Should I Let Her Start The Next Grade? Options

[allegretto4]

Hi,

I have a young pupil doing the transfer test in school this autumn. She is going well in her preparation for her G3 piano exam (would probably get a merit at this stage) but still needs a spurt of hard work between now and the exam if she is going to achieve the Distinction which her mum is very keen for her to get!

Mum asked if she could postpone sitting the exam till next Spring because of the transfer test but wants me to start work meanwhile on Grade 4. I prefer not to start her on the next grade before she gets this one! (I have already skipped her over G2 to do G3). I also explained that its not just about exams, etc. but mum is very keen for her to go up the grades asap! I also feel that the child has 'peaked' as far as G3 goes and to keep going till Spring is too much!

Having said all that, the last thing I want is to put this child under too much pressure (she seem to take most things in her stride!).

I would be interested to know what other teachers would have done in this situation.

Many thanks in advance.

[Susie]

Lots of different things impinge on this. For example, how difficult is the transfer test, and when is it held? Our year 6s do their test in October, so I take the view that it doesn't affect piano at all, since the exams are held Nov/Dec and I ask for a late week to separate everything out.

Then, your pupil is 10/11 and as someone else said, she may have a view on the subject. She may feel that, having worked hard, she would like to take the exam and have proof of her hard work.

It seems to me that you certainly don't want to be doing G3 exam in the Spring without doing lots of other work in between times. Maybe that's the answer, put the G3 exam work on hold, do "progress" work for G4 and rev all the G3 pieces up for the Spring exam after Christmas. (That's not the way I would do it, but is an option.)