playing for about 4-5 years in a traditional method. Reading is fair, but he has been playing by ear for years, and his overall ability and absorption rate is staggering. I’m starting him with Level 1, but he absorbs so quickly that I am going to start multi-streaming him with both the Arrangement and the Accompaniment Programs.
1) Is it better to slow up my advanced student by giving arrangements and only having him play 2 pieces a week (which with Level 1 is a no brainer for him), or is it okay to give him several Level 1 pieces at a lesson so I can move him through faster?
2) In addition I have some other students who have been playing 3 years who are complaining that Level 1 is too easy and a bit boring for them, but I’m afraid to throw in too many arrangements because I think the memorization might be a bit too much for them at this point. How do I keep them interested during this transition process without moving too fast?
Overall I’m finding that the process of switching intermediate students to Simply Music is a bit harder than I expected. Beginners are easy, but my 3-4 year students who were on a traditional program are another story. My main concern right now is keeping them interested and challenged so they will hang in there long enough to see the benefits, but at this point I think I might actually lose a few who are feeling a bit frustrated with the change. (I’ve had the conversations regarding why they need to start at the beginning, the Foundation Sessions, Relationship Conversations, asking them to hang in there for a 3 month trial period, etc.)
Any thoughts or advice that anyone could pass on would be greatly appreciated.
Kevin M., California
This is a great question. I have had many students over the years in the same situation. I think you are on the right track introducing the Accompaniment Program. This allows him to work on the songs in the program, and start working on as many songs as he wants at home. I am sure this will help tremendously, as it also gives him a chance to work on pieces he picks, and he may enjoy that freedom. I have found the Arrangement and Variation Programs to be a big help in this situation. It will take a little experimenting to see how much to present, and how much he can absorb.
I would present the Level 1 song, or songs, first. That way if he forgets, he has the video to fall back on. I commonly will teach several songs at one time, and I don’t see an issue with the rate at which a student goes through a particular level. Let’s say you taught ‘Dreams’, and moved it up to the D position, and then the ‘Dreams’ with the L.H. playing chords. If he picked that up straight away, you could teach him the L.H. to the next Dreams arrangement, and if he picked that up and you still have time you could put the R.H. with that.
I have done exactly that in lessons before, some students processed it all, others could not. Once you have a feel for how much he can absorb, you just make the adjustments from there. Also you may be able to introduce the Reading Program to him sooner than another student, as an alternative stream, and a supplement to the levels.
It sounds like you are on the right track and doing great. As far as your other advanced students are concerned, I would do the same as you are doing with this student. Introducing the Accompaniment Program, and the Arrangement and Variation Programs. It will just be a matter of making the adjustments per student as to how much to present.