Making piano lessons fun and engaging!

If you've just joined me, please read "Locating staff notes on the piano: Part I" first. NOTE: This blog entry is written with the understanding that your students already know their musical alphabet and can identify the letter names of the white notes on the piano.  Although there is quite a bit of text written below, it goes very quickly (10 valuable minutes)! If you feel that you are running out of time, you can always continue with activities #3 and #4 at their next lesson.  Some of my students like to talk through everything I teach them.  It helps them understand the concepts and retain the information better.  It does, though, add extra time onto this mini lesson so I simply cut it in half and teach the other half next time I see them. REVIEW You are reinforcing what was taught in the previous lesson which focused on "high/low" from a vertical perspective (up/down) to a more horizontal per...

High/Low Before teaching children how to read staff notes and to accurately locate them on the piano they need to know the concept of high and low in relation to the grand staff as well as the piano. I can't tell you what an asset my master's in education has been in teaching piano quite effectively!  We as education majors were always told to break things down into smaller pieces for our students.  NEVER take your knowledge for granted and assume that your students should just get everything you're saying because you think it's easy.  Use concrete examples as often as you can.  The more hands on the activities the better your students will retain the information. *Take a break from the piano bench and do this activity standing up: Kids love change and the thought of leaving the bench for just a few moments gets them so excited!* When teaching the concept of "higher and lower" here are a few things you can do: -Have a container of a few items...

Wow!  It's been a while since I've blogged.  I hope everyone is enjoying this spring weather.  I know I am.  I am SO proud of my students who took the statewide theory test this past February!  Way to go for receiving scores of 95% and better!  Also, congratulations to my students who participated in the winter festival who received "Excellent",  "Superior", and "Superior +" ratings! I found that testing my students with quick fun games most every lesson really helps them retain information from week to week.  Here is a matching game I made up using multi-colored pegs purchased from "U.S. Toys" (intersection of Independence and Parker Ave.) or www.cptoys.com .  They remind me of shish kabobs when they're put together so I named this game Key" bobs. Ha! Funny, right? OK, maybe not that funny but I thought it was a cute name for it.  Anyway, I drew or wrote musical terms on a sheet of blank sticker paper and...

I have all sorts of blank grand staffs in my studio of varying sizes from business card sized to poster board to one grand staff that takes up the entire floor length of my foyer.  By now you already know that I LOVE places like Dollar and party stores.  My favorite place of all which is a few minutes from where I live that I consider a teacher's paradise is called U.S. Toys (CPToys online) right next to LaserWorld.  I go in there focused on getting only one or two items that I need and end up walking out with a bag full of stuff....sigh.  Sometimes, for inspiration, I just walk up and down the aisles thinking of what games I could make up with the stuff they have.  This activity came from one of those such aisle walks. I saw these cool plastic party favor mazes (first picture) and at the time I knew it could be used for something musical but didn't know what.  They were cheap enough so I bought them!  A few weeks later the idea came to me! ...

 Happy Holidays everyone!  I hope that you are having a wonderful time with family and friends.   I received some pretty awesome gifts for Christmas this year including a few items that I'll be incorporating into my future lessons so stay tuned for some wacky ideas, games, and activities in the new year!  Are a few of your students having a little difficulty remembering the meanings of different tempo marks such as Adagio, Allegro, and Andante?  Throwing "snowballs" at varying tempos really helps my students remember which is which.  It's especially easy to get the "A" words mixed up when first learning them so I thought up this idea of  us throwing "snowballs" at each other based on which tempo mark I call out.  It's a great way to help teach and reinforce the different tempo marks. This is the perfect time of year to have an indoor "snowball fight' with your students using small styrofoam balls (about 2-21/2" in diameter) and ...

 Wow!  My students rocked the house last Friday night at their winter recital.  They did such a wonderful job.  I couldn't be more proud of them!  Now, on to more note ID games......I created this game "Note Rollers" close to 5 years ago.  It's a great game to reinforce quick note identification.  I bought a table top rubber piano from Toys R Us ® a few Christmas's ago and it has been such an asset to my piano program.  My students get a kick out of this flat rubber piano.  They think it's the coolest thing ever.  I use it for quite a few activities.  If you are interested in purchasing one of these, I'd suggest looking for sales now around the holidays.  I bought mine for half off the original price (about $13.00).  I wouldn't roll it up as they suggest since it actually damages the keys.  Keep it flat at all times.  I bought a few foam dice from a local teacher store (although I've seen them in craf...

I love thinking up ways to help my students quickly identify and locate piano notes. I came up with this game about 3 years ago and have been using it ever since. The beauty of a game like this is that it grows with your students. All you need for this game is card stock, magic markers, colored sticker dots, and a ball.  I'd suggest laminating anything you make. There's this store near to where I live that allows you to laminate your own stuff for only $.25 a foot!  I go in there at least once a week.  Great place! I lay down six to seven note cards on the floor.  Each with a  circle sticker adhered to a particular note. Then I hand my students the ball.  I hold up either a letter name or staff note (depending on their level of understanding) and they have to find the card on the floor that matches the card in my hand.  When they find it, I tell them to slam the ball down onto the card as hard as they'd like.  ...