Can anyone help with teaching ideas/assignment ideas as I try to work with students who have the following learning characteristics: Auditory learner, distracted (A.D.D.), gifted musically, creative, composes and improvises on their own, poor school performance, does not prepare for piano lesson as directed (would rather spend their time at home making up pieces, improvising with friends etc.) These children are 12 and 13, very nice kids, want to take lessons, have loving and cooperative parents, but just struggle with the usual assignments I give all my other students and do not progress in piano lessons. How can I encourage them, motivate them, help them achieve their interests and still give them the essential musical foundations they need to go on with music in their lives? Thank you.

-- Barbara Kinnick (ranswood@juno.com), March 04, 2003

Answers

Try identifying the kind of music they prefer to play. If their choice isn't with the traditional repertoire then hunt down the piece they prefer to learn and use this to develop their understanding of written music as well as technique. At the same time, have the student agree to work on a piece of your choice as a compromise to you both. Sometimes, we need to meet our students at their level of interests.

-- June Ryan (jrsm@ipasifika.net), April 03, 2003.