My Teaching Philosophy
I love to teach! I have pleasant and happy memories of my childhood piano teachers. I positively encourage correct habits and seek to instill a consistent work ethic. As a teacher of music, I believe I will never “arrive.” I will always have different techniques to explore, new ideas to incorporate, and more music to digest. This is a big part of my attraction to this field. I could never get bored! I love to learn and will continue to educate myself as I age. I believe that three of the greatest skills I will teach my students are sight reading, how to read rhythms, and turning notes into expressions of their hearts. In order to accomplish this, I must never get stagnant. Teaching and playing the piano are my passion!
My job as a teacher is to prepare the student for playing and practicing success at home. I spend a large part of the lesson preparing the students for their new pieces. We do simple exercises in a logical, step by step manner that prepare them to play the piece successfully. This helps the student stay motivated and progress more quickly. Older students that have a secure foundation in reading can focus their efforts in fine tuning, rather than spending most of their time trying to figure out the notes and rhythms.
Theory and technique are taught in the context of their playing, as well as separately in drills. For examples: Scales are the building blocks of melodies, and the student who knows his five-finger patterns, and later, his scales, will not have as many problems playing in various keys. Cadences become easy to play and identify, when they understand where they occur in their pieces.
Sight reading is a crucial skill. (Sight reading is being able to read music on sight, without previous practice.) Futuristically speaking, the student may be asked to play on the spur of the moment. If his training includes sight reading as daily practice, this skill will benefit him above any other. The students are expected to sight read daily, using a metronome and preparation exercises taught in the studio.
Playing music beautifully is an art. Why do some students play with such ease and beauty? It is developed through listening to oneself and of constantly analyzing the balance of the hands, the voicing of the melody, and the shaping the phrase. Each of these and other artistic skills must be taught from an early age.
Music is to be enjoyed. I like to give the student a choice in the music he plays! While weekly pieces may come and go quickly, the pieces that are to be learned for performance must be chosen by the student. I like to find pieces that they are excited to learn!
Parents, the student, and the teacher are like a three-legged chair. Together, we can be successful.
a. The student must practice daily with an attentive desire to improve at each session, taking responsibility for his effort and time invested.
b. The parent can assist by requiring daily practice before play time, and by giving encouragement and praise for their child’s good efforts. Bringing the student on time to his lessons, purchasing the required materials, and playing classical music in the home are all helpful for the child’s growth.
c. The teacher must continually develop her skills with continuing education in teaching and playing. Her example as a pianist is an important motivator. Personally, as a member of the Utah Music Teachers Association, I have attended monthly classes and a yearly conference on music teaching since 1991. I received my certification through Music Teachers National Association in 1994, and my bachelor's degree from Weber State University in Piano Pedagogy in 2009.
Music in the form of playing the piano is such a useful and enjoyable skill. Studying music is one of the few activities that uses both hemispheres of the brain; and therefore, develops the brain to be more able to learn scientific and artistic skills. If you want your child to do well in math and the sciences, give him or her piano lessons!
