Kids Piano Strategy
You have to have a strategy for your kids to have a chance at an enjoyable start at the piano.
You can't expect to choose a piano teacher at random and then expect that your kids will probably succeed wildly.
Such expectations are contrary to the actual experiences of average kids, and you would do well to survey the possible outcomes before you even begin to think about piano lessons for your kids.
WORST OUTCOME The worst that can happen is that you get a typical piano teacher who makes your child feel like a failure at the piano.
They might be boring, gruff, judgmental, incompetent or just not suited to teaching children.
There are lots of them.
The sad fact is that your child may well turn out to be a failure in the "Carnegie Hall" sense, and still be one of those kids who is capable of being fascinated by the piano had they been handled correctly.
The problem is human nature: once kids deem themselves a failure at something, usually at the subtle "suggestion" of the teacher, they won't want to try it again.
The taste of failure is particularly bitter to a child's palette.
BEST OUTCOME The best that can happen is that you get a perfect match between student and teacher, someone with common sense and an engaging manner who is used to dealing with the ups and downs of kids.
Taught in this manner, your kids will enjoy playing on their own terms, at their own pace, and do not feel pressured to "deliver" for some dogmatist who expects all children to live up to his idea of "Carnegie Hall" material.
Almost all kids just want to play piano and enjoy it, and it's up to the piano teacher to make this possible.
It's actually the teacher's duty, although they often seem to forget it in their mad dash to have the kids be "musically literate.
" Your child may or may not become fluent at reading music, but their desire to play music will continue to grow with time.
THE FACTOR If you do two things, you have a chance of succeeding: 1.
Choose the right teacher.
Find another if they do not produce a child who loves to explore the piano like any other toy.
2.
Forget your expectations and don't nag about practicing.
If the child doesn't play at home, be silent, do not incriminate.
Be patient.
If you've chosen the right teacher, you may be lucky and get a child fascinated by the piano.
You can't expect to choose a piano teacher at random and then expect that your kids will probably succeed wildly.
Such expectations are contrary to the actual experiences of average kids, and you would do well to survey the possible outcomes before you even begin to think about piano lessons for your kids.
WORST OUTCOME The worst that can happen is that you get a typical piano teacher who makes your child feel like a failure at the piano.
They might be boring, gruff, judgmental, incompetent or just not suited to teaching children.
There are lots of them.
The sad fact is that your child may well turn out to be a failure in the "Carnegie Hall" sense, and still be one of those kids who is capable of being fascinated by the piano had they been handled correctly.
The problem is human nature: once kids deem themselves a failure at something, usually at the subtle "suggestion" of the teacher, they won't want to try it again.
The taste of failure is particularly bitter to a child's palette.
BEST OUTCOME The best that can happen is that you get a perfect match between student and teacher, someone with common sense and an engaging manner who is used to dealing with the ups and downs of kids.
Taught in this manner, your kids will enjoy playing on their own terms, at their own pace, and do not feel pressured to "deliver" for some dogmatist who expects all children to live up to his idea of "Carnegie Hall" material.
Almost all kids just want to play piano and enjoy it, and it's up to the piano teacher to make this possible.
It's actually the teacher's duty, although they often seem to forget it in their mad dash to have the kids be "musically literate.
" Your child may or may not become fluent at reading music, but their desire to play music will continue to grow with time.
THE FACTOR If you do two things, you have a chance of succeeding: 1.
Choose the right teacher.
Find another if they do not produce a child who loves to explore the piano like any other toy.
2.
Forget your expectations and don't nag about practicing.
If the child doesn't play at home, be silent, do not incriminate.
Be patient.
If you've chosen the right teacher, you may be lucky and get a child fascinated by the piano.
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