Simpedia

Carrie L., Michigan

Shared lessons may make it easier.

Carol P., South Carolina

Keep at it and enjoy “riding the wave” as much as you can. Things always seem clearer after viewing new material three times, and teaching it once or twice. As someone says, “it is a process, not an event…trust the process”. Also, it helps knowing that years of traditional training didn’t provide the tools to play/understand music in the way that SM brings to students in just a few months.

Robin Keehn, Washington

There is a lot to learn but it will get easier. I agree with Carrie; shared lessons really does make the whole experience more joyful for everyone. There are so many benefits including positive peer pressure, observatory learning (very powerful), playing in front of others every week, the support of peers, fun, etc.

Another stream you can being in is Comp and Improv. The 13-year-old would be well served by you bringing that in. So, with this student, I’d make sure she really understands what she’s doing. She needs to be able to explain the learning tools she’s using to you. In addition to the Foundation piece, do Comp and Improv, teach her part of an arrangement, and work on Accompaniment every week. You don’t necessarily want her working faster through the Foundation levels, but you do want to broaden her experience with the other streams.

Carrie L., Michigan

Also don’t forget to review every piece in part each lesson if you can. For Level 1 students, I really want to hear each song in that book.

Stephen R., California

I know how you feel learning all the new programs in the beginning. I felt overwhelmed for at least the first year myself. My advice is the circle-square analogy I’m sure you’ve heard. Each Foundation piece is the core of the lesson, then you fill in the rest of the time with a variation, an arrangement or start of one, improv, ask them to make up a song that week, or give them an idea. You may choose to start Accompaniment early like Robin recommends. I have always started it after Amazing Grace with the 7th chords in Level 2, otherwise there is a lot of Amazing Grace in a row.

I would recommend students get a fake book early so they have additional chord material (songs) to look at, teens and beyond. Be careful with arrangements! I moved way too fast with these in the beginning. I do a few of Arrangements 1 in Level 1, a few more in Level 2, more in Level 3. I spread them out and do the easiest first from book 1.

The main thing is becoming really in tune to each individual student and how they’re progressing, how they’re processing things. Of course, you also need to be hearing the playlist too. A couple learned songs each week unless you’re doing a dedicated playlist day every two months or so.

Leeanne I., Australia

I agree with Robin, get the 13-year-old started on Comp & Improv if you haven’t already done so. Some easy things you can do with the Foundation songs: come up with different endings/tailpieces, try different rhythms, play the songs in a different position. This will all help enforce the learning from these Foundation pieces too.

Kurt M., Michigan

Don’t forget about Variations as well. For your 13-year-old it is a way to review patterns with new content. Plus you need your students to know the material, so spend time reviewing to make sure they do.

Jacqui G., Canada

I am in my third go-round teaching Foundation 1, and have also racked my brains for ways to keep it interesting. I just started my first group – three students aged 11, 12, and 13. In the Basics lesson they learned to locate middle C and form the 1-3-5 chord. Over the next couple of lessons, in addition to Dreams and Night Storm, I taught them the RH C, F and G chords and the LH bass notes, separately and together, and had them practice moving smoothly from one chord to another. Last week I walked them through the accompaniment process, using the first verse of a fun, well-known folk song in C., As we move through F1 we will work on other accompaniment songs that they know and like, increasing the difficulty as we go. This not only keeps up their interest and enthusiasm, but is a good preparation for when I introduce Accompaniment 1 somewhere in the middle of F2.

In my experience as a new teacher, Comp & Improv was the most difficult thing to teach as there are no lesson plans to follow. I am delighted with Mark Meritt’s new “Tune Toolkit” program, which offers structure and direction for both teacher and student.