Teaching Piano Lessons

[KeysOfKarn]

I've been playing for 7 years, and while im not super accomplished i am definitely at the level where i can teach others to play. however, im 100% inexperienced w/ this, and i really dont know where to start. does anyone have any good tips? what books should i start with? how do i know what kid needs what book? help would be greatly appreciated.

[Little Android Man]

now, of course, you have to teach the kids how to read music first. once you get that dow, then move onto playing. my sisters teacher gave her the easiest books ever to start off with, and it gradually got higher, very very subtley, you dont want to overwhelm the students...

thats all the help i can give right now

[Ollie The Drumming Legend]

I wouldn't teach, no offence you may well probably teach kids bad technique and all that. I mean you're obviously good enough at playing but teaching is something different. I know some people who teach piano but are a load worse at piano than me and also do a really bad job of it. There;s a lot more to teaching than just teaching what the notes are and how to read music.

[Firecracker]

Oi, don't ever tell people not to teach.

I think you should start with the reading of music. Then move on to scales and then easy tunes.

[Roses_and_Ribbons]

I started teaching students with the books I learnt with myself. You know what to expect and which bits in the book might be confusing. And the books depend on the age of your students. I mean, for example, you wouldn't give John Thompson's Teaching Little Fingers How to Play to an adult. They already know which is their left and right hand.

As for teaching them reading, then scales then music - I disagree. Start teaching them the simplest tunes in the first lesson - even if it's just middle C for 4 semibreves. That way the student can already play something on their first lesson and it works as a great motivator. Just cover the basics like "this is a stave, this is a treble clef, this is what a note looks like" etc so they can do a really simple piece and leave the rest when they get up to it.

They don't need to know about scales until they start on pieces with key signatures. And they don't need to know about reading different things like quavers and stuff until they have a piece which uses them. That way you can build on knowledge they already have rather than give them a whole heap of stuff to learn with at the beginning which may overwhelm them.

I hope that helps.

[chelsea713]

I think a series of complete courses (try alfreds basics beginner all in one course) really works on the littler kids i teach (make sure they follow the fingerings though and teach them some technique, the theory is pretty much covered in the book)....for older students who are just starting to play though, they want to be treated more professionally and dont want pretty froggy pictures in their books, so give them easier stuff but in harder looking books, and on top of the easy songs, something they can work towards, like a scale and triads solid and broken, and teach them some harder stuff that'll make them seem like they're learning something

and make sure each student has a notebook, and write down all notes and pointers and stuff you teach them...for one, its a good reference for practice and you wont have to try to remember what you worked on last week

[Ollie The Drumming Legend]

Originally Posted by firecrackercheese

Oi, don't ever tell people not to teach.

I think you should start with the reading of music. Then move on to scales and then easy tunes.

OI!
Why not? It's only an opinion you know. And why the oi?

Well yeah apart from that, no **** start with readin music and scales obviously.

All I was saying was that there are many people who are excellent pianists but suck as teachers, and I have, along with many others, been on the receiving end of them. Ability is no judge of teaching. My science teacher is a doctor but rubbish at teaching biology, so how do ya figure that one.

I mean, go for it if you really want but if someone has a bad teacher they're gonna hate piano for life, there are places you can learn to teach.

But yeah, im sure you'll do fine.

[Hodl pu]

just try not to bore your students out, like my teacher did to me...

Probably after teaching any basic scales, etc. find something suitable but their level for their taste. Otherwise if you make them play what you like all the time, your student is going to leave.

[Lady Lex]

Originally Posted by Ollie The Drumming Legend

I wouldn't teach, no offence you may well probably teach kids bad technique and all that. I mean you're obviously good enough at playing but teaching is something different. I know some people who teach piano but are a load worse at piano than me and also do a really bad job of it. There's a lot more to teaching than just teaching what the notes are and how to read music.

Im with you on this one. If you want to teach piano, get the appropriate qualifications or play for another 15 years to accumulate the experience.

[Det_Nosnip]

Originally Posted by Ollie The Drumming Legend

I wouldn't teach, no offence you may well probably teach kids bad technique and all that. I mean you're obviously good enough at playing but teaching is something different. I know some people who teach piano but are a load worse at piano than me and also do a really bad job of it. There;s a lot more to teaching than just teaching what the notes are and how to read music.

Agreed.

[ariayer]

i agree with ollie i kno wat its like to have a teacher who sholdnt be teaching

[Firecracker]

Originally Posted by Ollie The Drumming Legend

OI!
Why not? It's only an opinion you know. And why the oi?

Sorry, just the old 'teaching is the best thing you can do with your experience'
Meh, everyone can do what they want, but people shouldn't go around telling people they'd be better off not helping others.

[Ollie The Drumming Legend]

Originally Posted by firecrackercheese

Sorry, just the old 'teaching is the best thing you can do with your experience'
Meh, everyone can do what they want, but people shouldn't go around telling people they'd be better off not helping others.

I wasn't saying you shouldn't help others...

[Firecracker]

Originally Posted by Ollie The Drumming Legend

I wasn't saying you shouldn't help others...

Alright, i look back at your post and see nothing of what i thought i saw before, so i don't know.