Neil Moore
Placing Students by Age
I am wondering how any of you that teach in groups place students. I have 2 or more 6 year olds starting and two 7 year olds starting. Would you recommend placing them together or by age? I have found the first few lessons the…
Group Students – Extended Time Away
“…I was wondering how anyone has dealt with the issue of a group student being gone over the summer (in my area we’re out for 2 1/2 months). Mom does not want to have her student pulled from the group. The group should be into…
Managing Forms and Students Moving
Students often move around from one Shared Lesson to another, or from a Private Lesson to a Shared. How do you keep your Attendance Sheet to reflect these attendances. Sometimes you start a new group and then people move around for some reason so do…
Getting the Most Out Of Teacher Evaluation Forms
Hi everyone, I have a question about the giving out and filling out of the teacher evaluation forms. I understand the value and importance of introducing the forms at the start of level 1. My question is, once you’ve introduced them, would it be okay…
Learning Arrangements Without Using Support Materials
I would like to respond to both of the following Forum questions. (And having read through my own response, wish to apologize in advance for some of my long, wordy sentences.) Question 1: “….. are we allowed to photocopy the music of the Arrangements to…
Student Update – Neil Moore
Hi all, Recently I forwarded you a copy of a weekly update that I received from one of our teachers, Diana A.. Her most recent update is also valuable, and as such, I have included an edited transcript. I have left out the students’ names.…
Getting Students to Play More Slowly
I have a couple students that I know tend to play through their simpler songs asfastastheycan. I assume that this isn’t the best to help them develop playing with feeling, etc., and the one girl has trouble playing the song itself when she slows down.…
‘Correct’ Fingering – Neil Moore
I have a student who has played in the past, and has a habit of twisting her hands laterally (outwards) when playing chords. She wants to use her own fingering, and complains about having to use the fingering as instructed, and even included on her…
Writing Rhythm and Graduated Levels of Difficulty
I’m just diving in the Reading Rhythm Program, and I think it is no surprise that I have come to a bit of a problem understanding how to teach writing rhythms. It is no surprise since I’ve never written rhythms myself! I hope that it…
Writing Notes, Managing Projects and Practicing
In response to “…Some of my students have 4 to 6 songs they are working on as well as variations and arrangements. My “notes” seem to be too busy and overwhelming to some of these students, because they still need to work on all of…