Chapter 1: Preparation for Teaching
- Ck Cheuk
- Oct 18, 2024
- 14 min read
Section 1: Conditions for Becoming a Piano Teacher
First, let’s reflect on some key questions to better understand our role, identity, and goals as piano teachers:
What does music mean to you?
What are the responsibilities and obligations of a piano teacher?
What kind of teacher do you want to be? Or, how do you want your students to perceive you?
How much are you willing to invest in this profession?
As you answer these questions, do you feel the weight of this role? The expectations and trust students place in us are what give meaning to our profession. Unlike working for a company or government, where you report to a superior, as a piano teacher, your responsibility is to provide unwavering support for each student’s musical journey.
If reflecting on these questions has inspired you, take a moment to breathe deeply and seriously revisit your answers.
If your second, more considered answers are the same as the first, I believe you're mentally and philosophically ready. If not, we will revisit this discussion in the final chapter.
Now, let’s address the tangible conditions you need to meet. If there are gaps, you’ll need to dedicate time to self-improvement:
Mastery of all scales, chords, seventh chords, and the ability to quickly identify their musical structure and inner logic.
Knowledge of the posture and finger movements required for different tonalities.
Proficiency in one of the styles—classical, pop, or jazz—at an ABRSM, Trinity, or Rockschool Grade 8 level or higher, or equivalent.
Ability to explain around 100 musical terms and concepts in a way that a 10-year-old could understand.
These are the minimum technical requirements to ensure quality teaching. While this book doesn't teach theory or music knowledge, there are plenty of resources available. This book focuses on sharing my years of teaching experience and insights, skipping the basics to dive straight into practical teaching techniques.
Section 2: Understanding Students and Structuring Lessons
There are numerous teaching materials and lesson plans available, some of which are practical and useful, while others might not be suitable for most students. Why does this happen? Because no single curriculum can meet the needs of every student. Each student’s background, personality, goals, talents, abilities, and learning pace are different, and we need to tailor lessons accordingly.
We cannot teach 100 students with the same method; instead, we must use 100 methods to teach one student.
So, how do we assess a student’s situation? I believe student conditions should be prioritized according to their influence on learning. Consider the following factors in order of importance:
Resources
Time
Goals
Family Support
Interest
Personality
Ability
Talent
Many believe interest is the most important factor in learning, but in my experience, students often develop an interest only after achieving a sense of success.
Here’s the order in which I believe these factors should be considered:
Resources
Time
Goals
Family Support
Interest
Personality
Ability
Talent
I will analyze each condition's varying circumstances and strategies for arranging lessons according to the above order.
1. Resources
Resources include the affordability of tuition, whether the family can provide a suitable piano, and if there is enough space to place the piano, among other factors. In fact, when students first start learning, they usually already have adequate resources in place. Often, it's due to sudden family issues that reduce expenditures and resources. In such cases, we can adapt the lesson arrangements by reducing from one lesson per week to one lesson every two weeks. We can attempt to enrich the practice content, ensuring that they maintain their learning pace and intensity even while attending fewer lessons. Conversely, if a family suddenly provides more resources, we can arrange for two to three lessons per week and set more challenging goals.
In extreme situations where some students may need to pause their lessons, please arrange a final lesson to discuss learning directions and recommended books, allowing them to continue studying in a self-directed manner.
Do not try to arrange long-term bookkeeping or pro bono lessons, as this will impact the teacher's own state and create instability in their life. We should aim to maintain a positive and stable state; only then can we repay all students for their trust and expectations. If you are teaching pro bono or keeping accounts tightly while falling behind on rent, handling life and other students' classes with negative emotions, your identity and role may become unstable and even gradually collapse.
2. Time
This condition is the one I least want to face and find most helpless. First, I define time as both the time available for lessons and the time available for practice outside of lessons. When neither party can schedule lessons, you may have to awkwardly refuse or politely ask other students who might be able to adjust their times (which is highly discouraged and is a last-resort tactic). The worst-case scenario is temporarily arranging for another teacher to ensure their learning continues smoothly. However, many times they will gradually become the main teacher for the student. I believe ensuring progress is more important than who the main teacher is. In similar situations, I regularly update the other teacher about the student's situation because no one knows better than you the learning goals and circumstances previously established with the student.
If a student finds they have no time to practice outside of lessons: First, you must know that 90% of progress in learning piano comes from practice, so the strategy in this situation is to practice together with the student during lessons (I will discuss methods and systems for arranging practice in a later chapter).
Second, maintain the habit of assigning practice homework to them, and then complete that homework during the lesson. Never start new content without having completed a topic; do not be afraid to stay on the same topic. It is our responsibility to ensure that students learn before introducing new material.
Lastly, be mentally prepared; students with no time to practice may stay on the same topic for several weeks, and don’t feel guilty (as an overly eager teacher, I completely understand). This is the result of the situation, not your fault. If you have assigned practice homework to them and they have not completed it, it simply means they are not disciplined enough (practice homework already includes assessment of practice time, which will be discussed in subsequent chapters).
3. Goals
In any growth-oriented activity, including learning, working, and building relationships, goals are one of the most important elements.
In piano learning, I believe there are three crucial types of goals that can drive student growth, which must be formulated under the "SMART" method. First, I will introduce this goal-setting method and then provide examples of three motivating goals for students:
S (Specific): Goals must be specific, detailing what technical skills the student needs to improve on piano, rather than vaguely stating "needs to improve."
M (Measurable): Music is subjective, so a goal like "be the best at playing piano in school" is indefinable. Instead, we can set a goal like "we will play within a control range at a speed of BPM 160."
A (Achievable): Don’t set unrealistic goals like "winning the Chopin Piano Competition" as the next goal; instead, set achievable goals based on one’s ability and level.
R (Realistic): If there are only twenty-four hours in a day, we cannot set a goal of practicing for 20 hours a day. Goals should be set within a practical range that can be implemented sustainably, rather than setting overly ambitious and unrealistic goals.
T (Timed): Give yourself a specific timeframe in which to achieve the goal; otherwise, it may take an excessively long time to accomplish.
Human motivation is quite fascinating; sometimes, simply by setting and designing a goal for students, their entire learning interest and ability will advance healthily according to the teacher's arranged curriculum. Occasionally, once parents understand the student's goals, they may offer more resources and time for piano learning.
Thus, we place goal-setting at the end of lesson arrangements. I will use David as an example throughout this chapter to demonstrate how to formulate goals.
David is an eight-year-old who has been learning piano for a year and a half. His previous teacher found you to be a more suitable teacher due to moving. After the first assessment, you believe he has the capability to learn ABRSM Level 2 content, but his hand positioning and scales are relatively weak, while his sight-reading skills are quite good.
Performance
Piano is a highly performative discipline. Encouraging performances during adolescence can greatly benefit their growth. If, with David’s consent, you can arrange for him to perform for one of your students as an audience (with ample support and encouragement).
Note: This is a low-cost way to provide performance opportunities for students.
Teachers with more resources can also arrange formal recitals for all students to perform.
Technique/Performance Goals
Sometimes, the simplest hope of being able to play certain pieces at a specific speed can also serve as a goal that continues to drive students' motivation and growth.
I have a student who set the goal of playing Chopin's "Fantasy Impromptu" from day one of lessons. Naturally, we cannot start learning this piece immediately in the first lesson, so we begin building the foundation step by step through scales, music theory, aesthetics, technique, and sight-reading skills. To ensure he experiences a sense of success during this process, we will learn a simplified version of Chopin's "Fantasy Impromptu" and gradually move towards the ultimate goal.
4. Family Support
Family support differs from resources because encouragement and criticism are also factors influencing learning. If a student (David) lives in a household where the grandmother really dislikes him practicing the piano, how do we provide resources and arrange lessons? First, if the student is a child, we can help them as teachers by explaining to the parents the importance of practicing piano for growth and learning. If we encounter more stubborn individuals, we can also find feasible practice methods for the student, including locating silent pianos or electronic keyboards that allow for headphone use.
When dealing with such situations, it’s crucial to remember our role and fulfill our responsibilities without overstepping. The most important thing is to communicate with students to resolve situations affecting their learning, always maintaining a polite and professional attitude.
Aside from extreme examples like family members hating piano sounds, we often find discrepancies between our lesson plans and parents’ expectations. Some parents may not understand the curriculum or have misunderstandings about the students' capabilities and progress. In these cases, we need to understand the parents’ requirements while seeking a feasible, suitable, and healthy learning course. Finding a balance in communication can help meet the expectations of the parents, teaching philosophy of the instructor, and the student’s coping abilities.
When designing the curriculum for students each year, it is crucial to document each lesson or piece, how much class time it will take, and roughly how long students need to practice, among other factors. This way, during each communication to find a balance, we can adjust our pre-conceived practice schedules. I will provide an example of a practice schedule for David at the end of this chapter, which can be modified according to different factors.
5. Interest
Many people believe that the most important thing in learning a skill or activity is interest. But is interest something we are born with? Is it based on genes or family background? In fact, so-called inclination is the driving force behind curiosity, prompting action. It is not necessarily predetermined by our genes. Even if certain individuals are naturally curious about a particular subject, significant frustration during the learning process can lead them to lose interest.
Given this, it is essential for educators to keep students curious and interested in our subjects. To achieve this, we need to tackle it from two aspects:
Brain Reward Mechanism
It can be simpler than one might imagine to stimulate students’ brains to release rewarding chemicals (such as endorphins) during lessons. Arranging praise and rewards after students complete tasks is effective, but it is important that these rewards are not predictable. Randomized encouragement, without fixed patterns, is highly effective for the brain. When teaching young children, I often prepare stamps; sometimes, for a simple task, I give two stamps as encouragement, while on good days, I might have them complete a few more tasks before giving rewards. Teachers should arrange varying degrees of measurable encouragement based on different situations. When students count the number of achievements they’ve obtained, that’s when endorphins are released. We shouldn’t hesitate to use class time to let them recognize their accomplishments, as that sense of achievement should be a source of motivation for maintaining interest.
Previewing Course Content
Anticipation is the key to capturing curiosity. Appropriately previewing what content and courses will be learned in the future can significantly enhance interest, especially if the preview aligns with their existing preferences. While they may not feel an immediate impact, during practice, they might recall what they will learn in future classes, creating a sense of expectation and excitement.
6. Personality
People often categorize personalities as extroverted or introverted, with even more detailed classification systems, such as the popular MBTI and Enneagram. However, I believe that the most significant influence on the quality of a student’s learning is whether they receive information through logical or visual means, which can be defined as left-brain (logical) and right-brain (visual) processing.
Let me share an interesting phenomenon I have experienced: during my teaching journey, I have taught four sets of twins, and generally, their reception styles contrast with their siblings. This could be coincidental, but it has led me to analyze how they grasp teaching content and communicate with them using more suitable language.
For instance, one set of students, Ai Ai and Di Di: Ai Ai is a left-brained child, particularly strong in numerical and structural analysis. In teaching, I focus on analyzing repetitive structures and carefully arranging fingerings. In choosing pieces, I tend to start with Baroque and Classical styles, which have become his strengths. He performs significantly better during exams, competitions, and recitals, supplemented by Romantic period pieces.
On the other hand, Di Di is the complete opposite; he is more sensitive to emotions and abstract expression (and is somewhat emotional—I remember once when he was upset and refused to practice). During learning, I can use more associations and metaphors to enhance his musical expression. By the age of nine, he could already play Chopin’s Op.9 No.2 with great emotional impact.
I’m not sure if the formation of their personalities has any scientific basis. Perhaps their parents provide different arrangements for them since they are brothers. If readers have insights or experiences in this area, I welcome private discussions, as I have always wanted to delve deeper into understanding the reasons behind this, viewing it as a valuable topic for study.
Returning to the main point, we should observe which style students lean towards in their thought processes, even if their tendencies aren't as extreme as the examples given. Every student has certain inclinations, and it is vital to observe and understand them to communicate in a way that suits each individual, thereby improving learning quality and significantly benefiting their growth.
7. Ability
In this book, we broadly define ability. I believe the primary factors influencing learning ability include focus, patience, logical analysis skills, memory, language proficiency, creativity, imagination, physical coordination, and psychological quality.
Based on these ability differences, teachers need to start from students' strengths but can also target weaknesses for training. However, each student’s case is unique, so teachers must patiently observe and analyze to design the most suitable curriculum for each individual.
Most importantly, all the abilities mentioned can be cultivated and trained over time. Particularly in learning piano, various areas of the brain can be activated to enhance different skills. When a student’s abilities do not meet the course requirements, teachers may need to postpone lessons until the student’s development is complete. For example, a child whose fingers are not yet capable of playing certain pieces must wait until their fingers have developed sufficiently to perform complete works. Before that, they can adjust fingerings or playing styles based on the content.
Another example: when learning music theory and preparing for the Grade 5 ABRSM theory exam, children under seven may not yet grasp concepts like scales and chords logically. For those with rich imagination and creativity, metaphors and associations can be employed for learning. In the worst-case scenario, we might temporarily skip the topic until they are a bit older, or repeatedly teach the subject until their logical thinking ability develops.
Please remember that helping students develop their potential and abilities is our task. If we can enhance these skills during piano learning, making them “smarter,” it will facilitate future learning, and teachers will also gain unforgettable feelings of achievement and memories.
8. Talent
A parent once asked me right after a trial lesson: “Does my child have talent? If they continue learning, will they become good at it?” At that time, I was just starting to teach piano at a music store, and besides representing myself, I was also representing my company and its image. Most importantly, I hadn’t prepared how to answer this question.
In this chapter, I would like to share some of my thoughts now. When teachers encounter similar questions, they can also use these methods to respond. Frankly speaking, at that moment, my mind went blank, and I answered without organizing my thoughts. I don’t remember what I said, but the question has stuck with me. I remember that child eventually stopped taking lessons after about six months.
While not every parent behaves this way, it is understandable that they quantify all resources provided to their children to a certain extent in this era, given the overwhelming choices available.
Returning to the issue of whether a student has talent, from the previous two discussions (6. Personality and 7. Ability), we already know that many comparative differences exist in projects and conditions. However, I can confidently say that at the stage where we and the student are putting in efforts, it is insufficient to discuss talent.
In music or other activities, including arts and sports, if we imagine a triangle, only the top 5% to 10% of professional levels need to compare themselves with talent. This is because one of the differences with talent is the ability to learn more in less time and achieve more progress. However, that level of comparison far exceeds the normal resources available.
So, if one day a parent asks about talent, I can now answer them directly: “At our level of effort, there is no significant difference to compare with talent.”
If we consider healthy learning progress, about 10,000 to 15,000 hours of practice can lead to an amateur level, whereas comparing talent at the "elite level" may involve a person having resources that allow them to dedicate 10 hours a day to enhance their skills.
We can then compare the differences in how talented individuals and others utilize those 10 hours. Some people have the conditions to compare their talent to others.
Thus, we do not need to feel much pressure about comparing students’ talents and abilities during the learning and teaching process. Every student can have a tailored course designed for their circumstances, allowing them to learn at the most suitable pace.
Returning to the Example of David: Designing a Yearly Learning Plan
Let’s first outline David's background information:
Age: 10 years
Years of Study: 3 years
Learning Achievement: Achieved distinction in ABRSM Grade 3
First, unless there are special circumstances, we can design a yearly learning plan as follows: Based on my teaching philosophy, it is essential to establish a good foundation in C, G, D, A, E, and B Major Scales, Chords, and Arpeggios at the beginner level. These are prerequisite contents I require before teaching any level. This may demand a higher level of fundamental skills compared to peers in piano teaching, so teachers can refer to this or adjust according to their teaching style.
Assuming the first week includes learning the first exam piece, a pop song, and an F major scale, the practice manual could include the following exercises:
Exam piece Bars 1-8 right hand x10
Exam piece Bars 1-8 left hand x10
Exam piece Bars 1-8 both hands x10
F Major right hand x5
F Major left hand x5
C, G, D, A, E, B Major scales all hands x1 (2 octaves)
Hanon exercises lv1~4 x3
Pop song (Golden Hour) x1
The quantity of practice should be measured by the number of repetitions rather than the length of time spent practicing; spending time on the piano does not necessarily lead to progress. If a student lacks intellectual capacity, a weekly practice chart can be set up with seven boxes for the teacher to complete the practice and for the parent to sign to effectively supervise the quality of practice.
By systematically establishing goal-oriented practice habits, teachers can enhance the student's sense of achievement through rewards, thus building a positive learning cycle. If any of the following special circumstances arise:
Student Lacks a Piano: If a student does not have a piano, they may need to rent a practice room or do not have enough time to practice:Ask how many days they can practice the following week, then arrange their schedule for certain days. Increase the number of practice sessions in the practice chart, replacing daily fragmented time with longer single sessions.
Goals Are Too Difficult to Achieve:Many factors can affect whether a student can complete goals, such as attention span and parental cooperation. Flexibly reduce the number of tasks and postpone target timelines; also, communicate with the parents to ensure diversity in learning while reducing content; the focus should not only be on exams and goals.
Decreased Interest:Prioritize learning content that interests the student and discuss whether it’s necessary to complete topics that they are interested in; then move on to content that the teacher believes the student needs to learn.
Choosing Pieces Based on Personality and Talent:Since ABRSM requires three mandatory pieces that already provide a variety of styles for the student, I highly recommend an ABRSM-based curriculum to help students achieve different learning goals and exams. The teacher’s teaching philosophy should also include a variety of styles, arranging two pieces that the student excels in and one that they struggle with; this can create a learning plan that plays to strengths while providing challenges.
All of the above insights and experiences require teachers to be flexible based on different circumstances. The most important thing is to observe closely; think from the student’s perspective regarding every difficulty they face in learning and research solutions for them.
Comments