Readiness to Learn
Found in: About The Method, Foundation Songs, Playing-Based Methodology, Students, Young Students
Druid J., South Carolina
Is there any such thing as readiness in the Simply Music process? I am teaching a very bright little girl who is 6, but she is struggling even with the five fingers over five notes after 6 lessons. She can play the right hand of songs, but is struggling to even understand the concept of putting left and right hand together.
Ruth P., North Carolina
Opinions vary – but I think 6 is very early. The discipline and concentration needed to play piano takes some maturity. I feel by 3rd grade children can read well and are used to focusing for some time. They also have developed better hand/eye coordination.
Gabrielle K., Iowa
Spend a longer time on the separate hands. The longer you can draw out, the faster the both hands process becomes.
Leeanne I., Australia
Yes, there is such a thing as readiness. However, she sounds like she is ready to me! I have a student who turned 6 last week, she has done up to Ode to Joy HT in Level 1. You will find you just need to do things in much smaller steps. If she is struggling with HT, it is the multiple thought process of playing the 2 hands at the same time. Don’t worry about playing the entire song HT. Isolate where the notes are played together and just play those. If she can’t do it on the piano, get her down on the floor and do it on the floor. If she can’t do it with the correct fingers, try just the whole hand. Keep going back until you find the place where she can do it. Once she can use the correct fingers, go to the practice pad and try doing it with the correct notes. Then on to the piano. Get her to do it a few times, to show her she can do it. She needs that sense of victory. Otherwise, you will get the ‘it’s too hard’ and wanting to go back to playing that pretty RH melody only. Getting kids to slow down HT and control the events is very challenging, but it really does work.
Original discussion started March 5, 2018