Please help me I'm a first year teacher..?

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Question:

I just wondering what technical exercises/repertoire you give young piano students (age 5 or 6) in their first year of study!? I'm really interested in using the Suzuki method in addition to the Bartok mikrokosmos, but I'm not sure what pieces to start out with!? Would small baroque pieces (Anna Magdalena) be too difficult for a 6 year old!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

I used to play small baroque pieces like that when I was 8!. I think they might be a little technically difficult for a brand new student!. Suzuki if a great method for teaching!. I have been a student for 7 years and I have really progressed every year!. I don't do the Suzuki books anymore, I pick pieces that I want to learn!. I just learned a Liszt Consolation!. There is a stereo-type that Suzuki students have to bear - that is that they are great players but they don't know any music theory!. That is the only con I can think of!.!.!.!.!.!.Suzuki also encourages playing by ear, which diminishes sight reading ability!.!.!.maybe n another con!.!.!.!.!.anyway, I hope this helps!

EDIT: Ummm!.!.!.!.I would like to respond to Chinese Cowboy about Suzuki!. Developing technique is completely up to the teacher!. Like I said, there are stereo-types around that I can't stand!. My fellow students are excellent pianists and are doing music theory at a college level!. My teacher is very careful about teaching the correct technique to young students!. The teacher has everything to do with their education!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

First of all !.!. congratulations on becoming a teacher!Www@QuestionHome@Com

There are several negatives about Suzuki!. Because you learn to play by ear, students do not learn to read music till later on and those with Suzuki training have poor technique!. They do not learn to develop finger independence and understanding how the fingers work in relationship to reading music!. Those with Suzuki training are often behind their colleagues who have the same amount of study!.

What you should do is take the Royal Conservatory of Music's Pedagogy Certificate Program!. This way you can learn about all the methods, pedagogical principles, repertoire, technical exercises and how to be an effective teacher!.

I can tell that you have little experience and that is very dangerous when working with beginners because they need a teacher who understands the principles of teaching!. Just because you can play does not mean you can teach!. You need to familiarize with all the methods and repertoire because there is so much out there! You have to know what pieces to use for certain pedagogical principles!.

Why do you want to use Mikrokosmos!? What is your belief about those books and how do they help a student!? Why would you use Suzuki method!? What benefits are there for a student!? You need to be familiar with every system - Music Tree, Middle C Position, 5 finger position, fence post method!.!.!.!. and so on!.!.!.!. why would you use a certain method over an other!? What are good pieces to develop keyboard geography or what are good pieces to help establish a good sense of rhythmic pulse!?

You need to be well equipped when teaching beginners!.!.!. well any age and level to be honest!. You need to be able to have a solution immediately, pull the appropriate piece to fix a problem!. But the other thing is you need to know how to motivate a student and how to teach them to practice!.

Its not a knock on you!. You are just inexperienced and for your own good, I highly suggest you do this program which is offered in Canada and the United States!. Your question has too much uncertainty and that is not responsible for a teacher!. As a teacher you have a responsibility to teach and the questions you ask only demonstrate your lack of credible knowledge!.!.!. these are things you will gain by working under another teacher and exploring the repertoire!.

check this out!.!.!.!. this is only to be helpful in making you a better teacher!.!.!. remember just because someone can play does not mean they can teach!. Horowitz even said that he was a bad teacher! The world's best teachers are the ones who are most informed and have a complete understanding of all pedagogical principals and the piano literature!.

http://www!.rcmexaminations!.org/index1!.ht!.!.!.
Click on Academic Information on the Top, then on the next page click on Piano Pedagogy Certificate ProgramWww@QuestionHome@Com