Stop Teaching Beginner Piano Like This!

[@itspogzy909]

I'm 15, I give lessons to an 8 year old. He is really interested in Marvel, especially Spider-Man. He is lucky because I am to. He started in February, and around May he wanted the learn the Spider-Man theme because he thought the movie was really cool. He was already doing great after 3 months! Then he asked his mom at the end of the lesson if she could send the song he wanted to learn. Well that version was way too hard for him. But I went into Musescore and made an easier version for his level. The next lesson he hugged me because he was so happy he could now learn his favorite Spider-Man theme. Now I give him 3 lessons a week because he likes it so much. His parents are very proud and I will continue to make Marvel themed songs in musescore on his level. My whole question is, is this a good method to keep my student motivated?

[@topmusicco]

Absolutely, but...(There's always a "but")... it's important to also start teaching him the important basics of piano technique and eventually reading. Think of it like you're currently just feeding him dessert, but he needs to eat the main course too - that's those things that *you* know that are also important for a holistic learning experience: reading, rhythm, etc. Use the Marvel music to keep the passion while you add some of these other things. BTW, great to hear that someone so young is into teaching! A number of our members started when they were 16-20, but 15 is really young. Let me know if I can be of any other help. There's a lot to learn!

[@hmbach]

Thanks for this - so great to see a positive response to some of the 'challenging' issues we often find in piano lessons. It's so easy to come out with the simple, short and slightly jaded response (often accompanied by a stifled sigh). This reminded me of the importance of really listening to my students and responding to their aspirations. Keep up the good work.!

[@topmusicco]

Thanks heather

[@miss_jaybird349]

Thank you for this! I've been playing for the majority of my life, and it was suggested by my teacher recently that I should consider taking on some students this summer. This was really helpful with giving me an idea of what and what not to do with aspiring students

[@topmusicco]

Fantastic. Glad it helps. I’ve heard that there are university programs who use this video as well!

[@ktrock77]

As an adult relative beginner my guy saw which way I wanted to go and has encouraged me in that direction.

[@topmusicco]

Awesome to hear!

[@TheGreekPianist]

Thanks so much! I’m 26 and just became a piano teacher and need some guidance/structure/methods on how to teach children in a professional way 😊 over time do you think I’ll get better and more confident? I want to put all my effort and passion into it! Thanks! 🎹

[@pianotips2623]

Yes, you can't learn teaching from books, videos or at university. I have 3 music degrees but none of them prepared me to tackle the problems I faced when I started teaching. I learnt through experience and remember, every student is different so even after many years of teaching there will always be new challenges. Just dive in and accept that sometimes, especially in the beginning, you will make mistakes or pick the wrong method. Think of it as training and don't beat yourself up too much.

[@topmusicco]

Hey Jonathan - thanks for your comment. You'll definitely improve as you go :) Just keep reading and learning. Have you considered joining our TopMusic community? It's a great way to get support and keep up to date. topmusicpro.com

[@kathrynogden2255]

Thank you Tim! I really appreciate your positive approaches to common teaching issues and will try them!

[@topmusicco]

My pleasure!

[@anitaelisepianostudio]

Love this video! It's so funny and says so much. It's so important to meet students where they are, at the music they find exciting. And yet balance parent interest in support for lessons because parents can be concerned with examinations and level charts because that's sometimes the only way they feel theres progress.

[@topmusicco]

Absolutely!!

[@cmfrtblynmb02]

This really reminds me of teaching languages as well. And most of the time they are taught in the worst possible way. They actually teach you how to read in language classes first. They teach you letters, syllables. This is like teaching people the notes on the sheet, and readding them without showing them where they fit in music. A lot of people are terrified to say anything for months aafter language classes. Just like a lot of people are terrified to play aything after taking classes.

[@topmusicco]

So true. I advocate a (good) language-learning approach of sound before symbol

[@evelinam7001]

That is so super important and also correct from the didactic method point of view. It's all absolutely critical to know before you even start teaching, but oh so rarely seen in real life. Good job!

[@topmusicco]

I hope it’s becoming less rare!

[@dylanbean6728]

Hi Tim! I found this video very helpful. I’ve been reluctant to let the student’s interest guide the lesson, but I’m starting to think the overall experience might be better that way.

[@topmusicco]

Hi Dylan. Depends on the age but it’s a general principle that works for me!

[@rik-keymusic160]

Thanks for giving som advice on this topic! I had one student but she quit without letting me know.. she was my first student and i did things good but also not so good. So i build report, i asked what she wanted to play (she was an adult) but she didn't know. So, i wondered why she wanted to play piano... I gave her some inspiration and said she could listen to yiruma or einaudi ... just to see if she liked that kind of music. But as she was a beginner i thought her to read with a very simple beginner book just the way i started. I asked her if she was oke with that because else i would look for some other method. I said to her that teaching was new to me so i had to see what works for both. She was oke. But after a few weeks she just quit without communicating to me what went wrong. So, now i'm left with no feedback. Anyways, it's not going to hold me back teaching...

[@pianotips2623]

This happens to everyone. I have been teaching for 14 years now and I had a LOT of students of all ages. I learnt a lot from my mistakes and through lots of trial and error found out what works and what doesn't. To make you feel better, what you experience is totally okay. Many adults pick up piano as a new year's resolution or just as an impulse. They have no idea how much commitment you need to play anything that sounds vaguely enjoyable and can quit without a word because they think it's just a service they pay for. Like, you wouldn't give feedback to a restaurant you didn't like, you just won't go back. Another thing I could suggest is to appear more confident in front of the student. Even if you are unsure of certain things, make it look like you are. I hate this saying, as you shouldn't lie but 'fake it till you make it' does work. A student comes to a teacher for guidance, and if you ask the student to guide the lesson, they will go away. Hope this helps

[@PianoFromScratch]

Yes, yes and yes

[@topmusicco]

Yes!

[@AAKlavier]

Excellent video--you put in 15 minutes what it took me 20 years to figure out

[@topmusicco]

Hahah thanks!

[@alfuentes92]

Haha at anyone who raised their hand about being frustrated at students learning stuff on KZbin while they watch a KZbin video about teaching

[@topmusicco]

Hahahaha! Didn't even think of that one :)

[@davidturri1191]

I like your approach to all of these situations. It's especially important to roll with the students creativity with optimism and positivity. Now, where can I get these cool t-shirts you're always wearing?!

[@topmusicco]

thanks @david turri! It's not about us - it's about their experience, agree. PS> the shirts will be available soon on our new marketplace

[@thesiliconvalleypianoteach9468]

So funny! Thanks for making this video. I am looking forward to your masterclass in MTNA and I hope you have a minute to chat afterwards!

[@topmusicco]

I was just looking at your videos on YT the other day as you came up in my IG feed. Well done in what you’re doing and looking forward to meeting at MTNA

[@alexcooper3911]

Absolutely fantastic video. Thank you.

[@topmusicco]

Thanks Alex!

[@cart172]

I'm trying to teach my 5 year old and I notice I get REALLY obsessed with getting his hand posture relaxed and correct. 😓. Should I not worry so much at such a young age? I don't want him to develop bad habits but I know I'm not making it fun....!

[@topmusicco]

Just the basics is all you need. 5 yr olds don’t have much strength and they’re still developing fine motor control. Things will develop as they grow.

[@ChiliConCarnegie]

My niece has a Russian piano teacher and I finally sat in on one of her lessons and oh my god this lady was so MEAN lmaoooo Russian piano teachers are incredible in a scary way. I told her like you know my piano teacher is really nice to me…..

[@topmusicco]

I don't know how they do it TBH. It must make them as teachers feel miserable too. Sadly, Some of them just don't realise there is another way and they just continue to pass down the destructive traditions. Glad you found me!

[@isabellekyra]

This was really helpful thank you!

[@topmusicco]

Glad it was helpful!

[@MJ-cl7ws]

Love this! Laughed so hard!

[@cookie4u2]

Hi Tim this was really beneficial and solution-oriented, thank you. I wonder if you could put up a video or direct me to your response I am struggling to know as a teacher what scales/warm-up exercises to do and how to make the student understand more on keys, harmony, chords and interrelationships in scales. I fond myself getting the student to play a lot of different C major scales but don’t really have a clear direction I am just teaching it because I was taught this way! Appreciate your thoughts :)

[@topmusicco]

Hi Monique. Try and make connections all the time between keys, scales, chords. I teach more about it here topmusic.co/chords. Chords really are the root of all music. Help students understand them and they’ll have a much deeper relationship with music.

[@KyndalTheMeister]

Try incorporating theory into your warm-ups - start with pentascales and their formula so that they don’t just know how to spell and play C Major, but can spell and play any of the 15 major scales. And starting with pentascales is better because full eight note scales have a more complicated technique and they tend to be difficult for students to do right away (especially with correct technique).

[@susanmorrison8403]

@@KyndalTheMeisterdo you mean CDEFG, DEF#GA, etc?

[@Dominique632]

The end😂😂😂😂 "Lucas, it's time to go!" "YESSSS!!!!"

[@topmusicco]

Hahahahaa!

[@victoriangirl83]

Such awesome advice. This is the direction I'm going in as well.

[@topmusicco]

Great to hear :)

[@Piano-Love]

I have a young student who is a perfectionist and has a meltdown if I correct a mistake. How can you teach without correcting mistakes?! I ask questions but the child is so defensive.

[@topmusicco]

Hey Sylvia. that's a tricky one. Do his/her parents have any strategies? I'm sure it's something they and his/her teachers have to deal with all the time too. I don't mean that you never correct mistakes, more that it shouldn't be our primary job if we want the students to take ownership of this in the future. Perhaps you could suggest: "how about we play it this way?" (demonstrating it correctly) and seeing what they say?

[@Piano-Love]

@@topmusicco thank you. Her parents had a talk with her and she seems to be doing better. It’s still touch and go.

[@pianotips2623]

I have a little girl like that too. She is doing very well but every time I correct one of the few mistakes she has, she bursts out crying. So a few months ago, I explained to her that she is doing amazing and the only reason I suggest changes is to make her even better not because she is bad or not good. It seemed to work.

[@karlrovey]

You might have to divide up the lesson for a portion where they play uninterrupted, a portion where you fine tune different sections of music, and as a performance approaches, a section where you address continuing through a mistake.

[@michelemacinnis]

Have you ever been asked to teach a child two or three lessons per week instead of the standard one session each week that we have in the West?

[@topmusicco]

Not personally, but I've certainly heard of it happening. It's pretty rare here given the cost.

[@jusunas]

How would you address these for a group class?

[@willzang3000]

great video !

[@topmusicco]

Thanks!

[@carrielindsay2934]

Brilliant! I was laughing out loud. Well-said.

[@topmusicco]

Thanks Carrie!

[@Mirkwoodelves1749]

Suuper helpful

[@topmusicco]

Thanks Shelly

[@semharhailay4565]

Thank you

[@topmusicco]

Welcome

[@YotamPiano]

Really good video and I laughed during the first sketch. That said, I'd respectfully disagree on your first point (Obviously the sketch is exaggerated, no teacher just puts a book and says "this is C" before he even feels the keys) . I'm not saying your methods or the likes of 'Suzuki' are wrong as every teacher does things differently, but for me teaching a kid how to read music - either through a score or just presenting chords on a paper, simply works better due to the *multimedia effect* - it is empirically proven that people learn better when they see / hear / touch the keys and connect in their brain how the visuals, and sound and the touch align (unlike the antiquated notion that's called 'Learning Styles' which unfortunately I was injected with in Uni ad nauseam). The other purpose of sheet music for a learner is to reduce congnitive overload. I would agree that for the very young, sheet music is tiresome and should not be used for the entire lesson. I like to spice up lessons with fun piano games, percussion instruments and music trivia etc. to "sweeten" it for the kids. As someone who speaks 4 languages (2 fluent, 2 intermediate) I can say - In fact, I started learning a very difficult language less than a year ago and people are amazed at how good I am considering the time I've been practising. This is because the first thing I did when I started was to write down every single letter (and there are 44!) + the equivalent English pronounciation etc. Still I congratulate you on your video and I'd pretty much agree with everything else said... Subbed !

[@topmusicco]

Thanks for sharing your view - love hearing different perspectives 👍👍

[@alexmwesa]

Never ignore childrens musical interests

[@topmusicco]

🙌

[@Iammosesraj]

One second into the video and I am already running to the door to see who's knocking😭 The embarrassment when I finally realised after a whole minute.

[@topmusicco]

HAHAHAHA Never heard that one before!

[@ThePROFESS10NAL]

You look like Hugh Jackman’s little brother or something. Great video.

[@topmusicco]

Hahah thanks

[@jahmi3606]

Bro I love this video I love u😂

[@topmusicco]

Hahaha thanks Jahmi

[@boboscurse4130]

LOL! The mean parts at the beginning made me cringe. :)

[@topmusicco]

All too true sadly!

[@Claudanne2]

Oh dear, no wonder I hated piano.

[@topmusicco]

Hahaha 😂 yes it’s true

[@willzang3000]

whoa.. and ewww, never done these

[@topmusicco]

good!!

[@keys6]

Can he learn on the real piano??

[@topmusicco]

Maybe 🤔 🤣

[@Adks007]

You are not a music teacher. You are a psychologist!! ❤

[@topmusicco]

All teachers are!

[@Adks007]

@@topmusicco but you are in a different league. You are exceptionally good!!

[@topmusicco]

@@Adks007 it’s just practice. But thank you