Lrsm In Piano Teaching Options

[Pazzion]

Hi,

I would be embarking on my LRSM in piano teaching this year. I am going to start my case study portfolio and has some queries which i hope someone can help.

I was told to choose 3 students of various level and different maturity and ability. Am i right to say that

1) Beginner - Grade 0 - 2
2) Intermediate - Grade 5 - 6
3) Advance - Grade 8

Will appreciate some advice. Thanks.

Cheers
Pazzion aka runNRhythm

[margaret]

Hello

The most important thing is to choose 3 students with differing abilities and problems. That way you can really demonstrate how you vary your approach as well as giving you the chance to discuss different technical problems and display your knowledge of appropirate and challenging repetoire at different levels. Dont shy away from using a more "difficult" pupil in your case study. There is often more to say about a pupil struggling than one coasting along. Also the very advanced and talented pupil can be an interesting study.

[Pazzion]

There is quite a bit to prepare.

First and foremost im looking at the case study requirements and it is rather challenging. One of the pre-requisites states that there should be significant improvements and achievements after the 6 months. How are we to show in the case study, other than using the video submission to showcase? I was wondering if providing students' exam results will be a good yardstick.

Some advice here will be appreciated.

[julio]

I used an adult with absolutely no experience of music (and little natural ability!) for my beginner. This provided lots of challenges and gave me plenty to write about. I also chose a competent 11 year old doing Grade 4 and a 15 year old doing Grade 6. I don' think advanced necessarily has to mean Grade 8, and whatever they feel yiu haven't covered in the portfolio they ask you about in the exam anyway, so I was questioned about suitable teaching repertoire for grades 7 to 8.

[Dulciana]

I'm not doing this and have no experience of anybody who has, so take this with a pinch of salt! It's what I'd think about, though, if I was doing it...

I would choose pupils at different levels, but I'd also make sure they were pupils who required different approaches - and whose natural ability varied. For example, I might go for a Grade 1 who played musically once pieces were learnt, but who struggles to read music. How to approach that? Then I might go for a Grade 4-5 who was very quick to learn and a good sight reader, but who played very mechanically, and needed guidance with the more expressive aspects of the music at hand. To show my understanding of the musical requirements of the music as opposed to just getting the notes and rhythm right. And then maybe a Grade 7-8 who needed help with technicalities such as playing at speed whilst maintaining clarity. How to actually physically do that? That way, you get to demonstrate that you can teach not only all standards, but all eventualities within those standards.

[Martin Clarke]

Interested to read this thread, as I did the DipABRSM in 2008 and would like to do the LRSM at some point. Having been to a CT ABRSM taster session, though, I'm wondering whether to do that first, perhaps on the fast-track option.

In terms of choosing pupils for LRSM, one obviously has to be guided by the range of pupils you have. However, from the experience of the DipABRSM viva, being aware of the issues for other types of pupil seems wise too.

[Pazzion]

All sound really interesting..

Just to share. These are the selections of students i have at the moment:

1) A grade 8 student who will be taking her exam this Jul-Sep who is rather weak. She has no stamina to work on long pieces and often breaks down half way. Weak in most areas and need to work extra hard.

2) A Grade 4 student who is musically inclined and very keen in learning. The aim is to help this student to flourish and soar new heights.

3) A beginner student who understands the gists of things but is not able to deliver her pieces in one complete piece and is not able to perform well. Theory, sight reading rather strong though but weak in technics.

4) A beginner student who is good in most things except that he doesnt play musically and is too quick to respond.

[SueHM]

Hmm, interesting, thanks people. I had assumed I would need a grade 8-er for LRSM, and was resigned to waiting, but now I'm thinking perhaps I could get cracking after all - I have a couple of grade 6 pupils.

*Cogs start turning* (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)