First Teen/Adult Class
Found in: Adult Students, Shared Lessons, Teen Students
Cheryl P.
I will be having my first teen/adult class this Wednesday! I have been teaching for a year and a half now but have only had kids 12 and under. My class on Wednesday will have a 12-yr-old boy, 16 yr-old-boy, and an adult woman. How do you all think this will work out? Any advice on how this class may be different from teaching kids? I’m not even used to teaching adults. I hope I remember to use my adult voice.
Robin Keehn, Washington
Congrats on having your first class with older students. I think that the ages you described should be a great combination. We’ve had groups with mixed ages and they do very well. I don’t know the background of your students, but as long as you follow the method, it will work. You may be able to move faster with this group than with younger children. Be prepared to have them learn all of DCT the second week (assuming you do half the foundation session and the basics in your first lesson and the rest of the foundation session and DCT in the second lesson). Be ready to start arrangements sooner and Accompaniment by the end of Level 1. The pacing is the only real difference (and using an adult voice, as you mentioned 🙂
Sue K., Australia
Regarding the 12yr old and adult, I have a pair – 13 and adult. They absolutely love each other. The adult does her work because the teenager just soaks everything up – a bit like a sponge. They feed each other really well and it is a beautiful group to be teaching.
Laurie Richards, Nebraska
Regarding mixed ages in a class, my motto is “never say never”. I usually start similar ages together initially, but if the time comes where a class needs to be regrouped and we are looking at other existing classes to move a student into, I look first at matching the learning pace. However, there are some adults who would not be comfortable/have no interest in a class of younger kids (“I don’t want to be shown up by a 7-year-old” type of mindset). I don’t push it with them. It’s so cool, though, to see students of all ages bond in a class when they’re open to trying.
Terah W., Kansas
I have had more adults than kids so far in my studio, but I also make sweet deals (or try to) to the parents of the students to take classes right alongside their children. This has turned out well and has been a ‘give-back’ thing for me. I am trying to equip the older ones with ways (like learning to play) to remove the lies they believed as children about their inabilities to be musical by, well, proving they can learn! I have most parents jumping in the fray with their children and it is creating some nice stuff…