Piano Lessons

Here are some helpful tips on how to teach kids piano playing:

1. Assess first the readiness of the child to learn the skill. Most kids who already know how to read at least the letters of the alphabet are basically ready to learn. The chronological age is also a cue but not all the time. Some kids are ready by 4 or 5 years of age, others later, and others even younger than 4. However, there is more to piano playing than the age and the ability to read letters (as in LETTER or PITCH names) and notes. Readiness includes if the child has real interest in learning how to play. Many parents would want their child to learn piano playing without even considering if their child really wants it himself. So they spend a lot of money in paying the piano tutor and yet get less in terms of results. This is one aspect of readiness I always ensure when parents ask me to teach their kid because I, too, as a teacher, had difficulties teaching kids who are not interested no matter what pedagogical approach I use.

2. The issue of what material to use is also important. There are many materials available now in the bookstore but I think the best answer to that question is what material would bring in good results. Here, the tutor must see all the musical pieces in the material if they are musically interesting or boring. Children love good music. And it helps in the learning process to have musically interesting pieces.

3. It is also good if the tutor will be assessing the ability of the child to learn. Learning this skill does not depend much on the chronological age but on the ability of the child to learn concepts of rhythmic precision and note recognition. Chronological age, on the other hand, may determine the physical readiness of the child like dexterity of fingers, flexibility and attention.

4. Use letter names (C,D,E,F,G,etc.) or sol-fa syllables (do,re,mi, fa, etc.) and know which will be more effective for the child to remember. The benefit of using letter names is that they remain constant whatever key signature you use or the child is playing. The sol-fa syllable, though, is more familiar and simpler.

5. Do not rely solely on the material you use. Supplement the material with your own pedagogical approach like using music notebook to draw notes for identification,
have the child sing the melody (usually played by the right hand) while playing the left hand, or when the child cannot get the right rhythm when notes are played. Let the child sing and play when difficulty arise. Rewarding a child with even a very simple token of appreciation for what he is accomplishing is also helpful.

6. Train the child in sightreading and not mere rote memory in learning how to play.
Explain musical concepts in simple terms.

7. The tutor must also have a pleasing personality. This is probably the first thing a child would be wanting in his tutor because learning would almost be hampered when a child is full of fear of a tutor. But setting limitations and imposing discipline are also very important.

Learn more about this author, Andrimel Crisostomo.
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