Any Teachers From Singapore/ Malaysia? Options

[cornell]

Hi...
just wonder if there are any teachers in this forum who are from singapore or malaysia?

[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.