Examinations Blues

Practical examinations this year starts in July . June school holidays will be maximize for students to perfect their performance as much as possible .  

Lessons may not end on time for the time being. Though teacher will be stretched, but let it be worthwhile ! 

Practical matters matter !

Reflecting on practical matters for students learning to play the piano.

Having fun is one of my top priorities. Student can engage better when it is fun ! Teacher can deliver the lesson better too.

As much as possible, I desire to see something new in every lesson! New focus, new note, new music, new interpretation , new technique ... Staleness is suffocating. Bring on the newsssssss !

Practical experience is one area which I am shifting the equilibrium towards. Instead of assigning assignments to be practiced , more focus are geared towards practicing during lessons. Though some time may be spent on one area, but the results can be far fetched rewardingly positive. Students could more likely "grasped " the technique rather than takeaway just a concept to be
experimented on their own.

Confidence and enjoyment came along with the successful music making. Motivation is a result. Naturally the student may likely play more at home rather than giving up or even putting off the difficulty till tomorrow and tomorrow and the tomorrow became the next lesson.

Simple Learning Materials

Simple materials from Daiso. The strips, magnetic sheets and magnetic notes all found and bought from IMM Daiso .

A Thousand Years

Playing music Can be fun especially when one likes the music .

I used to search for pop music books, broadway and Disney to play. Unlike the accessibility of information today, I had to use my pocket money. I am glad that playing all those music kept me on in my music path.

A Thousand Years is one of those familiar music playing in our studio now. Some play from the music scores while some play chords and sang along.

We could learn chords, arpeggios, chord progressions, harmony, improvisation etc

Best of it is we can have fun while learning .

Away from the Keyboard

I can't imagine myself teaching without the whiteboard.

A student was sight reading a piece of music. To help him with the rhythm, we drew the rhythm of the first four bars onto the white board. Together with another student, they learn how to clap and chant the note name.

After the rhythm was comprehended, we progressed to creating new rhythm for each other to clap.

Such teaching activities do not need to be derived from books. They should be at the fingertips of the teacher. Including such activities in lesson plans would be a good practice .

Honey , Chicken

Students played Carefree Waltz with an error in the rhythm. A minim and a crotchet were played as crotchet then minim.

Honey was used to pronounce in rhythm of minim then crotchet.

Chicken was pronounced in rhythm of crotchet then minim.

The error was corrected in the most yummy way !

Scales ladder - create your own teaching materials

Wonderful to see Wenen again after a week's break.

Instead of relying on printed materials in teaching, it is interesting to create your own.

On a blank piece of paper, this student drew a ladder with eight steps. On the right side of the ladder, I wrote 12312345( fingerings for right hand C major scales) . The same was done on the other side for the left hand.

Then I guide him through playing the keys, paying special attention to bring the thumb under the finger three.

This is just one way of engaging the student. Personalised material and done with no frills. Just paper and colours.

Student enjoyed while learning scales theoretically and practically. I enjoyed the teaching .

Well done !