Kids' learning cycle
A piano lesson with me follows the needs of the student and adapts flow and rhythm to individual skills. Every student has his own unique set of skills: some need to focus more on rhythm, others on reading notes, others on musicality, and so on. For this reason, the lessons can't be standardised. Nevertheless, I follow a general structure, particularly useful for young students, who get used to a musical routine and feel reassured and relaxed in their learning. Check below for more details!
Learn new concepts and skills
In the learning phase, new concepts, skills or techniques are clearly explained according to age. This could be how to recognise a note on the staff, how to play with different articulations (legato, detached, staccato) or using various dynamics (piano, forte, mezzoforte etc). The teacher demonstrates on the piano, so that the student can fully grasp the concept and replicate it himself.
Additional pieces
More pieces are proposed now to practice, always with a focus on the aspects recently covered. These are always small fun pieces, which will start building the first repertoire of the student. The young musician will have to practice regularly at home, so that he will be able to play more fluently at the following lesson.
Practice
In this phase, the student puts in practice what he has just learnt in simple exercises and then in complete pieces. Beginners will often play duets with the teacher or have fun playinh with a music background. The pieces proposed are very catchy and stimulate the ear. Other activities can be proposed during this phase according to necessity, like singing, play percussions or reading notes in rhythm (solfège).
Theory activities
The concepts taught and put into practice are now reinforced through other activities, for example, recognising notes and their values, sight reading, aural training, composition, or improvisation. Some exercises are also assigned as homework, to make sure that the student is at ease with what he has learnt during the lesson.
