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The Best Method For Teaching Children Piano
February 21st, 2010 | 
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Children have different learning needs than adults, but they also have the capacity to learn more. This is the best time for beginning piano lessons, but how do you keep their attention long enough?
Piano Lessons For Kids
If your child is interested in the piano, the best thing to do is nurture that interest. If you do not play the piano, it will be difficult for you to teach them. However, there are other options. If you have a friend or family member that can teach your child, learning from someone they know is excellent. If this is not the case, you can enroll your child in a music school.
Children are easily frustrated with something that gives them trouble. For this reason, you must be creative in your approach. No matter what your child is learning, the process must be fun to keep their attention. This is no different with piano. Piano lessons, for children, may seem like a chore. They may not understand why you keep telling them to practice, but they will thank you later.
The best way to get a child interested in learning is to buy a piano or keyboard. Put it somewhere where the child can easily access it, and make sure that he or she sees you playing on it. Children often become interested in things that their parents are interested in, so if you are playing the piano, chances are they will want to play, as well.
Once you begin to notice your child’s interest piquing, it is time to teach them to play. You already have the piano, so all you will need is sheet music, time, and patience. Kids are naturally playful, so it may be difficult to get them to focus. You must be patient with them, even when they are being stubborn.
Before you begin your child’s lessons, there are some things to consider. The first is time. Children have several demands in their day, including school, friends, and various activities. It will be difficult to find time for lessons, so you should make a schedule for their piano lessons. It is best to set aside an hour or two, two or three times a week, for the best results.
The next thing to consider is that piano, for children, should be fun. They should not feel like lessons or practice is a chore or punishment. They will quickly lose interest this way. Think of ways to make lessons fun, such as playing a song that they enjoy or rewarding them for getting a chord correct. Do not scold them for mistakes, simply show them the correct technique and let them try again. If they start playing with the keys, don’t get upset. They are just trying to get the hang of it.
Finally, the best way to help a child stay motivated is to provide support. make sure they know that every lesson is important, but ensure that they do not take it too seriously, as well. Demonstrate every technique before having them try it. A great way to get them to remember is to have them identify certain keys or chords as you play them. Finally, make sure to praise your child when they get a technique correct.
Lauren Paltrow
http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/the-best-method-for-teaching-children-piano-1183980.html
Posted in sheet music for piano
Best method for teaching piano to adult beginners?
I have played piano all my life (mostly classically trained) and have been asked to give piano lessons to an adult beginner. There are so many methods out there (and many of them are specifically for children), I was wondering if any of you have had experience teaching piano to adults and what method you used. For instance, when do you introduce reading notes? Or do you wait so the student can learn to rely on his ear? Any advice would be very much appreciated!
Well, I’m not a piano teacher, but have played the piano for over 40 years. I think that learning to read notes is the best start and if the student is willing he/she can learn the sounds at the same time. There’s no reason why an adult beginner can’t use the same lessons a child does. You just need to improvise accordingly to the adult.
In my lessons I was never taught the sounds along with reading notes, so I sight-read only, but over the last few years I’ve been kind of training myself to hear and that’s not easy after years of sight-reading.
That’s the only advice I can give you now. I wish you luck. I’m sure you will find a way to teach your new student well.
Just remembered something. Look for a music store that sells lesson books. There are lesson books just for adults.
References :
Take a look at the Adult Piano Method by Faber and Faber. I believe it is titled Adult Piano Adventures. I have used almost every adult piano method on the market, and this is by far my favorite.
You would still want to supplement with other books, particularly a genre of music that interests the student, but this series would provide a wonderful foundation.
You can learn more about this method on this website: http://www.fjhmusic.com/piano/apa.htm
Feel free to contact me with other questions that may come up during the course of your teaching.
Good luck to you and your student!
References :
19 yrs piano teaching experience
25 yrs pianist
First make sure they know where all the keys are, even sharps and flats. Then reading simple notes, no chords. Then teach them how to make chords, then reading chord notes. Then to read all music and all the meanings, such as 3/4 on a staff and stuff. But before the real hard vocabulary I would do easy like beats or tempo rhythm, etc… Then playing well and passionately. Also, early on make sure they know where to position their hands over the keys. Lastly, the pedals.
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