4Real Forums: Bringing music into your homeschool

Oh, Dearest Mother, Sweetest Virgin of Altagracia, our Patroness. You are our Advocate and to you we recommend our needs. You are our Teacher and like disciples we come to learn from the example of your holy life. You are our Mother, and like children, we come to offer you all of the love of our hearts. Receive, dearest Mother, our offerings and listen attentively to our supplications. Amen.

Active Topics || Favorites || Member List || Search || About Us || Help || Register || Login

The Arts in the Everyday
4Real Forums : The Arts in the Everyday

Topic: Bringing music into your homeschool

Author

Message

<< Prev Topic | Next Topic >>

Mrs. B
Forum Rookie

Joined: Aug 03 2010
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 90

Posted: Aug 29 2010 at 11:51pm \| IP Logged

Hello Ladies,

Well, I have a question for you. I am trying to bring music into our homeschool. We have a piano and my Dd9 is taking lessons with a really nice teacher. I am teaching my ds7 a little bit, too. But he's a little squirmy. I never had piano lessons when I was young and really don't know much about it but I'm trying to teach myself and kind of keep up with my children.
One of the areas we have some problems with is the motivation to practice. My dd seems willing to listen to the teacher and repeat things a few times to practice them with her but when it comes to practicing with me she can be reluctant and little whiney. "Why do I have to do this?" comes up frequently.
So how do you approach your piano lessons and practicing at home? I really think it must be me. Maybe I'm phrasing my corrections in a way that is discouraging her. So how do you say something to the child, and how often would you repeat a correction? For instance she has a great trouble keeping her hands still. Some of this is just how she is (she has some problems with motor control) but there are times I know she could do better. But if I say too much she gets upset and then the lesson seems to go downhill and becomes frustrating to both of us.

Well, I could keep writing but I think that's a good start.

Any ideas or thoughts? ~ Mrs. B

violingirl
Forum Pro

Joined: Nov 27 2008
Location: Missouri
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 219

Posted: Aug 30 2010 at 11:14am \| IP Logged

I would pick 1 thing to really focus on at a time. You can increase her success by having her "Read" through the music before she plays- look through the piece to look for patterns, notice dynamics (if she's up to that point), notice where the "hard parts" are and plan in her mind what she's going to do when she gets there. Then have her play through focusing on just notes and counting. Play through a second time with the focus on great hand position. Play through a third time to add another detail (dynamics, phrasing, etc. whatever she's working on with her teacher).

You can also remind her that playing every day and playing more than 1 repetition each time strengthens her hands and helps her get better faster- is there maybe a certain song she really wants to learn that could give her a good reason to work hard?

As far as how often to repeat a correction, I think it's important to set a mini-goal at the beginning of practice, like "today let's see if we can keep a good hand shape on each song" or whatever skill you're really trying to help her gain.

I think for some kids it's difficult to remember every single physical skill for every single song. You can help her narrow the focus for 1 time through, then re-aim her focus elsewhere for subsequent repetitions.

__________________
Erin
DS (2005) DS (2007) DD (2012)
Mama In Progress

Mrs. B
Forum Rookie

Joined: Aug 03 2010
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 90

Posted: Sept 01 2010 at 8:36pm \| IP Logged

O.k. thanks for replying! I have basically been doing the songs three times with her as we practice.

I should spend some time thinking about mini-goals for her and see what she thinks about that.

I'm marking smiley faces down on her practice paper for when she does each song with a good attitude.

Lara Sauer
Forum All-Star

Joined: June 15 2007
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 679

Posted: Sept 01 2010 at 9:33pm \| IP Logged

I was going to be cheeky, and suggest you get invest in a good cd player...

Shame on me!

However, I agree with violingirl about giving her a set of focused goals for each time that she plays the song through.

Just as an FYI...it is very hard work to both count and play at the same time...think patting your stomach while you rub your head...or vice versa. Sometimes clapping the rhythms can be a real help for some kids. They can learn the timing first, and then put it together with the notes on the piano.

Good luck!

(The cd player can always be your fallback!)

__________________
You can take the girl out of Wisconsin, but you can't take the Wisconsin out of the girl!

Mrs. B
Forum Rookie

Joined: Aug 03 2010
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 90

Posted: Sept 09 2010 at 8:13pm \| IP Logged

Thank you for the help. Things are going along more smoothly here. I have been telling the kids that we are going to focus on one thing during the practice lessons, for example "cheerful attitude" and every time they give me a cheerful attitude and begin playing, or try and correct what they are doing, they get a smiley on their notebook. Seeing the smileys piling up is encouraging for all of us

TracyFD
Forum Pro

Joined: July 22 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 313

Posted: Sept 10 2010 at 2:24pm \| IP Logged

Mrs. B

,

1. Be sure to fill up her tank with plenty of compliments before making any corrections. Like 10 to 1 ratio.

2. Be sure your teacher is focusing on one thing at a time with her like hand position or note names or rhythm or playing in tempo.

4. Break up the song into parts - the A section or the B section. Make sure she knows the form (ABA or ABAA - one reason I love the Suzuki pieces).

3. Place 3-6 of M.'s favorite plastic horses up on the keyboard music stand. Isolate the A or B section. Each time she plays just that section correctly, a horse gets to gallop or trot across to the other side. The passage must be correct for the horse to go over. Repeat until all the horses have made it across. Perfect practice makes perfect.

4. Keep rewarding her good attitude. External rewards are indispensable at this age. Later on students show more inner motivation.

__________________
Tracy
Mom to 3 girly girls,
1 absent-minded professor, and one adorable toddling terrorist.
Pinewood Castle

Mrs. B
Forum Rookie

Joined: Aug 03 2010
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 90

Posted: Sept 16 2010 at 9:31am \| IP Logged

Thank you Tracy, those are good ideas!

If you wish to post a reply to this topic you must first login
If you are not already registered you must first register

[Add this topic to My Favorites]

Printable version

Forum Jump

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot create polls in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum

Hosting and Support provided by theNetSmith.com