Why is it beneficial to learn to play the piano?
The benefits to piano lessons have life term affects and regardless of the level of proficiency achieved or the years studied, students experience and gain more than a few simple melodies. The piano lesson is generally a one on one or a small group format. This format allows students to receive personal attention from the instructor. This is beneficial because the teacher can personalize the curriculum to the student and attend to his/her learning needs at a personal level. Student and teacher have the opportunity to address concepts such as practicing, studying strategies, time management, organization and planning, problem solving, summarizing, and analyzing. Life skills such as respect, responsibility, discipline, cooperation, and trust find their way into the lesson as caring and respectful relationships are established between teacher/student and studio. Finally students embrace who they are and their strengths and weaknesses by the personal challenges they encounter during their piano studies. With each new challenge mastered, students’ self esteem increases. With each new performance, students learn to develop their own unique expressive voice. And with each new musical experience, students grow as independent creative beings.
Learning to Play the Piano....
It is a process.
Learning to play the piano is a process, which requires the student to set realistic long term and short term goals. It is important to realize that with any process requires dedication, effort, patience and commitment. The student commits to working consistently at perfecting skills through out his/her studies in order to meet his/her goals.
It requires Team Work.
Students are motivated through success, and success is achieved through the efforts of the team consisting of student, teacher and parent. As a team the student, teacher and parent can create the support system the student needs to meet his/her goals in the lessons as well as in the home.
The lesson is a team effort between the student and the teacher, both learning from one another. The teacher is a facilitator in the process.
The student and parent are a team at home. The parent guides and encourages the student by providing a home environment conducive to good learning habits and supports the student’s effort. It is important to keep in mind that the student has 45 minutes a week with the teacher, but is his own teacher at home 6 days out of the week. Most of the learning will occur at home.
Finally the teacher and parent work together by communicating frequently and providing the student with positive feedback about his/her progress, and understanding that they are both role models of values, work ethic, and character.