Piano Lessons - Group or Private?
Piano lessons are a great activity for children. They encourage creative thinking, develop math and reading skills, and improve students' overall educational progress, as well as building a fun life-long skill. As a result, over six million children in the United States take piano lessons! One of the choices that parents have when their child is beginning piano lessons is whether to enroll their son or daughter in a private or group lesson. Parents often have misperceptions, or at least several questions, in making this choice.
Q: What is the difference between private and group lessons?
A: Individual lessons are usually thirty minutes in length, with the piano teacher working one-on-one with a student. Individual lessons provide a high degree of personal attention for a student. Group lessons are generally 45-minutes to an hour in length, and consist of between two and four students working with their piano teacher. During group lessons, each student plays their own piano or keyboard and receives both individual and group instruction. Students are introduced to new skills in the group every week and are then given individual playing assignments. They practice these assignments using earphones and the teacher rotates among the students to check on their progress and provide additional instruction.
Q: Don't children learn more in a private lesson?
A: Not necessarily, and it depends very much on the student. Some children thrive with individual instruction. However, private lessons can also create a dependence that students may have a hard time overcoming, as some children grow to feel that they cannot learn on their own without their piano teacher repeatedly showing them every new thing. To prevent this, successful piano teachers create supportive learning environments that let children know that they are responsible for their own success. This helps children learn how to set goals and that their own effort makes a difference. That's why, even in a private lesson, students need some time to work independently.
Group lessons are a great way for children to learn, and many children learn faster in a group setting than in individual lessons. Group lessons create a fun and supportive environment, and students learn both from the teacher's instruction and from each other. It also helps many children to know that other students are learning the same skills.
I encourage most new students who are seven years of age or older to start out in group lessons. However, I have found that private lessons typically work best for two groups of students. First, they can provide a solid learning foundation to very young students (ages 5 to 7) who need one-on-one instruction to help get started. Parents of these very young children sometimes stay with them during their lessons. When children get a little older and have the basics, they usually can transfer to a group lesson. Second, private lessons are appropriate for late intermediate to advanced students who are looking to apply music theory and advanced playing techniques requiring intense instruction and dedicated home study.
Q: Can't group lessons be intimidating for students due to peer pressure and competition?
A: While some parents may initially be concerned that group lessons create peer pressure and competition, the lessons actually help students feel more independent and confident in piano. Students play the pieces they've just had instruction on before they leave the lesson, which helps them feel secure about playing the songs at home. As students often play their songs for each other during lessons, it helps avoid the performance anxiety that students taking individual lessons can feel before recitals. Plus, students generally find that working together with other students increases creativity and fun! Over time, experience has shown that most children learn more in small group lessons because these lessons encourage independence and build confidence, which is a strong foundation for success not only in piano lessons but in the other areas of student's lives.
Copyright 2005, Cynthia Marie VanLandingham
Cynthia VanLandingham is the owner of TallyPiano & Keyboard Studio in Tallahassee, Florida where she has been teaching piano for 20 years. She is a member of the American College of Musicians, the National Guild of Piano Teachers, a graduate of the Florida State University College of Education, and President of TallyPiano Enterprises, LLC.
You can visit her website and download her original compositions free at http://www.tallypiano.com
Cynthia is also an author of a series of exciting books for children, with the mission of Using Music, Art, Science and Literature to Help Children Achieve their Dreams. Her illustrated series for piano students is called, Little Bear's Piano Adventures!TM These stories take young piano students on a Musical Adventure to find out what piano lessons are all about in a fun way that children can easily understand.
For more information about these wonderful books E-mail Cynthia at cindy@tallypiano.com, where you can also subscribe to her free internet newsletter, Piano Matters!
TallyPiano Studio: (850) 386-2425
Hotline: (850) 264-7232
 Google News Updated : Mon, 06 Oct 2008 14:48:34 GMT Mammals facing extinction threat - BBC News
BBC News - By Richard Black At least 25% of the world's mammal species are at risk of extinction, according to the first assessment of their status for a decade. Many, many mammals face extinction One Quarter of World's Mammals Face Extinction Publ.Date : Mon, 06 Oct 2008 12:37:47 GMT For Some Animals, There's No Place at Home - U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report - By Amanda Gardner MONDAY, Oct. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Exposing your children to the joys of pet ownership may, in some cases, also mean exposing them to infections and injuries. Keep Kids From Exotic Animals, Docs Say Doctors: No hamsters or exotic pets for young kids Publ.Date : Mon, 06 Oct 2008 13:06:44 GMT Obama accuses McCain of looking for distractions - CNN
CNN - (CNN) -- Sen. Barack Obama on Sunday charged that Sen. John McCain's campaign is launching "Swift boat-style attacks" on him instead of addressing the country's problems. Health Care: Coverage -- But at What Price? Health Care Destruction Publ.Date : Sun, 05 Oct 2008 19:30:50 GMT Postseason ace Beckett shelled as Angels win 5-4 - The Associated Press
The Associated Press - BOSTON (AP) - Josh Beckett waited four extra days for a chance to show his postseason brilliance. That shine wore off with his very first pitch. Video: Angels, White Sox Each Force a Game 4 Red Sox's injuries could prove costly vs. Angels Publ.Date : Mon, 06 Oct 2008 14:11:21 GMT Angelina Jolie Debuts New Movie and New Ink - Actress Archives
Actress Archives - Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt recently attended the movie premiere for Jolie’s new film “The Changeling” directed by Clint Eastwood, and the film wasn’t the only thing on display. Video: Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt at Premiere Angelina Jolie’s New Tattoo Publ.Date : Mon, 06 Oct 2008 14:09:31 GMT Ask.com Sails into Semantic Search to Differentiate from Google - eWeek
eWeek - By Clint Boulton Ask.com's search engine market share is minimal at best, but the company keeps on plugging away in application development to keep from being extinguished by Google, Yahoo and Microsoft. Ask.com Amps Up Search Again Ask.com, now with more answers Publ.Date : Mon, 06 Oct 2008 13:04:07 GMT PGA -- 2008 Turning Point Championship Recap - Pro Fantasy Sports
Pro Fantasy Sports - Hello in the second of the “Fall Finish” series, a unknown rookie birdied the 72 nd hole to earn a hefty paycheck and a spot on the PGA tour for the next two years. Johnson earns first win at Turning Stone Rookie posts first victory Publ.Date : Mon, 06 Oct 2008 14:07:14 GMT Amazon Associate Store |
PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts,
Websites, and more... Gibson guitars have been around forever. It's funny, but although... Read More Form is the key that unlocks the musical map of... Read More Let's face it. The world will not end if there... Read More For most of us, making any major purchase, such as... Read More Ostinato means "repeating pattern" and is used frequently in all... Read More Do you ramble on endlessly with your improvisations? If so,... Read More Do you have a wide variety of things that you... Read More There are many things to consider when buying a new... Read More When most people hear the word composer, they automatically think... Read More Changing your guitar strings might make you feel a litte... Read More The Open Position Chord (OPC) allows you to create a... Read More Would you like to pop in a CD and have... Read More Congratulations, you just bought you first guitar! Now that you've... Read More Anyone who has recorded vocals to tape knows there is... Read More When memorizing music there are several things you can do... Read More As a vocal coach, I hear it all the time.... Read More "The real communicating artists seek unique expression. They are not... Read More Whether played by a marching band, an orchestra, or a... Read More Chord symbols (for example, Fm7, Cmaj7 or G6) are a... Read More I was 17 at the time (the Beatles era), and... Read More It's all over the news these days. Download music from... Read More Three battles at the end of the 8 Mile movie... Read More Your first drum set purchase is very exciting! You have... Read More Guitar chords, (chords played specifically on a guitar,) differ only... Read More Finding a good teacher is not always easy, at any... Read More
Adsense
websites
A Brief History Of Gibson Guitars
Piano Playing is Easier than You Think When You Understand Musical Form
New Age Music - What Is It Good For?
How to Buy an Electric Guitar
The Ostinato - What It is and How to Use It
Form - Giving Shape to Your Music
Guitar Players...Get a Balanced Guitar Practice Diet
Buying A Guitar
Composing for Dummies
How To Change Your Guitar Strings
Open Position Piano Chords - Perfect for the New Age Style
Music For Self Improvement
Your First Guitar
Recording Vocals at Home
Memorizing Music - How Is It Best Achieved?
SOUNDS GOOD TO ME - Eliminate Throat Tension
Defining The True Artist - Do You Have What It Takes?
Patriotic Music: Surprising Secrets About Those Flag-Waving Sounds
How To Play Piano Using Chord Symbols
How I Learned How To Play The Guitar After Giving Up In Disgust
Legal Free Music Downloads - Songs You Want at No Cost
The Three 8 Mile Battles
Shopping For Your First Drum Set
How Many Guitar Chords Do I Need To Know?
How To Find The Right Guitar Teacher
Affordable and Reliable Web Hosting Starting at $4.49/Month
How I Compose a Piece of Music
A number of people have asked about my own methodology... Read More
George Winston and New Age Piano Playing
The first time I heard George Winston play back in... Read More
Music and Emotion
The Age-old Puzzle of Human ResponseIf you've listened to more... Read More
One Way to Improve Your Music Journalist Relationship
Boy, I really detest how some people do websites. Bands... Read More
The Strange Days (mostly nights) of Guns N? Roses
Kenny "Axil" Rose (Lead vocals), D.J. "Slash (Lead guitar), Joshua... Read More
Managing Your Time, when Music isnt Your Day Job
You CAN do everything.Repeat.You CAN do everything. What you cannot... Read More
50 Cent
More so than any other music since the blues, hip-hop... Read More
Win Friends & Influence People Through Music -- Is It Possible?
The idea that studying music improves the social development of... Read More
Music Licensing: The Cold Cash Facts About Money for your Music
Where music meets licensing, there's money to be made. How... Read More
Oh My Aching Head! Can Music Really Make You Feel Better?
We all know, if only instinctively, that music has a... Read More
Protocol for Piping a Formal Dinner: A Ceremonial Guide for Highland Bagpipers
It is believed that the custom of dining in began... Read More
Who?s Playing What? A Guide To The Guitars Of The Pros
Eric Clapton performs his slow-handed magic on his. Even with... Read More
Bagpipe Lessons In Your Own Home !
Bringing Bagpipe Tuition to Everyone, Everywhere.I have been teaching music... Read More
Yo, is Rap Just Another Four Letter Word?
Flaunting any excessive or anti-social behavior is considered brazen. When... Read More
Music & Citizenship: Can Playing a Musical Instrument Help Your Child Become a Better Citizen?
Disregard the popular image of rappers with their ghetto blasters,... Read More
New Age Piano Tricks
One of the things that makes New Age piano so... Read More
A Dying Cat And A Nylon String Guitar
"Music isn't just learning notes and playing them, you learn... Read More
6 Tips for Organizing Your Music Files
If you're a digital music fan, you probably have problems... Read More
12 Reasons You Should Learn to Play the Piano
All right, folks, here you go: My 12 reasons why... Read More
Creating Your Own Unique Music
Have you ever dreamed of penning your own compositions? Writing... Read More
Piano Playing Your Way: How To Have More Fun Playing The Piano Than You Ever Have Before
Piano playing doesn't have to be boring. There's no law... Read More
The First Step and Most Important Thing in Learning Guitar
Most of the guitar lovers playing guitar for few years... Read More
Creating Within Limits
When I first started playing the piano I wanted to... Read More
How to Be in the Moment when Playing Piano
Your best music will always come when you are in... Read More
An Introduction to CD Mastering
While many people think that the mixing of the separate... Read More
Music & MP3 |