Piano Readiness

There are many things to consider when deciding to begin piano lessons for your child. Private lessons (one-on-one time with a teacher) are a very different kind of learning experience from the classroom or the computer. Each pairing of lesson plus student plus teacher creates a unique educational setting, so the learning experience can be tailored to fit the needs of each child.

• Age: Piano readiness is not always age and size related. Children are ready for music from birth, but the right time for private instrument lessons varies. Don’t rush it. Young children only have one chance to be the age that they are, and starting too soon is frustrating for everyone. In general, children who begin private lessons no younger than age 5 or 6 do quite well, and  fun introductory lessons, like Ready, Set, GO!! might be the right place to begin if you have an interested four year old.  A less concrete lesson format is helps to prepare the student for more complex music learning in a fun setting, and there is less responsibility to follow up at home.

• Independence: Piano lessons are for children who are ready to participate in a learning experience without their primary caregiver. It is important for parents to be ready to accept this new stage of self-sufficiency. For some children, these lessons will be a first independent experience, requiring much care and cooperation from both teachers and parents to assure a healthy beginning. At Black Lab studio, parents are welcome to be near, but not IN, the lesson.

• Practice Time: At the end of each lesson, your child will be given a list of follow up activities to do at home. These activities will require periods of thoughtful repetition and review, called “Practice”. The needed duration of each week’s practice sessions will vary, and it should be a positive process. Scheduled according to your child’s age, learning style, and temperament, these sessions can be fun and creative. Practice is a learned skill and one that will be taught as a part of the lesson. I will help with this very important process. For both parent and child, being “ready” to set aside the time and space and patience to practice is an important part of deciding to take private lessons of any kind.

• Parent Readiness: Allowing your child to venture into an independent lesson experience is a big decision. When you are ready, please plan to come by for a visit so that we can talk together about what will happen in the lessons. Let’s make sure everyone’s expectations and ideas about piano lessons agree.

“How to tell students what to look for without telling them what to see is the dilemma of teaching.” Lascelles Abercrombie