More Pattern Recognition

   My First Piano Adventures students need pattern recognition drill and it is helping them immensely. I thought about this process before and lately I have been hiding little slips of paper around the room with note patterns on them.

    For the first three minutes of the lesson I play a pattern on the piano, they look at me playing it and I ask them to tell me the notes. Then they look around the room and find that pattern on a paper.

When they bring it back to the piano we play it to check if they have the right one. It works well and this starts us out on a the right path to playing their assigned pieces.

I have a small box with patterns on the piano, ready to go when I meet their smiling faces. Hurray for chunking music patterns.

If any of your New Year's Resolutions involve running check out these informative, inspiring and fascinating books on the subject. All of them are available through the Library.

Haruki Murakami recently created a splash with the publication of his latest book 1Q84. Fans of Murakami's writing, runners, and anyone interested in the workings of this unique author's mind, may enjoy What I talk about when I talk about running: a memoir. In this slim volume Murakami discusses the beginning of his career as an author and the important role distance running plays in his work. The epitaph he suggests for his tombstone - “Haruki Murakami 1949-20** Writer (and Runner) At Least He Never Walked” – is indicative of his dedication to the sport.

Even those who don't aspire to run 50 miles through Mexico's Copper Canyon are likely to be fascinated by Christopher McDougall's Born to run: a hidden tribe, superathletes and the greatest race the world has never seen. Colorful characters, accounts of grueling races and poignant tales of exemplary sportsmanship make this book a thrilling read. McDougall's exploration of barefoot running is also enlightening and is credited for contributing to the current trend.
To learn more about barefoot running consider reading Run Barefoot Run Healthy: less pain more gain for runners over 30 by Ashish Mukharji. Written in a question and answer format, the book provides practical advice for those new to barefoot running.

For those new to running in general the Runner's World Complete Book of Beginning Running is a useful tool. Part one of this book, Why run?, addresses the reasons one might want to take up running. Other chapters focus on nutrition, stretching, weight loss and injury prevention. The chapter on intermediate training provides plans to achieve specific goals. Two training plans are provided, one for those who are already active and another for those who have not exercised for a while.

Runners who are interested in increasing distance and entering races may benefit from the advice found in Marathon and Half Marathon: the beginner's guide. This book contains a detailed 26-week training plan plus lots of great tips for dealing with injuries, setting goals and improving speed.

Tambourine Party

  Group Lessons are around the corner in February. I am having a Tambourine Party for my First Piano Adventures students.

  All the students have played this song and could accompany us as we sing it. So here is the agenda.

Title: Tambourine Party

M.C:Tap, who loves rhythm

Goal: Explore 3/4 and 4/4 Time Signature
          Use rhythm instruments to keep a steady beat
          Review the patterns we have been highlighting
          Let everyone play a piece for each other
          Share cheese sticks bread sticks for a snack

Agenda:
   Sing Tambourine Party with student accompaniment
   Bring out the instrument Box

   Substitute instrument sounds for the words of the instruments within the song
   Assign places on the floor to make a line of music
   Give each student an envelop with paper notes
   You can find these rhythm blocks here.
   Make four measures in 3/4 time then everyone taps that measure with sticks

Do the same with four measures of 4/4 time

Take out the "chunks" of notes we have been reviewing and play "Guess the Pattern"

  (One student plays one of these patterns on the piano and the other students look, listen, and guess.)

Invited: 7 students who are in My First Piano Adventures

It should be fun!!!

One Arrow At a Time

  No lessons again for the third day due to extreme weather. I predict some of us will lose power sometime in the next 24 hours. That acoustic piano may be the only music we hear for a while.

 
      School closures give you some extra time to play your instrument.
     When you find yourself at the piano with your child, you as a parent can see ways they could improve.
   "Suzy, you must sit up straight. And remember to curve your hand, so that the thumb is in position. Now, play it again and even out your rhythm. Oh,oh, you missed a note."
   Too much. Your child can only pay attention to one thing at a time. They will get frustrated and soon your practice relationship is in crisis mode. So, "only shoot one arrow at a time". Take a few minutes and listen, find something that is working well, comment on that and then take aim carefully. Shoot your arrow and keep your eyes on that target.

     If you do not see exactly what direction to give, it is a good idea to buy yourself some time. Go to the thing which you observed and ask to see that again because it was well done. The second time through you may hear some issues resolve themselves. That is your child learning by practice. Be sure to point out the corrections she made so that she hears about how she is learning. Learning to be tactful and patient are the best arrows in your quiver.
   I hope for better weather next week. See you back then.

The In and Out Game

  This is the first post in a series entitled "Why Should I Play It Again?" As teachers we all know that children, and adults for that matter, don't always want to play a piece again. They know we are going to try to fix something and it will mean re-learning. I have a game which I suggest before I say anything else.
   "Let's play the in-out game. You play the first line and then you jump out of playing and I come in right where you left off. On the third line you jump back in and play. We will continue this way through the whole piece. The object of the game is to make the piece sound like only one person is playing. Follow the music carefully and prepare to jump in."

 
This game often fixes irregular rhythm, wrong notes, and incorrect phrasing. I am spared the explanation of what is going wrong and we both have fun playing. I always play it again so that we play the alternative lines as well. Do you do any games with the object of playing the piece again?

Library closed on Monday, January 16, for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day

The Glen Park Branch and all other San Francisco Public Libraries will be closed on Monday, January 16, for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. We will reopen on Tuesday at 10:00 am.

How To Be As a Parent at the Piano

   There is no more important asset to your child's success at the piano then you.  But how should you be with them? Let me draw on my experience as a child, as a parent, and as a teacher.
  My mother really wanted me to learn to play the piano. We were immigrants from Germany and buying a used piano was a real sacrifice. She was strict and relentless in her pursuit of my practicing time. One of the best things she offered me is her sincere interest in the music I was playing. I swear she could hum all the tunes. In fact, she started learning to play herself from my beginning books. The music I played was appreciated and heard.
   Lesson No.1- Become a good audience for your child. Don't send them into the trenches alone. You don't have to talk, just listen.

   I made some mistakes as a parent helping my daughter take violin lessons. She was just so slow at getting out her violin, putting rosin on her bow, tuning up, I showed my exasperation by rushing her. My goal was getting 30 minutes of practice in and I couldn't see just how reluctant she was to get into the mode of playing.
   Lesson No. 2- See the getting ready to practice as important and appreciate the change of mental attitude that accompanies the process.
   "Now focus your attention!", is a phrase I have thrown in the trash. Children don't get that statement. Does it mean look really hard? Does it mean tense up my neck? I look at my students and observe what they look like when they are fully engaged. It is marvelous to see a relaxed and intent child playing and listening. What do they sound like when they are in that mode? Watch and listen to find uplifting comments to gift to them.
   "When you sit up so tall and regal you look like a king at the piano." "That first line sounds so smooth and relaxed." "I like how your eyes look ahead at the music just like a detective." "Your pinky finger is resting so lightly on the white keys. It must be getting stronger."
    Lesson No. 3- If you expect to give your child direction, give honey first. Watch and listen to them to discover what they do well.
   More tips for parents to come, stay tuned please and boy, I would love some comments.

Remember Everything You Check Out!

Can't remember the title of that great library book you read? SFPL has a new service that can keep track of what you check out. My Check-out History  is optional—you can turn it on or turn it off whenever you want.

How do you turn on My Check-out History? From our homepage, log in to your library account (at top right of page). Click on My Check-out History link at the bottom of your list, then click on the button “Turn On Check-out History.” It's that easy.

Lion Dancers at Glen Park!

The Jing Mo Athletic Association will be helping the San Francisco Public Library celebrate the Lunar New Year — Year of the Dragon, with lion dance and martial arts performances at libraries around the City in January. Join us for one of these spectacular and colorful events, sponsored by Friends of the San Francisco Public Library.

The Lion Dancers will be at Glen Park at 4:00pm.

The "Land of Easier"

  I just finished the best piano lesson for D. in his whole life. "That was so fun and it was easy!"

  We were in the Land of Easier for the whole 30 minutes. What happened to make it so good?
1) He let me into his heart today
2) We prepared the patterns for his new songs by reviewing songs he loved and played well.
3) The new songs had a great physical feeling with repeating thirds on C and E

  As you practice with your child these same components can bring you into the Land of Easier.
1) Bring an open heart to the task and invite your child to open up with that same good vibe.
2) Don't jump in with "the task at hand", but allow your child to shine in your eyes by playing pieces he knows and feels good about.
3) Talk about his new piece and get feedback about what he remembers from the lesson. A new piece is daunting. Most of the time lack of confidence sets in just before they look to see how to start. Let them think about the first note for each hand. Give them time to look ahead in the music to see what happens in the first line. Take it SLOW. Marvel at how they decode and move ahead. Did they only play 1 line? Celebrate!
  Leave the task just before it gets frustrating.
I will give more tips in upcoming posts. Do you have a comment? Leave some feedback below.

First Fridays: Mighty Ugly Craft Challenge

Friday, January 6
4:00pm
Glen Park Public Library

Take the Mighty Ugly Craft Challenge to make a creature that is not cute-ugly but ugly-ugly. Craft materials will be supplied, but feel free to bring anything you would want to work with.

For kids ages 6 and thru 18.

Write Your Will Workshop

Write Your Will Workshop
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
 
6:00pm -7:30pm
 
Glen Park Branch Library
2825 Diamond Street
 
Stuart Bronstein, an estate planning and probate lawyer in San Francisco for more than 30 years, will lead participants in creating their own wills. Everyone will be able to leave the workshop with a fully functional will. Bring a blue non-erasable pen.
Space is limited. Please stop by the Information Desk or call 415-355-2858 to register.

What Is Your Child Practicing This Week?

     For a while in these posts I want to pursue the "Land of Easier". Making practice time easier at home would make piano so much more productive and pleasant.  In the last post I covered three ideas which seem worthwhile for all parents. Let's look at the third idea and start on the ground level. Prepare yourself to try new ways to infuse your practice time with your child with more calm and help them enter the "Land of Easier". Wouldn't it be great if you, as a parent, had a magic wand to make hard things easy? It is time you told your child that you really don't have a magic wand. But, you can make things easier.

       If your child is under eight they need you to be there when they practice. You, as the parent, need to know what their assignment is for the week. That means if you weren't there at the lesson it would be really important to sit down the evening of the lesson and talk about what is expected for the week. If you wait more than 24 hours your child will remember very little of what happened at the lesson. That will make practicing hard. The parent knowing the assignment for the week is important for all ages. This allows you to listen from afar and know if progress is happening. Look at the assignment book together. Ask questions which allow your child to recall. You don't need to be pushy, this experience is for recall. This will work even if you were at the lesson. You can learn what your child remembers and compare it to your memory, mentally. You have heard this before, it is not new, but it doesn't always happen and trust me, if you start with this step again, practicing will be easier. 
   Stay tuned for more steps to making practice easier.