Tag Archives: notation

24/60 Using “this” to teach “that”

Posted on October 17, 2017 by

I’m currently teaching a whole class year 3 classical guitar group. https://makemusiceveryday.com/category/social-learning/ That’s 30 children, sitting on chairs in three rows in the school hall, each encumbered by what looks like a guitar the size of a baby whale balanced … Continue reading →

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24/60 The Benefits of Teaching by Numbers/Letters

Posted on October 16, 2017 by

What!?! I hear you cry. Wasn’t the last post a diatribe against exactly this idea? Err, but nothing is quite as black and white as it seems. For example, teaching little five-finger warm ups (here I am wearing my pianist … Continue reading →

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23/60 Teaching by Finger Number/Note Letter

Posted on October 15, 2017 by

Please don’t. I think it is is such a BAD idea… What has provoked this post, is taking on a number of young piano students recently. They turned up with numbers written over EVERY SINGLE NOTE in their pieces. Ugh. … Continue reading →

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5/100 Easy Peasy Composition (and evaluation)

Posted on January 24, 2016 by

I’m teaching composition to primary classes from Reception to Year 6 (and even a one-off inset session for Primary School Teachers) this term. Here’s how I’m going about it. First, I’ve explored dynamics (loud and soft, and changing between them) with the class. … Continue reading →

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Issue 124: First Steps in piano (or keyboard)

Posted on February 25, 2014 by

I’ve been trying out different ways of introducing notation to young keyboard/piano students. This worked surprisingly well in the year 3 Wider Opportunities Keyboard class I started teaching back in September: I taught “D” as the first note, and each key … Continue reading →

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New Year Issue 117: Monkey Business

Posted on January 2, 2014 by

Lying in bed before the alarm went off this morning, I came up with this little body/vocal percussion number Monkey Business 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + Big Ba- boon (stamp) (click) Chimp-  -an zee (click)  (click) tan … Continue reading →

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Issue 104: The “Deda Robot” Game, and the “Cyborg” game

Posted on September 22, 2013 by

On the whole I try and post about things that anyone can do without having bought expensive CDs and books. I’m wary of encouraging people to buy a particular resource, especially when it costs around £30. However the ACBlack “Developing Music … Continue reading →

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Issue 103: First “Wider Opps” Keyboard Lesson

Posted on September 15, 2013 by

  I haven’t taught Wider Opportunities Keyboards for a couple of years now. However, this year, I have got a year 3 (aged 7) class for keyboards which has given me a chance to re-think how I approach things.   … Continue reading →

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