Published: Jul 29, 2016 |
Category: For Parents
Answers to Important Questions from Parents
Question 1: What Is My Role as A Piano Parent?
Parents involvement in their children’s piano education is as crucial as my own, as teacher. Your role is so important as part of home piano practice, of encouraging participation in studio activities, of modeling an interest in music and of keeping lines of communication open, which eliminates many potential “problems” in the parent-teacher-student working relationship.
Question 2: What Should I Do If My Child Loses Interest?
You, as parent, will give me the opportunity to save a lot of students by communicating with me – notably by “catching” a child’s waning interest before it’s too late, of offering encouragement and support at home to prevent frustration, and of making piano lessons an extracurricular priority. Here it is vitally important to teach your child “stick-with-it-ness”, and the benefits that come from encouraging “gritty” behaviour.
Question 3: What Can I Expect from Our Year?
Here I have the opportunity to share exactly what the long-term goals are for each, individual student, as expected in the new academic year of piano lessons. I am happy to discuss in more details how this long-term prediction plays out in terms of learning progress, home practice needs, as well as monthly and yearly goals. I am able to offer what is “normal” and what is typical, so that you, as a parent, may also have realistic piano progress expectations. Feel free to contact me anytime for updates or elaborations. I am always happy to reply, in addition to keeping my own log book for each student, and to my weekly assignments for each student.
Question 4: What Is an Appropriate Home Instrument?
There are a multitude of options available to piano students, and this often depends on how invested you are in your child’s interest, and how you might set them up for a much more successful lesson experience. Ideally, a working, acoustic piano is expected after one-year of beginner-level piano; sometimes, a weighted-key electronic piano with pedals can suffice. Ultimately, if your current piano situation is interfering with your child’s technical progress, then it may be time to consider investing in a good piano (they do appreciate in value!).
Question 5: Why Should My Child Take Piano Lessons?
Most parents wouldn't think to ask this question, and hopefully none of you have asked this during times of stress! Sometimes, parents sign their children up for piano lessons without knowing the far-reaching benefits of a piano education. There is a vast body of current research on this topic, which I frequently share as posts on our Facebook page and on my website Resources page. This research shows the positive academic, social and emotional effects that piano lessons stimulate. Reading some of this research will help you, as parents, to fully understand just what a gift music can be in the life of their children. Piano lessons are a privilege, and a gift for life.
