I teased last week about a fun new twist on the Whack-it games Natalie from www.musicmattersblog.com invented.  You can see her versions of those games here and here.  These games are such hits with my students, so we’re always playing them.  I did a small group lesson last week and wanted to find a way to play the game with two players. 

Each student will need a spatula (this is their favorite part of the game).

Each student also needs a deck of flashcards.  I take 20 cards out and split them into two piles of 10.

The students sit side by side.  The teacher sits facing them.  At the teacher’s signal, (I smack my hands on the floor, but a bell or buzzer would be fun too) the students race each other to whack their card with the spatula and correctly identify their note. 

Whoever gets the note correct first moves the card aside.  The other person keeps the card at the top of his/her pile.

The teacher gives another signal and the students race again.  The game is over when one student successfully moves through his/her pile of flashcards.

When it’s all done, switch decks of cards and play again!

I just got back from a wonderful Alfred workshop with Dan Coates and Gayle Kowalchyk.  I’m incredibly excited about Alfred’s new series for teens.  I’ll tell you all about it next week!

In the meantime, here’s another preview.  My daughter is playing in the mess left over after a student and I played a fun new game inspired by Natalie’s Whack-it Games!  I’ll tell you about the new game next week!

I had a great Students Only Recital this past week. 

My aim in doing a recital just for students was twofold.

1. To make performing less stressful.  The students were slightly nervous when they got to my house.  They would be performing, after all!  But as they walked in, I handed them a number.  They then were allowed to sit wherever they wanted.  Both these factors eased fears, since students are used to sitting in a designated spot and holding a program at regular recitals.  I allowed each student to start with one piece.  When everyone had finished their pieces, I asked if anyone wanted to play another.  Two non-shy hands shot up right away.  Motivated by those successes, several shy hands raised into the air as well.  Mostly everyone ended up playing two pieces- one they had prepared for and one they had not.  These spontaneous performances helped my students feel comfortable around each other.  They were able to actually experience the FUN of performing!
2. To create a cameraderie amongst students.  I’ve said this before.  I think it’s important that students have friends in music.  There are many reasons- they can motivate each other to keep going, they can help each other aspire to be better, they can create music together.  So a large part of my recital was devoted to meeting each other and getting to know each other’s names.

After everyone performed, we sat in a circle on the floor.  We started tap/clapping a simple beat: Hit legs, clap, hit legs, clap… We then went around the room, and said each person’s name in rhythm.

Rebecca

Hit legs, clap

James

Hit legs, clap

and so on.

Everyone did a good job.  My youngest student, a 5 year old, had a little trouble keeping the beat.  However, I anticipated this, and sat next to him so I could help.

After we played that game, we played another silly name games that had the kids literally rolling on the floor in hysterics.  I’m sure you’ve heard this game.  Each person chooses an animal that starts with the first letter of her name.  I was Rebecca Rabbit.  Then, each person goes around the room taking a turn at trying to remember everyone’s name and animal.

Such a simple game, but the silly laughs everyone shared really brought my students together!

I have asked each student this week if they can name everyone who was at the recital.  Everybody (even the 5 year old) has been able to do it!

Have you ever done a Students Only Recital?

Please take a moment to visit the new sponsor of Piano Teacher’s Retreat, iNoteTrainer.  Just click on the ad to the right, and it will take you to a site about iNoteTrainer.  This fun note reading App was designed by a piano student to help him get better at reading notes in his spare time.  In the game, a note pops up on the screen and you identify it by letter name or piano key.  There is a demonstration you can watch at the site.  What a great App for your students (or students’ parents) to put on their iPhones or iPod Touch!  You could even assign iNote Trainer time as part of practice every week!

We’ve been having fun using blocks for different games during lessons.  Here is another one that has been helpful for a few students.  A few of my students have a hard time understanding that specific C’s, D’s, etc. are in specific places.  For example, they will see a Treble C and play whatever C they feel like.  I haven’t figured out why this is a problem for these students, but I have noticed that each student also has other issues that are exactly the same.  It seems like they each have a difficult time reading.  Do you have students with these issues as well?

This game seems to help a little bit.  Have your student set up letter blocks A through G.  Then, they must place each A underneath the block A, each B underneath the block B, etc. 

Once they have all three (or however many they have learned) correctly underneath the block, they put the flashcards in order from lowest to highest.  Then, they take them over to the piano and play them in that order while they watch the flashcards.

If you have kids, no doubt you have some of these cluttering up your house.

If you don’t, get some! (blocks, that is)  Because you now have a fantastic piano game to play with these blocks!  This game is best for wiggly younger students.

Step 1: Gather up all your blocks from under the couch, under the beds, and behind the refrigerator until you find the letters A through G.

Step 2: Print some free music staff paper from www.blanksheetmusic.net.

Step 3: At your next lesson, instruct your student to “roll” the blocks (just like rolling dice).

Step 4: Since the blocks have letters on both sides, your student will then be instructed to quickly separate the “piano letters” (A through G) from the rest of the blocks.  (This is good at helping youngsters quickly identify piano letters!)

Step 5: Set a timer.  5 seconds for each letter.  In the above example, the timer is set for 15 seconds.  Instruct your student to draw the notes on her staff paper in that 15 seconds.

Step 6: Roll again.  Keep it fast paced, so the student is forced to think quickly and trust instincts.  Shorten the time if it is too easy!

I’m always searching for new games to play with flashcards.  Flashcards by themselves are so helpful, but simply drilling can be boring and even ineffective with some students.

Susan at Piano Teacher’s Resources posted this great Tic-Tac-Toe flashcard game.  We’ve been playing it a lot this week, and it’s a hit with every student.

We have also been doing a simple matching game on my old flannel board.  Students match the note flashcard with the correct letter.  They love using the flannel board, but you could use magnets on a white board (or even your refrigerator if you teach at home!). 

Both games have been particularly helpful for one little girl I teach.  She lacks the ability or desire to sit still and answer questions.  So every time I try to drill with flashcards, she gets frustrated, stops trying, and eventually gets angry.  NOT a fun time!  But she really needs work on identifying notes.  These games are so fun for her, she’ll actually take the time to figure out the notes- something she absolutely won’t do at the piano bench.

What games do you play with flashcards?  If you would like to do a guest post about your fun flaschard game ideas, email me at pianoteacherblog{at}yahoo{dot}com.

A very simple and effective game for younger students is “Simon Says.” I use this for note naming and finger number practice, but I’m sure there are many other uses as well!

For note naming, I have the student stand at the piano. I then say, “Simon says, ‘Play an A up high’” and so forth. We play for a certain amount of time, and count the number of correct notes. Of course, I try to trick the student by simply saying, “Play a C down low.” If they play the C when I didn’t say “Simon Says,” we start the count over.

For finger numbers, I have the student stand away from the piano while I say things like, “Simon says, ‘Touch your nose with finger number 2.’”

Sometimes, if there is time, I let them be “Simon,” and try and trick me!

We’ve been playing this fast paced game during lessons, and it’s been a hit. All it takes are note flashcards and a metronome.

Object: Your student wants to get all the notes on the flashcards correct.

Set the metronome at the slowest speed. Hold up a flashcard to your student on one beat. Your student has to tell you the name of the note by the next beat, or the card goes in the “Miss” pile. If your student gets it right, it goes in the “Win” pile. After you have gone through all the cards, add up how many are in the “Win” pile. Play again and see if your student can beat his/her first score. When your student does well on the slowest speed, speed up the metronome, and try again!

This is good for my students because it forces them to go with their first instinct when they see the card. Most often, they are right, and this gives them that confidence they need!

One student didn’t do very well, but even still, he still was able to beat his score by one or two cards each time. And he had a lot of fun!

Check out this great link at disney.go.com.  It has some fun music games for kids (little kids), but it also has great resources for adults!  It has great articles for parents, games for families to play together, a musical glossary, and more.  Great resource!