I don’t consider any child a failure at the piano. If a child learns to play Jingle Bells with their index finger, and that is all they ever learn, they are a success in their own way.
Let’s examine this hypothetical Jingle Bells child and see what we can observe.
First of all, we assume that the child has had the best possible teaching. If they have had a truly below average teacher, they will likely have taken only a few lessons and then quit.
But, assuming the child has had good teachers, it will soon become apparent that the child will gravitate towards their own level of competence. By this I mean that the child’s piano playing can be no better than the sum of the skills required.
The idea of “the sum of skills” is important because it demonstrates how many skills go into playing the piano. And many of these skills are social and mental, and have nothing to do with wiggling your fingers.
Thus, a child who has good dexterity and abstract pattern recognition skills may be hampered (at the piano) by a social deficiency, such as hyperactivity, or some personal problem.
And the more complex the problems a child has, the more difficult it is to find a path that leads them to the music they need and want.
In general, I find that the more external social and mental difficulties a child has, the simpler I must make the curriculum. This is not because the child is dull, but because so much is going on in their mind that it is hard to find a place that they will let you enter.
Thus, simply getting a child’s attention can be an undertaking, especially if, like me, you have decided not to use guilt or force to get that attention.
For such children, and there are many, many such good kids, a small accomplishment such as playing a favorite song is quite a victory and may be all they take away from the entire piano experience. There is always a chance they may try again as an adult, especially if they were not treated like a failure at the first, childhood attempt.
At the opposite end of the scale are children who have all the physical dexterity required, and are capable of moderate work habits. They may not practice every day, but their parents find them, going to the piano as they would to one of their toys, playing for a while and then moving on to something else.
In general, the younger the child, the less dexterity they have, and the less work habits they have. Piano may be the first subject in which someone asks them to repeat a failed act again and again without negative frustration, like a video game.
Thus, you must bring your expectations as a parent into line with the reality of your child:
- Very few children ever learn to play very well. But every child benefits from trying to play music at its own level.
- Children who flourish at the piano are at the right time in their lives. Timing is everything.
- The teacher and the child must be matched well.
- As long as the teacher does not treat the child as a failure, there is always the chance the child will try again later.
And finally, if your child is unfortunate enough to have a disciplinarian, dogmatic pedagogue for a teacher, I suggest you stop lessons (I’ll bet your child has already asked if they have such a teacher) and try again when you can find a better match for your child.
Search for a child-friendly specialist. If your child’s piano teacher went to Julliard, it is still no guarantee that they will have any common sense regarding children. In fact, the opposite is most likely true: conservatory graduates tend to teach like their tradition, which is designed only for the very top of the top class of cadets. This method of teaching is in no way child-friendly: it is competitive, stressful indoctrination and should be avoided like the plague.
Students tend to be like their teachers. Look for someone who truly understands children and who is a good pianist. If they don’t like kids, and/or don’t play, stay away.
By John Aschenbrenner Copyright 2008 Walden Pond Press All Rights Reserved
See also YOU CAN ONLY ENJOY PIANO MY WAY
See also TEN WAYS TO BE A BAD CHILDREN'S PIANO TEACHER
See also HOW TO FIND A GOOD PIANO TEACHER
See also SO YOU WANT TO BE A PIANO TEACHER
See also ARE KIDS PIANO RECITALS HARMFUL?
