Curriculum
Shoo Fly – grace notes
I’m in the process of learning Shoo Fly in Level 5. The teacher training video mentions grace notes when demonstrating the right hand, and suggests teaching students later, but I can’t find when/how the grace notes are introduced later. I’d love any help you could…
Spending an entire class on Comp & Improv
Comp & Improv idea: Have you considered spending an entire class just exploring improvisation? This could play out in many different ways. I think it’s beneficial, especially for those students who are afraid of C&I and stop trying as soon as something doesn’t sound ‘good’.…
Accompaniment and Arrangements – optional?
How “optional” are Accompaniment and Arrangements special programs? I see them in the teachers’ timeline, yet some time ago I heard someone mention it was up to the student to some extent…if/when to pursue those. But one of my students (currently in F2 and keeping…
Composition Idea
Try this for a fun project once your students have some arrangements under their belts. Compose a ‘medley’ using ONE playlist song and adding any number of the following components in any order: Intro/Outro (make one up) Any arrangement Improv section Transitions between sections Play…
Pacing of teaching songs starting in Foundation 4
I’d like to hear people’s strategies for stretching out the teaching of Foundation songs starting in about Level 4 beyond the obvious tactic of taking 2-5 or so weeks to learn the entire songs. I’m accustomed to teaching songs at this level and beyond over…
Night Storm alternate lyrics (ending)
Regarding Night Storm in F1, I cannot find even a mention of the “alternate” tailpiece lyrics (snuggle up real tight) which are shown in parentheses just below “listen to the night.” It suddenly occurred to me that no one ever talks about it? Is it…
Students having difficulty with the order of Night Storm
I seem to be having increasing numbers of students struggling to put Night Storm together in the correct order between the lesson at which it teach it and the next lesson. Have other had this problem, and what’s your strategy to overcome it? I watched…
Fingering chords with a physically challenged student
I have a 66-year-old student who is having difficulty playing chords with finger 1, 3, 5. Her fourth finger has limited upward mobility. We had lesson number 6 today. Would it be terrible to adapt and let her play chords with fingers 1, 3, 4?…
Modifying chords for students with small hands
Today I encountered a challenge with my 6 year old trying to learn Bishop Street Blues. He can do Jackson Blues and understands the concepts and the 12 bar progression and the concept of replacing the I, IV, and V chords with other chords. BUT.…
Deep River – Development Level 14
A question about the version of Deep River that appears in Development 14: the wavy line under the treble clef notes in the RH – I’ve never seen this before. What does it mean? It’s a glissando, which is a ‘glide’ from one note to…