| Author |
Subject |
trilled
Registered User
(11/3/00 12:21:41 am)
Reply |
How to
teach beginners
I'm not a professional, so pardon me
for intruding onto your board.
As part of a community outreach
program I'll be teaching private cello lessons to 4-5th grade
students. These kids are somewhat underprivelaged and for now this
is the only chance they'll have for music lessons. So far there's
only one little boy who's interested in cello. The elementary school
music teacher said it was okay for me to teach since it's on a
volunteer basis even though I have no music ed background. I don't
have a teacher myself right now so I really don't know who to ask
about this. (the music teacher is a vocalist with no idea on how to
teach strings)
So far here's my lesson plan.
First
Lesson
-How to hold the cello and bow.
-"hanging" off the
fingerboard so he's not applying too much pressure from his
shoulders
-reading music, open strings at first and bass
clef
Second Lesson
-making sure he knows about
humidity/temp. on cello
-bowing open notes, making sure he
applies even
pressure while bowing
Later
lessons
-First Position and ear training.
I doubt this kid
will have access to a piano so how does one explain ear training????
And how the heck am I going to show him how to tune the strings if
he has no reference point? A tuning fork is my only hope but that's
somewhat tricky for a young beginner.
Beyond the first 2
lessons I'm at a loss what to
teach him. Positions and basic
things like keeping the bow straight won't be too tricky but what
else am I missing?
I know some people would criticize me for
taking on a student with no formal teaching background and no active
music making involvement outside my own practice room but I've been
wanting to do this for ages and am very excited!
Any pointers are
much appreciated! Thanks in advance!
|
Kidnotes
Registered User
(1/6/01 6:39:47 pm)
Reply |
How's
it going
Trilled,
It's probably too late
to be of any help to you, but how are your lessons
with those
kids going? I'm the parent of a 5 year old cellist, and teach
piano,
and would be happy to swap ideas, if you are
interested.
|
trilled
Registered User
(1/12/01 11:43:25 pm)
Reply |
so far
so good
My student finally got his own cello
which is a half sized instrument so now things are finally starting.
I've noticed that he has some attention span problems so I grill him
for 10 mins at a time, let him rest and play around then go again.
One bad habit I'm trying to break him out of is his bow hold. His
older brother plays violin and got him to hold his boy like a
violinist. But overall he seems to be making progress.
|
Kidnotes
Registered User
(1/14/01 10:55:51 pm)
Reply |
an idea
for ear training and the bowhold
Your student may still be young
enough to get excited about a bowhold challenge. See who can reach
1000 bowholds first, you or him. Within days his bowhold should be
"very cello" and the violin hold all but forgotten (we hope
anyway.)
For ear training consider creating a tape of his
method book for him to listen too, maybe even include tuning pitches
at the beginning. If you're concerned about his ear overtaking his
eye while he's learning to read notes, then consider a book of
simple solos to add to the method book. You may not be a Suzuki fan,
but Book 1 does have some pretty nice solos, and it has the
advantage of having cds and tapes already available. I have to
admit, that I've been pretty amazed at the progress my students and
my own kids make as a result of listening to good sounding
renditions of the songs they are currently working on. Suzuki
advocates 6 hours a day, but we never make it at our house. We do
try to put the music on low 2-3 hours each day, just as back ground
and at bedtime, and even that makes a difference.
Take it for
what its worth!
|
Tim
Janof
Registered
User
(1/15/01 3:42:56 pm)
Reply |
Re: How
to teach beginners
Do you have Phyllis Young's book,
"Playing the String Game?" It contains lots of ideas on these very
issues.
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