Students Processing and/or Resisting our Approach to Reading
Found in: Adult Students, Claiming Territory, Playing-Based Methodology, Reading, Student Management
Laura L., California
I have an adult male student, 35, in the middle of Level 3 (Shared Lesson with one other adult), more than half way through Accompaniment 1, and with many Variations and Arrangements on his Playlist, who has a very hard time keeping his Playlist alive. He works full time and commutes. He is looking for an “easy” way to remember his songs. He wrote the following to me and is now seriously questioning the whole SM approach for him:
“…Finally, I’m wanting to discuss the music-reading section. An idea came to me as I was struggling to remember the meanings of the songbook notations. I thought to myself, “hmmm… I can sort of already read music, so it’s too bad that I have to read and remember the meanings of these symbols, when properly written music would work much better for me.
I realize that this may not follow the program as closely, but I wanted to express this concern. Reading the music would require much, much less time doing the foundation songs, because I could just read the music instead of going back to watch the video, etc…”
Has anyone had his particular concern? Any ideas I can pass on to him in his decision-making process?
Karen T., Illinois
I would encourage this man in how far he has come, and in the fact that in just a couple weeks he will be starting the formal reading program itself. Compare it to having a baby (I know, it’s a man, but he will understand the analogy). Right before the desired result is the labor of continuing, and you just wish it could be easier. It means he is very close to the wonderful world of reading, and if he will stick with it for a couple more weeks, he will realize how much it has been worth it! He should indeed have a strong desire to read, this close to beginning the reading process.
Cindy B., Illinois
I can read music and am able to keep my Playlist alive with 10 minutes a day at the piano, plus learn new material for teaching. There’s nothing about the Foundation songs that’s hard to remember unless a person expects to remember them without ever having to refer to the videos.
This man sounds like he just isn’t convinced that Simply Music is doing it right and he wants to take the easy way out. I definitely would NOT allow him to read music when he can’t even maintain a Level 3 Playlist. I’d tell him that if he thinks he’d rather do it by reading it, perhaps he ought to consider finding a traditional teacher. Basically, it’s his choice – your way or some other way. It’s not personal.
Lynn F., North Carolina
Here is what I would say to your student based on my experiences with my students who have ‘passed through the eye of the needle’ i.e., gone through the Reading Programs successfully:
“You have been successful thus far with this program…more successful than you probably realize. In your Playlist are songs of varied genres which you can play from memory and have learned to vary in beautiful ways. Beyond that, you are deep into the Accompaniment Program, which, if you continue, will enable you to learn to play and transpose most any song imaginable from fake books, lead sheets or piano music written with chords. This you can know and understand now. What you can’t comprehend is where this is going just around the bend!
All of the above, including understanding how you are learning your SM songs and then actually doing it, and adding your understanding of notation by the ingenious way that reading is taught the SM way will enable you to interpret and apply ALL of the information on the written page to your ability to play in a most remarkable way. Everything that you have learned thus far plays a role in your success at this.
The bottom line in this is in something you said: ‘I can sort of already read music…etc.’ Why would you be content with that level of competence when you are so close to something far better? It is understandable that you are anxiously awaiting the time when you can make the decision to either glean your information from the written page and “play” a song or continue to claim a song as yours from the process of analyzing it and committing it to memory. Just try to be patient and continue on your set path with Simply Music. Don’t worry about the speed in which you think you are progressing because you are making progress. You have heard the adage, “enjoy the ride”, well that is what you must do if you are to continue on the journey. When you “arrive” at the SM reading destination you will not be “sort of” reading music – you will be at a place in your music understanding that will surpass your expectations.”
Perhaps if you give him a timeline of the events that will soon take place…reading rhythm will begin when…., then reading notes will follow when………., etc. This might help him see that he is indeed getting closer to the goal of “reading”. In planning this timeline however, I must add that Neil’s advice to introduce reading later rather than sooner has played out successfully in my teaching experience. You will just have to balance what you believe to be correct for him with his impatience (and perhaps a little bit of stubbornness!) Your decision probably involves risking losing him as a student.
My students who have been there and done this continue to amaze me with their almost magical abilities to read AND comprehend their music. Don’t let him shortchange himself with his perception of a shortcut. You’ll be disappointing both of you!