Colored Pencils in Piano Class
Colored Pencils in Every Class
When I discovered the magic that colored pencils could create in my classroom with flashcards, I began keeping them close in every piano lesson. When someone struggles to find a note, I simply mark the closest C on the page. I simply give a little colored reminder of where the nearest C is, and then step back.
Small and Simple Tricks
Somehow, the small and simple tricks seem to stick the best. I have found that this trick has helped hundreds of my students without becoming a permanent crutch or hindrance to their progress. The color hints on a student’s music are among the best learning tools in my classroom.
Helping Read High or Low Notes
I stumbled on this idea about 15 years ago when I had a student who panicked about reading or finding any higher or lower notes. In my attempt to alleviate her worry, I just kept coloring a bright orange spot where the high C space was, and like magic, she was able to find high E in a heartbeat. Every Wednesday I did this with Ms. Grace at her lessons as she struggled with her music reading. Months later, I realized that I had begun using this method with every single student who stumbled finding a note, not just Grace.
How to Teach Sight-Reading
I’ve kept sharpened colored pencils in class ever since. This technique of pointing out the nearest C acts like training wheels when a student takes on a piece that they feel is overwhelming. I have seen the stress set in when students get into ledger notes, but the colored pencil magic still works wonders no matter where the notes go on the paper. A little color on the ledger high C makes the F above a breeze to find. Likewise, a little color on the extra low C makes that lower B obvious in a hurry.
Sometimes I get a student trying to play a lower bass clef with all the notes written in by pencil. After they see how quickly they can find those notes using only the low C for reference in their ledger, no one spends practice time writing out all their note names anymore.
If It Works, It Works
I have found that simple colored pencils are worth their weight in gold. Students and teachers alike, we would rather hear the notes than the long pauses of panic in reading the notes.
Find me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook for more tips to help you learn to teach sight-reading or just music reading. If you’re new to teaching piano, I can’t recommend enough the course on my website that teaches you how to teach piano.
