Practicing & Playlists
Teens and Piano
I have a handful of teen students most of whom have switched over to SM from traditional experience. I have to say that they cover the gamut of ability, interest and practice regiment. This is a very challenging age group because I have a couple…
Teens and Claiming Territory
I wanted to share a territory victory, even though it caused me to lose a student. This student was 12 (not quite a teenager, but BOY did she act like one). I told her coming in, as I do with all prospective students of this…
Teen Students & Parents
I have a couple of teenagers (16 and 17) that have years of previous experience and have been with Simply Music since summer ’09. They both catch on easily and are wonderfully capable of going forward. However, neither of them are keeping their playlist alive and…
Student Playing Too Fast
I have two individual cases where my students (both around 9 years old) want to merely “execute” the song – and as fast as possible! I have played to them with a lot of love, with the appropriate speed that the song requires, but once…
Playing Speed
There are songs we can play without thinking, at a fast tempo. Should we also still be able to play them slowly? Some of my students are in the situation where they can play the former (fast) but not the latter (slowly). I suggested that they…
Getting Students to Play More Slowly
I have a couple students that I know tend to play through their simpler songs asfastastheycan. I assume that this isn’t the best to help them develop playing with feeling, etc., and the one girl has trouble playing the song itself when she slows down.…
Using The Audio Recording During The Lesson
How do you all use the audio recordings in weekly lessons? Can you give me some ideas? I set aside some lesson time. Go to the website and open the audio recordings. Explain that most students take a while to get the hang of using…
Getting Students To Use The Videos
I have read in the past some teachers were having trouble getting their students to watch the video. Other students will routinely say that they are watching the video, but actually they are fibbing. Not learning how to use the videos properly, or not using…
Managing Students Who Don’t Follow Instructions
I have an adult student who has been SO keen and enthusiastic and constantly comes back saying that he has gone further into the video, and taught himself, pieces we have not covered yet. I have explained a few times that this is not acceptable.…
Managing Students Who ‘Cheat’
I have been working with two women in a shared lesson for the past five months. One is excelling, one is struggling. One cannot read music, one can a bit. One is listening to what I recommend, one continues to do it her own way.…