How To Boost Student Progress
Use Patterns to boost piano student Progress
There are so many ways to teach music but one that keeps students progressing fastest is when we teach them to find patterns in their songs. From PreSchool or Kindergarrten, children are taught to identify A B patterns and how they repeat. Music has these same patterns. There is no need to wait until classical forms are defined and discussed. Getting students to recognize patterns early helps them to progress quickly.
LH solutions
Patterns show up in rhythm, notes and especially chords. When I was a child, I was taught just to see the notes, learn and play them. But as a teacher I found that a good introduction to chords from the beginning helps to make sense of the LH right away. Once you give that foundation, students have scaffolding to build their song around quicker. Most students begin by learning their RH melody and dread learning their LH. And who could blame them, it doesn’t sound melodic. Give purpose to the LH and you’ve solved the practice breach between LH and RH.
Finding patterns in Rhythm
In Disney’s popular Encanto, the Family Madrigal uses a repetitive pattern for the RH melody beginning in the first measures. Those patterns apply to the entire song. Giving students the heads up on both identifying and learning these patterns is an aid to helping them quickly master their verses and chorus.
Find a teacher who uses patterns
When interviewing teachers for you or your student, inquire about their process for teaching patterns. If they can communicate it clearly to you, then they are likely to be skilled at teaching it. Using patterns is an important part of my teaching methods because it is a part of the foundation for building to bigger concepts. It’s all about the scaffolding. The more structure we teach, the more ways there are to understand and use what is taught. Identifying all the patterns in a song is critical for fastest progress.
