Students

A couple of weeks ago there was quite a bit of discussion here about teaching older students. This may have been addressed, but I had a conversation with a dear teacher last week about how strict we all seem to be about requiring that everyone…

• Last updated 12 years ago
• remembering arrangements, Robin Keehn, seniors

It’s good if students sing and play, and it is no issue whatsoever if they don’t. I request it, I encourage it, I never require it. I heard a statistic once (don’t quote me!!), that on people’s list of things they feared most, singing in…

• Last updated 8 years ago
• Accompaniment‏, managing singing, Neil Moore, singing while playing

I had a first grade student in her first shared lesson. This was her first SM music lesson, but she has had previous Suzuki lessons. She just covered her ears and refused to participate after the first instruction. I visited with her mother after the…

• Last updated 12 years ago
• claiming territory, learning difficulties, methodology, Neil Moore

I am just covering my bases/honesty here – I just had a student inform me via email that she only enjoys learning the video-supported material and wonders if I can teach her only this, or if I know a teacher who teaches only the SHM…

• Last updated 12 years ago
• adult students, claiming territory, complete curriculum, foundation, Laurie Richards

I have recently taken onboard a highly motivated and bright 16 year old student who is also taking music classes at school.  After playing a beautiful rendition of Ballade pour Adeline for me (apparently she watched a recording of her school music teacher playing this,…

• Last updated 12 years ago
• Gordon Harvey, intervals, reading notes, reading outside Simply Music

At Neil’s suggestion, I’m sharing a wonderful experience I had last week. I had assigned a 14-year-old boy to compose a song using the chord progressions from Honey Dew in the pattern from Dreams, Arr. 3. I told him that lots of repetition of simply…

• Last updated 12 years ago
• student composition, success

I am having trouble staying ahead of some students and have been advised by several wise teachers to use lots of arrangements to slow the pace down a bit. The problem for many students seems to be lack of any support materials.  Many have expressed…

• Last updated 12 years ago
• adults and arrangements, arrangements

I have a question about teaching arrangements. I find that the students love the sound of the arrangements and the idea of the arrangements, but are not always able to retain how they are played after the lesson. Since Neil recommends that there be little or no notes…

• Last updated 12 years ago
• arrangements, brains and patterns, dosage of arrangements, Laurie Richards, memory issues, Neil Moore, not writing down notes for arrangements, retaining arrangements, self-generation, unfolding arrangements in class

I have been keeping students’ music books for each level so they don’t ‘read’ their music, as suggested. Now I am teaching level 5 to people who can read. In the TTM for level 5 it suggests to show the student the music book to…

• Last updated 12 years ago
• Laurie Richards, Level 5, Robin Keehn, using music book

OK, I know I had this same issue on Greensleeves in Level 3. And, I’ll be the first to say that it has become one of mine and my students favorites, and did come easy once it was learned. The LEARNING is what is killing…

• Last updated 12 years ago
• fragmenting, Level 4, managing practice time, students in groups with different abilities, teaching Lullaby