Thanks to all who participated in our poll this week! I think the results to this poll were closer than any other - it seems that all of these factors play an important role in laying a good foundation for our piano students.
What is most important in laying a good foundation for a beginning piano student?
Other answers:
- Trusting the teacher/Collaboration between student and teacher/Cooperation
- All of the above!
Interestingly enough, "knowledge of theory" did not get any votes - yet if our students do not have a sound knowledge of music theory and how music works, do they really have a good musical foundation? Something to think about!
This week we'd like to talk about
memorization. How do you teach it? What techniques work the best? Tips? Ideas? What are the challenges? Why is it important? I can't wait to hear your comments :)
On a personal and somewhat unrelated note, today I visited my former piano teacher and it reminded me how important and far-reaching our influence as teachers really can be. My younger brother had his last lesson from her before leaving for college, and so my mom and I went to give her a little gift and to visit. She has been teaching my family piano lessons for over thirteen years, starting when I was an awkward thirteen-year-old girl with braces (gotta love awkward years). She has made such a difference in my life and the lives of my siblings who also studied with her - and I think of the many students we have each taught (my three siblings who studied with her have also taught piano for a long time) and realize that one teacher can have a very far-reaching influence. All the more reason to be the best teachers we know how to be, right? No pressure ;)
Labels: Jenny Boster, Laying a Foundation, Memorization, Poll Results
