I teach private students Piano, Guitar, Bass Guitar and Voice in my studio as well as Guitar, Theory, Music Appreciation and Voice Classes in high school. This series of articles will touch on my methods of teaching the above.
If you are teaching or considering teaching guitar classes in a school system, this article might be of interest to you.
I have seen many music teachers teaching guitar classes in the school system. I was shocked to find many teachers that could not even play the instrument. Other teachers just used a method book for the classes.
My classes are different. The method book is good, as it teaches the students music rudiments and how to read music. However, there is much more to learn about the guitar. i spend one day a week in the book, and other days teaching the classes other guitar related subjects. I also find that the classes have students that have never played the guitar, as well as students that have played for years. This is where diversified teaching comes into play. I have to quickly determine the two types of students and develop separate plans for each. I also have the advanced students help tutor the beginners.
Classes learn the theory of song writing, performing their song, copywriting the song and transposing their song to another key. One day a week I have a performance day, where a student and/or teacher performs a song to the class. This inspires the shy students, later in the semester, to get up and perform a song also.
It amazes me that many students have not heard of icon groups or singers, so I spend one day a week showing a video and having a discussion of the content. I have even had high school students that were not familiar with the Beatles, Eric Clapton or Pink Floyd. One student, a junior, was a song writer and had been written up in the school newspaper on several occasions as being quite talented and involved with playing his songs in coffee shops on weekends. After he watched the Beatle movie, “Let It Be”, which shows the Beatles in the rough composing music, he said it was a life changing experience. The Beatles were shown to be regular people with flaws and tempers. The movie showed him that anyone could have a chance in writing music and having the music published.
Other class plans include teaching the pentatonic scale, and having the student apply it properly to a song. Students also suggest songs to learn, and i instruct the class how to play the piece.
Guitar classes enable the students that feel they are not attached, to become attached and recognized. Because of the music listened to by teens nowdays, guitar classes have become popular and usually has a waiting list. Class size averages around thirty students per class, and most students are motivated.
I am interested in your comments and ideas on teaching guitar in a private or classroom atmosphere. Next I will share my style in teaching guitar to private students.
by Christine — Fri Jan 18, 2008 @ 9:37 am
by Ronnie Currey — Fri Jan 18, 2008 @ 10:07 am