Any Teachers From Singapore/ Malaysia? Options

[gwenyoung]

smsm, I wish you good luck in your new career, and get as many students as you want. :rolleyes:

[cornell]

Cornell , you are right  sometimes it can be very frustrating if you meet some problems in teaching and you have no one to turn to.  that's why Im part time teaching in music center and at the same time teaching privately. but not all teachers are willing to share their knowledge.  Besides I think it's better to start with school or music center first to gain the necessary experience.  Coz I started as a private piano teacher first, and met lots of problems and it took me years to conquer some problems and some remain unsolve.

Hi Gwen..
I do agree that not all teachers are willing to share their knowledge. i do remember once that i suggest to have at least once a month to have group discussion but most teachers were against it. maybe bcoz they don't want to spent extra hours to have discussion.

So what problems do u encounter that remain unslove? mind sharing with us?

[GraceNote]

Hi Cornell,

Teaching piano in Singapore?....how life's like being teaching in Singapore?

Hi I am Adriana from Singapore!!! :) I've been teaching for sometime and yes I hardly have the chance to keep in touch with other teachers too. I love the idea that teachers in Singapore can have chats and discussions. But I do agree that some who are not willing to share. I thought why not???? It's great way to exchange knowledge and we teachers can learn from each other as well.

I felt like lost soul sometimes too.... pretty lonely as there are not many who can understand the pain of having students who dont practice and have to stick to a piece for long long time. Despite the effort of trying different ways to get them practice, kids now have too much to do beside learning piano or voilin or other instruments. Many treat this as something that can be put aside becuase its not an academic subject and not so important. We seldom get student who take music really seriously and put in his/her best. It'll be heaven's gift if that happen to a teacher. It's so disappointing for me teach teach someone the same piece that's been going on for ages simply because they break it so many times through playing and it seem like they are doing sight reading!!!!! It's just ridiculous as I've gone through thoroughly the previous week and it's still the same when I went for lesson the following week.... sometimes due to lack of practice or simply didnt do anything, it got worse!!!! Sigh..... so discouraging for me. I've even tried ways like input games and other musical stuff during lesson so that they ahve something to look forward to..... but in the end, students will look forward to the game and still dont practice!!!!! SIGH......

Hmm..... I've also another question.... have any of you bring your student from grade 1 to 3 within less then a year's period? To me, thats a little fast for an average student. I always thought foundation is important and if we move fast like this, students might have a weak base.....?? Not sure if I am right? Correct me if I am wrong about this. Please give your opinion.

So happy to see this topic!!!! Just so wonderful. Looking forward to hear from all of you and your teaching life :D

[cornell]

Hi Cornell,

Teaching piano in Singapore?....how life's like being teaching in Singapore?

Hi I am Adriana from Singapore!!! :) I've been teaching for sometime and yes I hardly have the chance to keep in touch with other teachers too. I love the idea that teachers in Singapore can have chats and discussions. But I do agree that some who are not willing to share. I thought why not???? It's great way to exchange knowledge and we teachers can learn from each other as well.

I felt like lost soul sometimes too.... pretty lonely as there are not many who can understand the pain of having students who dont practice and have to stick to a piece for long long time. Despite the effort of trying different ways to get them practice, kids now have too much to do beside learning piano or voilin or other instruments. Many treat this as something that can be put aside becuase its not an academic subject and not so important. We seldom get student who take music really seriously and put in his/her best. It'll be heaven's gift if that happen to a teacher. It's so disappointing for me teach teach someone the same piece that's been going on for ages simply because they break it so many times through playing and it seem like they are doing sight reading!!!!! It's just ridiculous as I've gone through thoroughly the previous week and it's still the same when I went for lesson the following week.... sometimes due to lack of practice or simply didnt do anything, it got worse!!!! Sigh..... so discouraging for me. I've even tried ways like input games and other musical stuff during lesson so that they ahve something to look forward to..... but in the end, students will look forward to the game and still dont practice!!!!! SIGH......

Hmm..... I've also another question.... have any of you bring your student from grade 1 to 3 within less then a year's period? To me, thats a little fast for an average student. I always thought foundation is important and if we move fast like this, students might have a weak base.....?? Not sure if I am right? Correct me if I am wrong about this. Please give your opinion.

So happy to see this topic!!!! Just so wonderful. Looking forward to hear from all of you and your teaching life :D

Hi adrianna..
thanks for sharring your opinion with us..

i do understand how u feel as u have put in much efford but kids are not progressing... i do encounter that problem as well. sometimes it makes me wonder does the problem really lies on me or the student.

the last exam tthat my student had, i had to prepare their pieces 6 months before the exam and actually the mummy of the child complain that the kid only plays the exam pieces then. I have no choice as i have to focus for what is required for the exam as he has no time to practise. the way he plays his pieces was as if he is going through sightreading. week after week i just commented on the same mistake as he shows no improvement and does not take note of what has been mention to him since weeks ago. he has to prepare for his PSLE exam and i understand he as a lot of assignments and homework from school.

As for parents, some are rather understanding but there are also a handful who does not really appreciate the teacher had contributed. Example i had a 10 year old student who has got a merit for his theory grade 5 exam and yet his mum mention that why can't his child got a distinction instead!!! gosh... its so dissapointing not only on the child but to me as a teacher.
one thing which i cannot understand is why ppl here don't compliment another?

[gwenyoung]

hi Cornell and Adriana,

I really couldn't agree more to both of you. Cornell, it's really sad that the parents just don't appreciate and I know it's extremely difficult to explain because parents are normally too easily to blame others for their owns' child fault. We as piano teachers know what's happening but really don't know how to make parents do too. really sad!!! :(

for those kids just don't want to practice I normally try to change pieces, e.g. change something jazzy, I found those Pamele Wedgwood - really easy jazzing about, or jazzing about is quite fun and Microjazz by Christopher Norton too. Most of my students like them. I no longer stick to classical music, besides I think most of my younger students don't appreciate classical music they think they are boring. I am still finding ways to stimulate them. As I am living in a place where choice of music books is limited, so the problem remain unsolve is how to get as many material as possible for them.

Another solution of mine is that I let them play duets, (normally fun pieces) and most kids just don't want to be deemed not good, so they try hard to practice for it so that they can keep up with the partners. (but it's really troublesome, coz you need to find a suitable time for both of them to play, as you know kids nowadays are very very busy indeed)


Actually, I have thousands problems...... :( ....here are only a few of them.......

I have a tranferred student who has a problem with reading notes what I mean here is that she knows the letter names but searching for the location of those notes and she has no idea of what is going up and coming down, when notes are going up she plays coming down instead (I hope you get what I mean) and what's more is that she doens't look at the book when she plays instead she looks at the piano and try to find those notes by hearing them but the problem is that she doesn't practice the pieces at home so how can she finds those notes without practising??!! I've told her many times that she needs to practice then only she gets familiar with the sound of those notes....but she sticks to her own way.

Another problem(new problem actually), I have a hyperactive 4year old boy who just deosn't want to sit more than 5 minutes and what's worst...he likes to call names and talk very rude. still I am teaching him rhythm..i.e. tapping. And I am not sure whether that's the way to do it. another :((

Another student of mine (13years old), just doesn't want to pay attention, as I am going door to door, so she is actually having lessons at her comfort home. but the problem is she just doesn't want to pay attention, when the phone rings she stops playing, when someone passes by outside the house, she stops playing.....when someone sms her she stops playing...etc etc. I've tried everthing from scolding her to reasoning with her...but to no avail. finally, I've made my decision (yesterday in fact), I quit.!! So I think the problem is solved..... :unsure: :(

I think i need thousands of pages to tell my problems. :((

Anyway....I don't know whether my solutions help, but just want to share them.


For Adriana,

I think it doesn't matter with the grade, as long as your student is willing to learn and play as many pieces of different periods as possible then I don't see any difficulty in passing exam even in a year with 2 grades jump. Technique is the utmost important foundation but it's something that takes years to develop and actually everyday to develop it. I realise that my fingers don't want to listen to me now because I haven't been practising it for a year.

[GraceNote]

Dear Cornell & Gwen,

Wah I finally realise I am not the only one in Singapore that's facing all these problems.... phew ^_^ Tell you girls something.... I was hyper stress for this year's practical exam that took place in August for my students. What happened was there were about three groups of students (2 boys and another family of 3 sisters), were playing terribly even til eve of exam. Ok it goes like this.... 1 boy (13 yr old) who is having some mood and behaviour problem since young (taught him for 4 years) just simply dont want to practice!!! :angry: He has this mood swing that force me to give him many breaks through that hour lesson. He needs to go away and "relax" a little or else he will grumble or simply sit there not moving. I have no choice but gave in. How to perform in such condition??? :huh: I even had extra lessons with him on Sunday to help him through.... The reason we sent him to exam is to try to motivate him and let him have something to look forward to and know where he stand. His doctor encourage him to continue with the lesson so we thought ok, let's press on and see how. But.... sigh.... mistake ar.... :(

Then another boy (14 yr old), he's a simply dont care one. He can come to me and say, "hey Ms Lim, nevermind lar, why you so stress....??? Look at me, I am so relax!!!" Wah biang, worse, his mom can just simply laugh it off and say "aiya, he's like that one lar.... nevermind, let him fail if he didnt want to make effort"....My goodness, it's kind of relieve to hear this from a parent but to have a student fail exam is definately not what I want!!! :(

Then this family whom I am teaching all their 4 girls, 3 of the older ones signed up for exam (mom wants them to). Simply dont take instructions too. When the 2nd one plays, I felt like burying myself in a hole!!!! :(

Anyway, lucky I wasn't there on the exam day, if not I am too ashame to face anyone there..... Soemtimes they really makes me wonder if I am the problem or they are??? :unsure:

As for normal lessons, I also try to input other stuff then only classical now.... I play duets with students too.... Most love it and lessons become more interesting. Gwen, can you recommend more duet books for me? Me too have thousands of problems with teaching but I am so glad to be in this topic and found you all who wants to share also.... now I am breath better. Please stay tune girls..... I hope the conversation wont just die off from here. I dont want to be lost soul anymore.

Cornell, some parents are like this, when they give comments like this, they makes us feel that we have not done our job well enough or we are not qualified enough. Sigh... :(

Oh btw Gwen, yes I agree bringing students two grades a year is ok but what I actually meant was (maybe I didnt explain clearly in the previous post) I heard from an ex student that one teacher told her that she can be grade 5 within 3 years and this student is not a very hardworking one so that makes me think...... Can meh???? :huh: Now the student went under her already.... no hard feeling lar but because the girl was with me for 3 years since she was 4 yr old and she got so used to my leniency so dont want to practice, I've got no choice but gave up. I also come across a teacher who said she can bring student from beginner to grade 4 within a year. That's amazing but makes me feel lousy leh... hee hee <_< To me, it's just so amazing because there ae so much techinques to learn at the beginning stage and probably, it's easy for grade 1 & 2 but when students go on to grade 3 and above, demand gets more difficult.... what are (Cornell & Gwen) your views on this then?

[gwenyoung]

Hi Adriana,

Try the Mike Cornick's booggie duets, very fun. Pamela Wedgwood - Christmas Jazzing about where there are 2 or 3 duets are fun too.

As for the teacher who says that she can bring students to grade 4 within a year....well the only explanation is that she just asks the students to practice for the exam pieces. that's all....because a friend's friend is doing exactly what I said. As ABRSM exam is held only once a year over in Sabah, therefore what she does is to let the students play exam pieces, once she thinks the pieces is not so bad, then she jumps to another grade and so on. (as ABRSM Gd 1 to 4 exam pieces are quite easy to play). Besides, it looks and sounds good to parents that their kids can finish their grade in such a short period while others are taking much longer. What parents don't know is that their children learn little. :(

:( yeah you are right, having students to fail the exam is the worst kind of disaster Because you know they have all the time to practice it's just that they don't want to. sometimes I wonder what do they really want??

[cornell]

Hi Adrianna and Gwen..

Looks like we are really pouring out all our frustrations and problems. hope we don't need to undergo psychotherapy due to mental stress... :lol:

In order to jump a grade, i find that it really depends on the child.. not the teacher.. so don't think that u are lousy and skipping a grade really depends on the attitude, the ability of the child... i have 3 students in fact that i allow them to skip from grade 2 to 5 . this was done in 2 yrs. these kids are very disclipline and they really spend time practising and really follow my instructions...theirs parents are very supportive as well.

as for other students, i just wrote them the melody and add in the accompaniment chds to whatever pop songs they request. e.g chinese pop songs by jay chauetc.... this is to encourage them to at least sit down at the piano and start reading notes.

i do agree with gwen that most children enjoy pop rather classical pieces...
but i do have some ( those 3 stdents that i had mention) that prefer classical to pop or even jazz!!! so it really depends on each individual kid.
i guess we have to be like doctors to precribe different 'medication' to different patients.

[cornell]

btw... any other music teacher out there whom would like to introduce themselves?

[smsm]

Hi,
Thanks for your wishes :D
I'm quite nervous actually, digging out my old old books to hv a look... i had my grade 8 in 1988.... donkey years ago !!! but i still continue playing for my own leisure, and for church. those classical pieces definately rusty liao!! i requested that my students are either beginners or below gd 5 so that i can cope the first year. hope all goes well! by the way, for private teachers out there in sg, do you mind letting me know how much is the private music fees currently? thanks in advance!!
Gosh, piano teachers really face a lot of problems!!! :o i'm getting a bit worried reading through the posts....

[cornell]

Hi Smsm

well, good luck in your teaching career. You will eventually get use to it... I believe as we teach, we as teachers learn as well. Attend seminars and talks and that will actually help a lot as sometimes presenters do give tips or advise on teaching. I have actually learn a lot by attending those seminars. i don't want to use the old method of teaching where my teachers used to do....its boring, unmotivated for the child and does not show much progress...
anyway, all the best in your teaching once again.

[smsm]

hi cornell :)
you mentioned about Singapore teachers association in our previous post, can you please let me hv more info on this? thanks!

[Billymay]

hi cornell  :)
you mentioned about Singapore teachers association  in our previous post, can you please let me hv more info on this? thanks!

Hi, just click on the following to view their website: SMTA

[gwenyoung]

Dear all,

I totally agree with Cornell, attending seminars really help though sometimes you only find one tip is useful for the whole seminar, but better than none, right? and I believe Singapore has more seminars than we do in Sabah.

Cornell is also right about the old way of teaching, the old way of teaching is totally out of date, coz children nowadays are living in really modern world and won't accept the old way.

[happygirl]

Hi everyone,

I am a part-time music teacher from Malaysia. I do encounter piano students who don't practice at all! Every week they come to sight-read, and ended up I have to teach them a piece for 1 month at least. Actually they have had 5 teachers before i take over them, and after teaching them for more than 1 year, they are now passed on to other teachers, and I am so happy! at least I do not have to sit with them for over an hour each week. The point is, you don't get any satisfaction from teaching them!

However, most of my violin students are quite dedicated, and that gives me the motivation for teaching them.

But, to my dismay, I have problems few adult students, and further more, they are piano teachers themselves!

From,
Happygirl