Parent is pushing reading
Found in: Playing-Based Methodology, Reading, Students with Prior Experience
Francis B., Nevada
I have read through the teachers’ library on the topic of “Transitioning Traditional Students.” I have a parent who still wants to know more details on the note reading aspect of the SM program. I am only through Foundation Level one and do not have the knowledge to further handle the concern this particular mom has. I have asked her what she is looking for in piano lessons, and she has not answered this question yet. She has just emailed me, and I have invited her to call me and to browse through the SM website with specific links to the curriculum overview, etc.
Here is her response to my email:
“Can you please expand on the note reading concern that I have. How do children do with having prior note reading skills, can they continue learning to read notes thru another program as yours is introduced at a later time. When is your note reading introduced? I am a believer of learning how to read music at an early age and do not want to give that up.”
I would like to help her out, but I am not sure what she is looking for since she is really pushing literacy in music. I think that this is an important part of the music language as a whole and have mentioned that this will come at a later stage and in due time.
Any advice so I can respond to this inquiring parent appropriately?
Cindy B., Illinois
The red flag for me is “I am a believer of learning how to read music at an early age and do not want to give that up.”
If she’s convinced that early age note reading is necessary, she’s in the wrong place. If you can’t bring her to the place where she’ll admit that delaying reading is a GREAT and even necessary thing to do, I’d invite her to find a different teacher. Note reading can begin as early as level 4 for some, but it isn’t at all like the traditional approach so nothing they’ve learned so far will do them much if any good.
Carrie L., Michigan
I also would be concerned if they continue to push you on this.
What’s worked for me recently is saying, “I transferred all my ‘reading’ traditional students to Simply Music and they have gained a much greater experience”. I’ll even tell skeptical ones, “when I transferred my students over there was a particularly skeptical mom who since has told me that she LOVES this method and tells all her friends about it. Her daughter can sit down and play over 40 songs and composes gorgeous pieces”.
They can always continue with reading on their own.