Yes I know, it's been awhile since I posted anything. I've been really busy transiting, to be honest, just getting used to a new routine and schedule. Lots more running around, but all good and interesting.
I now have 10 students. It's almost impossible to keep track of everyone of them nowadays. I have to diligently refer to their notebooks each time we have a lesson to remind myself what we did the previous week. Lots of interesting experiences really, but will share them more when I've had time to consolidate my thoughts and see some sort of pattern beyond 'do re mi'.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Perfect 7
I now have 7 students. How it went from 1 to 7 so quickly must surely be God's blessings. A few would start mid-February just after I leave my current work. The rest would start in March.
But yes, SEVEN is a great number to begin with, and hopefully with more focused efforts in the near future, more would come.
But yes, SEVEN is a great number to begin with, and hopefully with more focused efforts in the near future, more would come.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Why Teach?
This happened at the cocktail reception of my cousin's wedding two weeks ago. His niece, (my niece too), cajoled me into playing the piano sitting idle, whilst guests mingled with their drinks and slowly took their seats in the ballroom. I used to teach this niece and her brother before their family moved to Punggol which was too far for me to travel weekly. That was a good 4-5 years ago and she hadn't heard me play for awhile.
My niece watched with fascination as I played, and when I ended the first piece she blurted out, "Auntie, you really enjoy playing the piano, don't you?"
I smiled at her and nodded, proceeding to the next piece.
A small crowd had gathered around the baby grand, and as I ceded to some song requests, my niece told someone standing next to her, "I'm proud to say this was my teacher."
I almost stopped playing just to hug her.
My niece watched with fascination as I played, and when I ended the first piece she blurted out, "Auntie, you really enjoy playing the piano, don't you?"
I smiled at her and nodded, proceeding to the next piece.
A small crowd had gathered around the baby grand, and as I ceded to some song requests, my niece told someone standing next to her, "I'm proud to say this was my teacher."
I almost stopped playing just to hug her.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
After 3 Months
I'm quite pleased to update that after 3 months my student has learnt just about all the scales she needs to know for the Grade 1 examinations. In addition, she has started learning 2 out of 3 exam pieces, and is making fine progress in them. I'm quite confident that she should have no problems passing the exams for Grade 1 later this year.
With the new work situation I'm facing now I'm looking to actively source for students to teach on a private basis, to see if I can build up a base before leaving. So if anyone knows of people who want to learn piano (children of all ages, even adults), do help put us in touch, and I'll be happy to offer my services. Especially if they live in the western part of Singapore. :-)
With the new work situation I'm facing now I'm looking to actively source for students to teach on a private basis, to see if I can build up a base before leaving. So if anyone knows of people who want to learn piano (children of all ages, even adults), do help put us in touch, and I'll be happy to offer my services. Especially if they live in the western part of Singapore. :-)
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Grade 1
I studied the Grade 1 theory syllabus today.
This first month of teaching has gone on well enough and it was encouraging to hear from my student that after her one week holiday (last week) she had spent 1.5 hours practising yesterday after school. :-)
Nonetheless, I haven't really been formally teaching her theory. I've always incorporated it as part of the lesson. As we embark on scales, or a new piece, I make it a point to teach the various theory aspects such as time signatures, key signatures, how tied notes work, treble & bass clef note reading etc.
But today's study helped to see where to draw the line, so I don't overload the poor student with too much, or too difficult, theory concepts she would not need to know for Grade 1, or may find too difficult to grasp. Today's studying also revealed to me some gaps that I would need to fill in lessons to come. All in all a productive study session today.
This first month of teaching has gone on well enough and it was encouraging to hear from my student that after her one week holiday (last week) she had spent 1.5 hours practising yesterday after school. :-)
Nonetheless, I haven't really been formally teaching her theory. I've always incorporated it as part of the lesson. As we embark on scales, or a new piece, I make it a point to teach the various theory aspects such as time signatures, key signatures, how tied notes work, treble & bass clef note reading etc.
But today's study helped to see where to draw the line, so I don't overload the poor student with too much, or too difficult, theory concepts she would not need to know for Grade 1, or may find too difficult to grasp. Today's studying also revealed to me some gaps that I would need to fill in lessons to come. All in all a productive study session today.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
First Lesson
My first lesson with my first student took place last Friday. It was really more a "getting to know what you know" session, testing out her current level of knowledge/ability with the keyboard and music-notation. Now I have a good idea how to do the lesson plans, and we probably need to change location of the lesson to my place, since she doesn't actually have a proper piano. (Unless she trades in her keyboard for a piano sometime soon.)
Monday, September 15, 2008
First Student
I have my first 'official' student starting in October. A 12-year old girl who has some prior knowledge of music/piano, but now would like to take the graded exams. :-)
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