I have more than one child who will be taking lessons. Can they take lessons in a row and be dropped off and picked up at the same time?
Absolutely! Many families have multiple children who will be taking lessons. We will do our best to come up with a schedule so your children can come together and have their lessons in a row. I do my best to have fun books for them to read or they can bring any homework or books they have. Also, if you and a neighbor or friend would like to work out a similar schedule, we’ll work on that too.
What if my child has to miss a lesson?
Missed lessons are not refunded but we will do our best to reschedule.
Do we need a piano at home?
Yes and no. You will need something for students to practice. You need either an electric piano or an acoustic piano. If you have an electric piano it should have weighted keys (so playing the electric piano feels like playing an acoustic piano) and be a full 88-key keyboard (the same number of keys as are on an acoustic piano). A jack for a sustain pedal is also important. If you’re looking for a good acoustic piano, feel free to ask me for any tips and suggestions.
What if my child doesn’t like lessons?
Making a year-long commitment to take lessons is a big deal. This is why, before we decide if your child is ready for lessons, we have a meeting. Students and parents come to the house to see the piano, how things look, how the environment feels, and we go over all of the information yo. After this meeting, you have a few days to discuss and think about piano lessons. It’s important for students to understand commitment, and you never know, they might just be scared and unfamiliar with taking lessons and warm up to it and really enjoy it later in the year. Of course, there are always situations that come up during a year and we can discuss any situations in which it might be best to discontinue lessons.
What is a practice sheet and how is it used?
Every student is given a practice sheet at the beginning of the year (older students have the option of using one). It looks like a big grid. Every square in the grid equals 15 minutes of playing time. Every lesson a student earns 2 stickers in the grid. Every 15 minutes a student practices outside of lessons, they check off a square. After a practice sheet is completed, a student earns a practice award and gets a new practice sheet.
Can my child learn to play by ear?
Visual and auditory processing are both very important. Being able to read music, and being able to really hear music are both skills that make a good musician. Because I am an elementary music teacher, I know that young children learn to sing best by echoing. Therefore, I work with both learning to read music and learning to play by ear. If a student doesn’t learn to listen to what they’re playing, how can they be expected to hear mistakes easily, or play to a steady beat, or hear a metronome while playing? We won’t usually take playing by ear to the extreme unless a student shows an aptitude for it.
How do I know what my child is working on, or if there’s any important information I need?
Every student will receive a piano folder. In that folder there will be blank pages as well as pockets. The pockets are for any information going home to all students (usually around recital time) as well as practice sheets. On the blank pages, each lesson’s accomplishments and assignments are written down. I will write the date of the lesson, what we played, and what we need to work on for the next lesson. If you write a check for payments at the beginning of each month, that check can go in a pocket. Feel free to make any notes to me in the folder. This is a great thing for students because they don’t have to remember what they need to work on or what they’ve accomplished, and you can see everything as well.
What awards or rewards are given?
Every student deserves something after a good lesson! I have a candy dish that students love. Every once in a while there will be something that isn’t candy in the dish students can choose (just let me know of any diet restrictions and we’ll figure something else out).
After a practice sheet has been completed, students earn a practice award.
At the end of the year, every student receives a certificate.
Will my child take 30-minute lessons, or 45-minute lessons?
Most young students, grades K-2, have 30-minute lessons. Most older students, grades 3 and higher, have45-minute lessons. When we first meet to discuss your child taking lessons, we will talk about what might be best for your child.