So, after finally getting all my nails clean (after the summer garden), healthy, long, shiny and manicured, and keeping them that way for about two weeks, they now look very similar to the nails on the left.
The Finlinsons have entered the world of piano lessons.
I've been wanting my kids to take lessons for a little while now. Okay, ever since Erick was about 4. But now he's 8 and Izzie is 6 and I just can't wait any longer and stay sane. We picked up a Kawai upright from the BYU piano auction just before leaving Utah and it's been haunting me for over a year now. Yeah, I play it. Sometimes. For FHE. And during full moons. But it's mostly taunting me and reminding me of that whole lesson thing while it dutifully holds family pictures. No longer. I've decided if we can't send the kids to take lessons, I'll attempt teaching them myself. I've given myself a year to see how it's working out and let me tell you after one whole week it's actually going pretty well!
The kids are excited about practicing and I love the books we're using (Alfred's) because for each of their pieces there's a teacher accompaniment that makes the kids sound really good and motivates them a lot! I think it's great because we get to play together and have played some awesome themes on "Mary had a little lamb." Also, I can go online to Alfred's website and download a pdf Teacher's Guide for each level, which makes things really nice for me. Audrey's looking forward to starting when she turns five in April so let's hope we can keep it up a while. Erick's flying through his book and Izzie's doing really well too! I did notice our lessons this week went almost an hour each but I'm sure that will adjust on it's own as it becomes more routine. ;-) An unexpected bonus is the time I get to spend with my kids though. Somehow I hadn't expected that.
So, if you have any words of wisdom or advice teaching your children (or any children!) now would be a great time to share. If not, just think of us and hope for the best! Who am I kidding? When Erick "performed" last night for his dad and grandma (via iphone recording) I seriously almost cried I was so proud of him.
2 comments:
I was amazed and very proud of him. Actually I'm pretty proud of you and am glad to see my investment is benefiting my posterity! Way to go. Tell Izzie I'm waiting to here her progress.
Good for you - that is fantastic! I put both Madeleine and Bryson into piano this year, and they love it as well! At times I wish I were just teaching them - Madeleine would like to learn harder pieces, however the teacher that they working with is teaching me things as well (my mom was a piano teacher, and so of course I was the negligent student and ran off and threw tantrums so I wouldn't need to practice or take lessons - I was absolutely terrible!). Anyway, she has a really great approach to music that I suppose one would call holistic...meaning she incorporates so much more of theory and understanding note value, rhythm and music than I ever did - I think I'm finally understanding the Solfege scale! She's Japanese and went to some musical school over there and somewhere here as well. When the children learn a piece and practice it, they need to say the notes in Do-Re-Me, Name of the Notes and then sing along (if there are words). She doesn't have them count - which could be a 4th component, or maybe she'll do that and I'm just jumping ahead. She is teaching them counting...but little B doesn't seem to get the entire concept that if there 4 beats to a measure you have to have notes that make up to that 4 count.
So I usually sit with him during the practice time and count out the song as well.
Anyway - I never thought I could get so excited about the piano! As you said it's great for our kiddos and us as well - and before we know it we'll hear that you are the new neighborhood piano teacher and getting ready for a recital with 40 students!:)
Keep us updated on the progress - again way to go!!
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