Q & A
(Email your questions to me and I'll post the answers here!)
1. Will my child progress as much in group lessons?
Group lesson is an alternative way for a child to learn music. Studies show that a large percentage of children like to learn by sharing, learning and motivating each other in a group environment. Having fun while learning with their friends will promote life-long love for music
2. Will each child get his/her own keyboard?
Yes, I will have 2 keyboards and 1 piano in the room. Children will rotate on and off the piano. Typical group lessons only have keyboards. However, I stress the importance of having children play on the piano because the action and sound is alot different than keyboards.
3. Piano vs Keyboard - What's the difference?
http://www.keyboardcollective.com/media/BuyingPiano.pdf
3. My son is really giving me a hard time about practicing piano. He complains, he drags his feet when I tell him it's time to practice, and he cries. He even throws tantrums sometimes! He's 8. Please send help right away! I'm desperate!
Eight is a horrible age, especially for boys. They're mouthy, emotionally-uncontrolled (tantrums), uncooperative, pig-headed pains in the behind. How'm I doing with descriptors? (I have two boys, and they were both 8, once-upon-a-time!) Thirteen isn't very jolly either. Stand by, Mom/Dad.)
This behavior and mindset are because eight-year-olds are getting a dawning glimpse that they are independent persons. They realize they are able to have an opinion different from the adults in their lives, and they want to put that opinion into action pretty much as soon as they realize that the opinion is different from what the adults would recommend or prefer. Especially if it is different from what the adults would recommend or prefer!
This behavior also means they are only dimly aware that their decisions and actions have consequences. Right now they're reveling in the power they have to make decisions, especially those make the adults angry!
Most often, the results of the opinions put into action are not the desired outcomes (other than making the adults aggravated - - they love this!) and usually are negative (sometimes they realize this but usually don't associate it with the action).
What they don't understand is that unwanted outcomes are the result of their not being experienced enough in life to predict probable outcomes with any accuracy and identifying those actions that will result in a negative consequences. In fact, some adults never get to this point!
They stand by their opinions and actions, by gum! They are not going to back down, even to the point of beating the parent to the punch, which 99% of the time means a really unreasoned and unthought-out projection of consequences so they can avoid them.
This behavior is actually a good thing: you're rearing an independent adult. He just happens to be in an 8-year-old boy's body right now. He'll grow into a physical and emotional consonance eventually (after going through the teen years, which also can be a trial!).
Give him the decisions that are ok for him to make now but preserve as your own those he is not experienced enough to make safely or wisely. You'll note he griped that he wanted to decide when he played piano. (Don't call it "practice" because this has a negative and onerous connotation.) Give him options. Not, "Shall we get up early to play before school?" but something very specific, such as, "Would you like to play piano right before breakfast or right after it?" That he can decide. But not: "Do you want to brush your teeth?" or "Do you want to stop taking piano lessons?" or "Do you want to wear dirty skivvies?" (or "stop eating vegetables?" or "not exercise?" or "not go to church?" or "not be polite?" or any of those things we know kids really must do!).
We all want what's best for him: to grow into a responsible, successful, happy, generous, caring, and kind citizen of the U.S. (and the world!).
Hang tough, Mom. Be a parent. Don't be a friend. Carry out what you know is best for him even if he squawks now and makes it very difficult to keep your resolve to stay the course. He will thank you for it as an adult; and your grandchildren will thank you, too, as he'll rear them with the same values.