Found a list of piano teachers in Ottawa posted by the Leading Note. I put my name on the Roladex years ago, it's still funny everytime I stumble upon this list online. My daughter's piano teacher is there too.
http://www.leadingnote.com/customers/music-teachers/piano/
Ottawa-Gatineau Suzuki Piano. I recently auditioned and was invited to join them, along with my Suzuki students. However because I was suddenly moving, I had to decline but fortunately I was able to connect with teachers from the group to transfer my students to. There is a $140 registration for the students to be in the Suzuki Piano School, however it is well worth it with the Saturday group classes, recitals and concerts year round.
http://www.suzukipiano.on.ca/suzuki8.html
ARCT Blog. Seems like someone I have alot in common with. She's in IT, I'm in Engineering and we are both teaching piano and at various stages of reaching the ARCT.
http://sites.google.com/site/eleanorsmusic
ORMTA Ottawa Chapter Events.
Previously, to be of ORMTA you had to have a Masters Degree in Music or the full ARCT with six students who got First Class Honours in the RCM piano exams, with the annual fee being $300 which is why I never joined. They didn't even advertise their events. But now they have also allowed memberships for teachers who have Grade 10 RCM and additional Pedagogy training (like me with the ARCT Beginners and Intermediate, Suzuki, etc) but that must be new so maybe I will join in if I end up teaching again in Trenton!
http://www.ormtaottawa.ca/Events.htm
I am a new Suzuki Piano Teacher with many years of experience teaching classical piano at the beginners and intermediate levels to children of all ages. I am creating this blog to capture some of my rough notes from teacher training, pedagogy books, workshops and experiences from my own studio. The earlier entries are taken from the lesson notes for the pre-Twinkle level class I had taught outside the formal Suzuki method. Your comments and feedback are most helpful. Enjoy!
Showing posts with label Teaching Tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Teaching Tips. Show all posts
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Musicland Notes
A young child can learn note reading and even music writing when it involves a large Staff paper and some common colourful objects such as juice caps!
At my group class last week, we played the game "On the Line, Off the Line" where the kids had to jump on/ off a little straw on the ground. This was a lead-in to the topic of placing notes on the staff - on the line, in the space!
Method:
Review the Treble Clef, Bass Clef, count the lines (5), count the spaces (4)
Talk about the belly of the treble clef (second line). You could colour this line red for Red Giant.
Point out the dots in the bass clef (line four). You could colour this line blue for Blue Fairy.
The kids already know the friends in Musicland:
Yellow Cat
Purple Dragon
Green Elf
Blue Fairy
Red Giant
Orange Albert
Brown Beethoven (black cap)
Yellow Cat
Point out the small extra line below the treble clef staff for Middle C, ask someone to mark it using the yellow cap and call it Yellow Cat (on the line)
Have the next child place the next note, someone will know that it`s Purple Dragon (space just hanging below the staff)
The next child will catch on quickly that the next note is Green Elf (on the line 1)
...and so on.
Work to the next Yellow Cat and review the word ``Octave``
If applicable, move on to the Bass clef. Yellow Cat is in the space (second from bottom).
In fact one of the children recognized a pattern right away and he started to sing, Step-ping Up! That was so wonderful that he could relate the notes on the page to tone direction though it wasn`t perfect pitch he still sang a sequence of stepwise notes in whole tones!
For an older child, take notes away and name the thirds (the space notes form thirds, as do all the line notes)
You could use the coloured notes to build chords in root position and all inversions!
 |
| Treble clef notes (top); Bass Clef notes (bottom). The Middle C above the bass clef staff sits on a small imaginary line. |
At my group class last week, we played the game "On the Line, Off the Line" where the kids had to jump on/ off a little straw on the ground. This was a lead-in to the topic of placing notes on the staff - on the line, in the space!
Method:
Review the Treble Clef, Bass Clef, count the lines (5), count the spaces (4)
Talk about the belly of the treble clef (second line). You could colour this line red for Red Giant.
Point out the dots in the bass clef (line four). You could colour this line blue for Blue Fairy.
The kids already know the friends in Musicland:
Yellow Cat
Purple Dragon
Green Elf
Blue Fairy
Red Giant
Orange Albert
Brown Beethoven (black cap)
Yellow Cat
Point out the small extra line below the treble clef staff for Middle C, ask someone to mark it using the yellow cap and call it Yellow Cat (on the line)
Have the next child place the next note, someone will know that it`s Purple Dragon (space just hanging below the staff)
The next child will catch on quickly that the next note is Green Elf (on the line 1)
...and so on.
Work to the next Yellow Cat and review the word ``Octave``
If applicable, move on to the Bass clef. Yellow Cat is in the space (second from bottom).
In fact one of the children recognized a pattern right away and he started to sing, Step-ping Up! That was so wonderful that he could relate the notes on the page to tone direction though it wasn`t perfect pitch he still sang a sequence of stepwise notes in whole tones!
For an older child, take notes away and name the thirds (the space notes form thirds, as do all the line notes)
You could use the coloured notes to build chords in root position and all inversions!
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Sample Questions of ARCT Advanced level Pedagogy Viva Voce Exam
Here are a list of questions that were asked at a ARCT Advanced Pedagogy Certificate Exam for the Viva Voce portion in Spring 2011. My friend who had recently completed the exam was kind enough to send them to me from memory, from her actual exam. Of course you'll have to remember that the flow of the questions also depends on the candidate's responses. Don't be afraid to elaborate and demonstrate what you really know.
1) What is satisfying in teaching students in the high level?
2) How do you fit everything in 1 hour lesson?
3) Is there anything that absolutely must be in a lesson?
4) Name a difficult rhythm that you would see in the higher level, how would you teach it?
5) How do you teach rubato?
6) What types of studies (etudes) do you use, other than the ones by RCM?
7) Play grade 9 romantic 19th century (chopin prelude in Db):
8) How do you teach cantabile?
9) How do you teach balance?
10) How many preludes did chopin write?
11) What book would you use to teach cantabile line?
12) Play grade 7 baroque (Telemann bouree):
13) What is a bouree?
14) What’s the form of the piece? What’s the benefit of telling students the form of the piece?
15) How do you teach evenness?
16) Play grade 8 twenty-first century (mysterious summer night):
17) Why would students like this piece?
18) What’s the composer? What other piece did she compose?
19) How would you teach bar 15? How would you ask the student to practice this bar?
20) Would you write in pedal markings for the students?
21) Play grade 10 baroque (Bach fugue):
22) How to you teach balance in a fugue?
23) How do you show the different lines?
24) How do you teach a student who plays everything correct but not musically?
25) What book do you use to help analyze fugues?
26) Play grade 9 twentieth century (golliwogg’s cakewalk):
27) What period is this piece written?
28) Who’s the composer?
29) What’s a cake-walk?
30) How do you introduce impressionistic music?
31) Is it important to learn multiple pieces from the same style/composer? (ie. play more than one impressionistic pieces from Debussy?)
1) What is satisfying in teaching students in the high level?
2) How do you fit everything in 1 hour lesson?
3) Is there anything that absolutely must be in a lesson?
4) Name a difficult rhythm that you would see in the higher level, how would you teach it?
5) How do you teach rubato?
6) What types of studies (etudes) do you use, other than the ones by RCM?
7) Play grade 9 romantic 19th century (chopin prelude in Db):
8) How do you teach cantabile?
9) How do you teach balance?
10) How many preludes did chopin write?
11) What book would you use to teach cantabile line?
12) Play grade 7 baroque (Telemann bouree):
13) What is a bouree?
14) What’s the form of the piece? What’s the benefit of telling students the form of the piece?
15) How do you teach evenness?
16) Play grade 8 twenty-first century (mysterious summer night):
17) Why would students like this piece?
18) What’s the composer? What other piece did she compose?
19) How would you teach bar 15? How would you ask the student to practice this bar?
20) Would you write in pedal markings for the students?
21) Play grade 10 baroque (Bach fugue):
22) How to you teach balance in a fugue?
23) How do you show the different lines?
24) How do you teach a student who plays everything correct but not musically?
25) What book do you use to help analyze fugues?
26) Play grade 9 twentieth century (golliwogg’s cakewalk):
27) What period is this piece written?
28) Who’s the composer?
29) What’s a cake-walk?
30) How do you introduce impressionistic music?
31) Is it important to learn multiple pieces from the same style/composer? (ie. play more than one impressionistic pieces from Debussy?)
Friday, September 9, 2011
Structure of a 30 minute Lesson
This is proposed breakdown of a 30 minute piano lesson
BOW (I'm ready)
Note Reading (5 minutes)
This could include a Music Mind Game activity, pop quiz, writing exercise, or even solfege singing and signing.
Technic (10 minutes)
Working on the basics, the Twinkle variations, the Twinkle theme; five note scales, triads or arppeggios. The time here could be shorter or longer and blended in with the repertoire.
Repertoire (10 minutes)
If the entire piece is not played end to end, the teacher may be choosing select measures of phrases. There could be a practise game board and dice to aid with memory or working out trouble spots.
Review (5 minutes)
Playing a review piece allows the child to play something he knows well and enjoys playing. This also ensures that pieces are always performance ready.
BOW (Thank you).
BOW (I'm ready)
Note Reading (5 minutes)
This could include a Music Mind Game activity, pop quiz, writing exercise, or even solfege singing and signing.
Technic (10 minutes)
Working on the basics, the Twinkle variations, the Twinkle theme; five note scales, triads or arppeggios. The time here could be shorter or longer and blended in with the repertoire.
Repertoire (10 minutes)
If the entire piece is not played end to end, the teacher may be choosing select measures of phrases. There could be a practise game board and dice to aid with memory or working out trouble spots.
Review (5 minutes)
Playing a review piece allows the child to play something he knows well and enjoys playing. This also ensures that pieces are always performance ready.
BOW (Thank you).
Friday, August 26, 2011
Words for Suzuki Book 1
LONG LONG AGO (taken from Suzuki Discussion Board member entry)
Long long ago on a bright sunny day
I saw a frog on top a log.
Long long ago on a bright sunny day
I saw a frog on a log.
He jumped so high that I thought he could fly
He jumped so high that I thought he could fly
Long long ago on a bright sunny day
I saw a frog on a log.
GO TELL AUNT RHODY
Strawberry bowing, smoothly on the string,
Strawberry bowing makes my cello sing,
Up to the A string then we turn around,
softly again with silky sound.
Strawberry bowing, smoothly on the string,
Strawberry bowing makes my cello sing. (Mark Eeles)
Go tell Aunt Rhody, Go tell Aunt Rhody, Go tell Aunt Rhody the party is today.
We have the presents and the birthday cake; we hope that she can come today.
Go tell Aunt Rhody, Go tell Aunt Rhody, Go tell Aunt Rhody the party is today. (Gwen Montgomery)
Go tell aunt rhody, John is very sick, go tell Aunt rhody john is sick in bed.
He ate some popcorn, and some jelly beans; He ate some candy, and some gum.
Go tell aunt rhody John is very sick, Go tell aunt rhody, John is sick in bed. (Alison Sargent)
Long long ago on a bright sunny day
I saw a frog on top a log.
Long long ago on a bright sunny day
I saw a frog on a log.
He jumped so high that I thought he could fly
He jumped so high that I thought he could fly
Long long ago on a bright sunny day
I saw a frog on a log.
GO TELL AUNT RHODY
Strawberry bowing, smoothly on the string,
Strawberry bowing makes my cello sing,
Up to the A string then we turn around,
softly again with silky sound.
Strawberry bowing, smoothly on the string,
Strawberry bowing makes my cello sing. (Mark Eeles)
Go tell Aunt Rhody, Go tell Aunt Rhody, Go tell Aunt Rhody the party is today.
We have the presents and the birthday cake; we hope that she can come today.
Go tell Aunt Rhody, Go tell Aunt Rhody, Go tell Aunt Rhody the party is today. (Gwen Montgomery)
Go tell aunt rhody, John is very sick, go tell Aunt rhody john is sick in bed.
He ate some popcorn, and some jelly beans; He ate some candy, and some gum.
Go tell aunt rhody John is very sick, Go tell aunt rhody, John is sick in bed. (Alison Sargent)
Friday, August 19, 2011
Musicnotes: Teaching Tools
A few quotes for positive corrections:
* Can you remembe that? If you forget can I remind you?
* This is right, this is not right. This is how to fix it.
* How far can you play in this position (fingering, poster and position)
* Demonstrate then ask, can you do it like that?
Here a few ideas she calls, a Teacher's Bag of Tricks
- Demonstration: Be the best possible model. Play with the child, maintain tempo, mold the hand.
- Play on the arm, back and shoulders to demonstrate the feeling of the depth of keys, weight. Have then play on your arm.
- Ready-Play: For example to use with changes in dynamics, for example forte (freeze) piano in La Turka, Mozart in Book 7; prepare for the chord.
- Repetition: take small manageable steps, small sections
- Muscle Memory: Child plays with eyes closed. She gives the example of Michael Phelps swimming; the race when he couldn't see but he remembered how many strokes to get to the end of the lane.
- Ghost playing: trains silent playing and auralizing/ audiate in the brain.
- Solfege singing: solfege everytune in book 1
- Simplify Terminology: When introducing octaves play Twinkle C high and low; say octopus, octagon an octave!
- Music Mind Games: make music theory interactive at http://www.young-musicians.com/
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