6 Responses for "How Young…"

1. Rebecca January 15th, 2009 at 12:22 am 1

   I teach quite a few 4-5 year olds and I find it so fulfilling. They’re at the age were so much is happening developmentally that you can lay some very important musical seeds that can continue to sprout throughout their childhood.
   Something that everyone says but is so true is that if you make it fun, they will be engaged – and that all starts with the materials. Choosing materials that are applicable to the age group is of upmost importance, a 5 year old needs a much different approach to a 6 year old. That is because they differ dramatically developmentally. 4-5 year olds tend not to have been exposed to the school learning environment as much as 6-7 year olds which means that they are not geared for learning in the same way. Concepts can sometimes take longer to understand, not because they are unable to understand, but because their brains have not developed the learning skills necessary to understand. If you choose materials that take this into account and aim less towards ‘lets learn lots about music so we can play songs’ but more towards ‘lets go on a fun journey were you will meet lots of musical friends who will show you fun tricks’ I find the results are much better.
   I like to use Alfreds Music for Little Mozarts as a base because it starts very logically and is laid out like a story book that can easily involve the parents because they can read the story to the child at night. It also introduces concepts very gradually and it is easy to set the pace exactly to the childs needs.

2. music teacher January 15th, 2009 at 8:12 am 2

   I have not yet handled a student of that age. I prefer those who are more independent and disciplined. I admire your guts in accepting young students.

3. Dan the Music Master January 15th, 2009 at 8:28 am 3

   I think that six or seven is a great age to start. Five (of even four) is possible, but requires a heck of a lot of patience from the teacher in question.

4. Linda Brown January 15th, 2009 at 10:53 am 4

   Don’t give up. You were 5 and look at you now.

5. Karen January 16th, 2009 at 7:30 am 5

   I teach 5 year olds using “My First Piano Adventures” It is a great program that uses a CD of the pieces along with activities. There is a group of children and a music teacher named Mrs. Razzle Dazzle! Mozart and Beethoven show up in the second book where music history is introduced. I love my 5 year olds! They are very willing to try new things. I think because of the slower pace of these books, and the listening CD students come away with a better foundation of rhyrhm and note reading. I agree with Rebecca that it is easier to take these children on a musical journey and at the same time learn piano in little increments.

6. Alice January 17th, 2009 at 7:19 am 6

   My youngest student is 4. Until now I have not taught students til they were six (second grade is preferable).
   I accepted this student because my husband is out of work and I need to increase the size of my studio–the Mom wanted both of her kids to take lessons. I communicated very clearly how I would approach lessons with a four year old (music readiness with the piano as the focus, not reading music). I took the 4 year old with the understanding that we would evaluate every month to see if continues lessons would benefit her. I was familiar with MFPA (and love it) and ordered Pianimals, and combined the two, along with some ideas from the Music Moves for Piano website (I think that’s the name).We did many many off bench activities. We are in our third month, and doing more songs on the piano, which I have her play mostly with a braced third finger, as she has mini-hands that I don’t want to stress. We also do ‘twosies’ and ‘threesies’, which are little exercises to strengthen the fingers while reinforcing curved hand position, using finger weight,etc.