Curriculum
Completing songs in workshop
I’ve started my workshops and it is clear, particularly with the younger group, that getting through the four songs will be a challenge (or impossible). Is it better to just get a taste of all the songs or to actually complete some? I see advantages…
Teaching key signature
I’m working my way through Accompaniment 2 and have a question. One of the lectures talks about naturally-occurring chords in various keys, and assumes knowledge of keys. The example given is that the key of F has one flat. I know that in Time for…
Smoothing out the rhythm in Jackson Blues
I have a seven-year-old student who is very keen to learn, and very smart. He often says “I’m really good at this song” as he starts to play from his playlist for me. His version of Jackson Blues has a terrible rhythm. He plays the…
How to plan workshops?
How do you teach the four workshop songs in only four sessions? Are they extra long sessions? If so, how do you structure it so it’s not too much for them to handle? Or, do you just teach as much as you can with no…
Parents attending workshops
Quick question concerning workshops: do parents attend just like with regular lessons? I would require it. Otherwise we invite the questions – why require parent attendance for ongoing lessons when it wasn’t required for workshops? And ultimately it’s the parent deciding whether to continue lessons…
Beginning lessons with improvisation
I recently heard someone mention a SM requirement that students begin every practice with improv. Is that official? Something that many teachers do? I’d love to hear more about this–where it appears in the training, and even if it doesn’t, how people who use this…
Number of students in workshop
For workshops, is there a recommended limit to how many students per piano, compared with how many you can have in a typical (non workshop) shared lesson? Somewhere I heard a suggestion of only 2 people per piano in a workshop, but for shared lessons…
Incorporating sheet music when students are reading
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…
Parents taking extra notes
I discovered a parent taking extra notes in her own notebook. I have two of her kids. One is older and takes his own notes, so in her notebook she took notes on the arrangement for herself only. She promised it was only for her…
How to handle instrumental bridges in outside accompaniment pieces
When students start bringing in some of their own music, we inevitably run into selections that have extended instrumental bridge sections. What do you do with these? It doesn’t seem to make sense to just play the chords through this section, unless perhaps the chords…