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Hello, how are you all doing? I would like to ask for some advice, if you don’t mind, in the area of teaching methodology. But first, I need to give some context so you can better understand the situation. Context: I learned to play the violin at church. I’ve been playing in church since I was 9 years old (I’m 23 now). By the way, the church is called Congregação Cristã no Brasil (Christian Congregation in Brazil). And obviously, since it’s all done on a voluntary basis (in our church, no one gets paid), both for those who teach and those who play, the teaching methodology may not be the best. Basically, we had a general violin technique book (Schmoll, Lambert, Laoureux, Suzuki) and a book with the church hymns (Hymnal). I went through all those books and a few more, mostly because I spent a long time learning. But nowadays they want to stick to the Schmoll method (they’ve made some modifications to it and added some Hans Sitt pieces — I’ll add a link below in case you want to check it out). The general approach is to start with the method book (teaching material), and once the student begins to understand notes, they start learning hymns. Unfortunately, there are very few instructors (we don’t call ourselves “teachers” because we are not formally trained), and most of them don’t assign anything to study outside of these two sources. Now that I’m an instructor myself, I really want to help my students in the best way I can. I teach students of all ages — from little kids who can’t even read yet to older brothers who are married with children — though most of them tend to be children and young people. I’ve never had face-to-face lessons with a professional teacher — just a few tips here and there. I even tried online lessons, but they were too expensive for my financial situation, and the teacher would mostly just ask for videos and then reply with written feedback. It helped, but not as much as I’d hoped. Still, I was able to get an idea of what a methodology looks like, because he assigned Sevcik and some beginner-level concertos to practice. The Problem: At church, the teaching works like this: for example, in my case, on Saturdays at 2:00 p.m., our musical study group starts. Ideally, all students should arrive at the same time, and then I go over their lessons in the order they arrive. I usually spend about 30 minutes with each one to really help them. To avoid having them come in “cold” when it’s time to play their lesson for me, I usually ask them to do: stretching, a right-hand exercise and a left-hand one, open string exercises, then to review what they’re going to play, and also, after the lesson, to briefly(15min) review at church what I just taught them — to help them retain it. But I’d like to improve all of this — I just don’t have a solid foundation to build on. I thought about changing it so instead of doing the full 30 minutes with each student right away, I’d spend the first 10 minutes checking what’s missing in their current study and then ask them to work on that while I check on the others — and then later come back for 20 minutes to work on what’s left. But when I tried that, it felt like I ended up taking more time overall. I’m open to any kind of advice, links, videos, books related to technique, methodology, or anything else you feel might be important. Also, I’m about to start giving private lessons today. I have some idea of what to do, but I’d appreciate any tips on that as well. I’m already very thankful to anyone who’s willing to help me — may God bless your life and your family! In anex: Actual book used for teaching violin Book of Hymns that we play at church. List of things that i suggest my students to do at home, i created it. www.CCBemPDF.com _ Hinário Nº5 CCB para Cordas.pdf MÉTODO de Violino - CCB Schmoll.pdf SchedueleViolin.pdf
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Hello Guys, since here, for me, looks like has more people i would like to share my topic of teaching if someone has anything to help im very grateful. God bless us all!
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At the end of lessons I always ask, "Do you have any other questions?" Almost all of my students always say, "No." But, I have one who usually has a good question either about repertoire, posture, technique, or practice. Today he asked me, "What should my mindset be while practicing?" Obviously, it's a very general question, and, as I told him, mindset shifts throughout a practice session, but what would your answers be to the question? I rambled for a while while trying to answer his question, but I think the heart of my answer was to "trust in the method, don't allow frustration to dictate how you practice."
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Hi everyone! It's been almost 10 years since I posted in this forum ... yikes! It feels good to be back after such a long break and I'm delighted to see things here going as strong as ever. I very recently started a Facebook Group called "The Art of Violin Pedagogy" to encourage exchange over this topic with other violin teachers. Sometimes I feel a bit isolated in teaching, and I thought that it would be fun and inspiring to connect with other instructors to share knowledge, ideas, thoughts and experience. You're all invited to take a look at the page and join if you wish! In writing here, it is not my intention to take anything (or anyone) away from this forum at all - it's a marvelous resource and I'm glad to have rediscovered Maestronet. The FB group is specifically for violin pedagogy! https://www.facebook.com/groups/355279351227763/ Thanks for listening! Aria
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My son has finished preschool this year, and starting next term he will be home schooled. I am planning on teaching him the violin, but I am in need on some advice for method books. I seem to remember starting out on the green String Builders book by Applebaum ages ago when I was in elementary school. My personal experience was public school orchestra from about the 4th grade through high school with some community orchestra experience. In high school I switched from violin to viola. I've heard a little about All for String and Essential Elements, but no experience with them. What are your take on these methods and what you recommend in place of/complementary to these?
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I am totally on the fence about this, and don't have enough personal experience to formulate a reasonable opinion. I just watched a video of a teacher who is using iPads, e-pens and a camera to record her students' lessons. The technology looks interesting. The student plays...the teacher handwrites notes with an e-pen (which strikes me as somewhat ironic )...the entire session is recorded. The student can later listen to themselves play the piece on an iPad and following along with the notes that the teacher made at each point in time. I like technology. So that isn't it. But...there is just something about this I find rather off-putting. The lesson itself looked more like a visit to a psychiatrist's office than a music lesson. I don't think I'd be comfortable in that situation. I might miss or forget something I learned in a lesson...and maybe this format addresses that issue...but I'd rather just be reminded of the issue in my next lesson. Learning takes time - and often certain concepts need to be retaught and re-explained until the student is ready to grasp that concept. I feel this is a bit of a cop-out in that regard. Perhaps this isn't practical for beginners? Perhaps this is very practical for advanced students? Or perhaps part of what I like so much about the violin and classical music is the Old School take on it all - and new technology interferes with my romantic picture of it all? I also find a reliance on new technology worrisome. Using it as a tool to aid learning is one thing, but it seems that there is also an attitude that it is a must, rather than an aid. If people are already becoming overly reliant on technology - should we be incorporating more and more of it into areas where it isn't necessary? Just fishing for thoughts!
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Some questions for teachers, students, employers, employees, masters, apprentices, etc. . . How do you keep track of progress? And how do you motivate it? I take notes in lessons, tracking repertoire, etudes, technical and musical issues. But I use the notes mainly as a reference aid. I try to tell students what they are doing right and doing wrong, what they have learned recently and long term, and what they should be thinking about "this week." I explain the value of slow practice and the metronome and etudes and scales and theory, but my students and I just write on their sheet music, they don't take notes. I have come to the conclusion that I need stricter measures to ensure adherence to a rigid practice schedule. I know a number of my colleagues make their students keep practice diaries. This is a more hard-nosed approach than is in my nature, but on the other hand, what's not to like about it? How do they work? Does anyone have any suggestions or experience with what [string music] students should include in their notes? Probably the same type of stuff I keep in my teaching notes. Hmm... PS: How do you do etude/scale/excerpt study? 1 per week? Should we memorize etudes? I've tried explaining the Zen of Scales to my students, but they just get glassy-eyed.
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I am enjoying the high class feel of reading the Strad at my leisure. The glossy pages and high quality feel of turning them makes a nice late night indulgence while all is quiet after a long day of teaching. However, the content of the 'Education issue' leaves me a little empty. Noy much in any way of insight, actual real world thoughts and reflections by well known, at least to me, teachers currently practicing and making a living at this craft. Also, trying to read the article regarding teacher training deficiencies made me shake my head so many times, I gave up, at least for now. Conservatories do not make their bread and butter reputation teaching pedagogy and never will. The best teachers are ones that train to and succeed at performing and later develop a gift for explaining how they got there. The best teachers are never the top performers, but ones just below the rung that concertize for a living. The top performers, historically, that delve into teaching, are just dilettantes. Able dilettantes, but mostly one rung below the legacy teachers. Just my two pence re the Strad issue...
