some questions for you piano teachers out there....please help me

[ProudGrandma]

My kids have been taking piano lessons since they were in the first grade. The series our teacher uses is Alfred. My two older ones are only a few songs apart in the level 4 (purplish/pink) book. They have both complained that several of the songs in that book make them stretch their hands so much that it hurts. My DD can stretch comfortably a 6th and my DS a 7th, beyond that it is not comfortable. Their teacher has told me on several occasions that most of her students that make it this far a several years older than my kids...not because my kids are that good, but because those other kids don't have dedicated parents who make their kids practice, so in a month they may do 1 or 2 songs, where my kids might do 4-5. Anyway, do you think this is a true problem...or are my kids using that as an excuse because they don't like the songs? Should I suggest changing to a different series...or using different books for a while until their hands grow...or just leave it as it is? What would you do if you hadd my kids for students.

[Dmmetler]

I have read that it is a bad idea to make kids stretch too much early on-that it can lead to RSIs later, so that it's better to either teach actively shifting the whole hand as needed, and simplify fingering so that the child doesn't have to reach outside of what is comfortable at the time.

[ProudGrandma]

thanks

[alpidarkomama]

It's really easy for the teacher to edit the song by just whiting out the notes that involve such painful stretching, or skipping a song entirely if its whole focus is on wide intervals. It's no problem to come back to that later. I often did this when young kids got to that level. Also - kids only finishing 1-2 songs PER MONTH?? That's pretty dismal!!! 4-5 is much more what "most" kids do in a month, esp. in level 4 (in my experience anyway). More songs in lower levels. Anyway, the teacher really should know how to work with the wide intervals.

[Matryoshka]

Here's a crazy idea... how about slowing the Alfred books by adding other music to play? Your kids obviously have some talent and dedication - there is absolutely no reason they need to be limited to doing the songs in one series sequentially.

 

My kids take Suzuki. Yes, they are working through the Suzuki books. The teacher also has them working in other series (Mastering the Piano is one that also has levels and great songs for young players), and note-reading/theory books (one of my dds uses Alfred as well). But with all the other stuff - broadening and deepening, rather than just moving in a straight line.

 

Your teacher could always get a Suzuki or other book at their level for other songs to play, even if she's having them note-read the songs instead of playing them Suzuki-style by ear. My older dd is now note-reading much of her Suzuki songs as her note-reading has improved. Honestly, the Alfred songs are boring - maybe good for teaching note-reading and fingering, but they have been made up or reworked for this purpose; they are not great compositions by great composers. It'd probably be great fun for them to play original music alongside the reworked stuff in the Alfred books.

[Julie Smith]

My friend (who is also my kids piano teacher) says that many of her students don't practice between lessons. She says she isn't sure that the parents even look at the book, see where they kids are... And these are young kids.

 

Mine practice about 5 days a week. For 10 to 15 minutes a session. She says none of her other young students practice that much.

[Tressa]

I would request changing up the format a little bit. By the time they are in the

4th book of Alfred there is no reason why you can't add a little Clementi or Bach. If the kids aren't partial to that, there is plenty of music out there to vary it up a bit. I would request that. The Alfred books are boring after about the 3rd book in my opinion. I use them as a starting point, but the majority of the music comes from other sources.

[Roadrunner]

What do you mean by streatching? If its chords, she should teach them how to roll the chord instead of playing all the notes all at once. That should take care of it.

[ProudGrandma]

I would request changing up the format a little bit. By the time they are in the

4th book of Alfred there is no reason why you can't add a little Clementi or Bach. If the kids aren't partial to that, there is plenty of music out there to vary it up a bit. I would request that. The Alfred books are boring after about the 3rd book in my opinion. I use them as a starting point, but the majority of the music comes from other sources.

 

 

I am wondering if this is part of the problem. Some of the songs (in my opinion are boring and others are more fun). I just bought another book (Schaum) of their level that has more classical pieces in it. I want our kids to play more classical music. I was wondering if I should suggest to the teacher if the kids could play from this one at least part of the time.

[ProudGrandma]

My friend (who is also my kids piano teacher) says that many of her students don't practice between lessons. She says she isn't sure that the parents even look at the book, see where they kids are... And these are young kids.

 

Mine practice about 5 days a week. For 10 to 15 minutes a session. She says none of her other young students practice that much.

 

this is our situation to the T. Our teacher says the smae thing and we do exactly what you do too...

[Matryoshka]

I am wondering if this is part of the problem. Some of the songs (in my opinion are boring and others are more fun). I just bought another book (Schaum) of their level that has more classical pieces in it. I want our kids to play more classical music. I was wondering if I should suggest to the teacher if the kids could play from this one at least part of the time.

 

YES. This is what I'm sayin'. Let them play real pieces.

[catz]

They are at a level where they could be doing real repertoire that doesn't require stretching. I have a 10 year old at early sonata level and his teacher works to find pieces that would be good for him, pulling from many sources. I think a good teacher would do the same. That being said, my son does regularly change fingering and drops octaves on a regular basis.

 

FWIW, my son does Suzuki, but he also uses or has used the Clementi Op 36, Kuhlau op 55/88, Applause series, Czerny op 823, Burgmuller op 100/108, hanon, sight reading and theory books. He also does some fun music - has learned music from Star Wars and Harry Potter, etc. His teacher pulls from MANY sources! I think a good teacher would for an advancing student.

Edited August 11, 2011 by kck