Anyone else up for it this winter?

I've just finished the first draft of my essay. Wahey!

Now all I've got to do is revew it, rewrite it, proof read it and get it printed and bound. And send it off with the application form.....

Yes, that's right. I don't actually have a grade 8 (yet) in any other instrument

Sorry, but am I the only one here who thinks that teachers should be fully conversant with their scales, theory and aural work before teaching others? If I were asking about lessons and was told that my teacher had only passed grade 3 I would be worried, despite any assurances that he or she was actually able to play pieces of grade 8 standard. You have a long list of qualifications David. Are none of them in piano performance or teaching?

Anyone seen my topic recently....?


More to the point, is anyone else up for the Dip. this winter? If so, how's the prep going?

Scales and technical work: yes! I deliberately bail out of teaching the piano where I cannot play the scales or repertoire, repertoire is due to small hand size, scales, well partially its laziness, I can play all the major and minor scales in similar motion an octave apart but break down with thirds and sixths, oboe wise I know my scales, singing wise well I definately know my stuff.

Theory: There are a lot out there that don't and that's a real pity. It is rather useful being able to realise figured basses on the fly, and analyse the harmonic structure of a piece at sight. I would also add basic music history to that, setting a piece in context makes it much more enjoyable for the pupil too.

Aural: Well I didn't realise I know as much until I started teaching, but yes I tend to agree with you there Petra too. (particularly as a singing teacher - at a higher level the ability to 'nit pick' is essential)

Do remember Petra that I haven't passed anything above Grade 6 Piano grade wise, but my exams at Huddersfield required me to have reached a higher standard than that by the end of the second year. There are "equivalent" exams too!

Good luck Katyjay with the diploma!

I might join you in doing one one day, Katyjay, but I've sworn not to allow myself to be distracted further from what I should be getting on with .

Out of curiosity, how did you decide between doing either a teaching ATCL or a teaching DipABRSM?



Really? DipRSCM, DipMusComp(ICMA), CertGSMD(T), CertRSCM, CertHE(Wales), LNCM, AVCM(Hons), CertSocSci(Open), ANSCM, FIGOC, FASC, FFLM, LGMS, MNCMSoc .

A number of factors - I didn't fancy the multi-part nature of the ATCL for one thing, and at the time that I chose which diploma I'd look at I hadn't got a long enough continuous period of teaching with "two pupils at different stages of learning". I also wasn't keen on the idea of dragging one of my pupils along to an exam so that I could be observed teaching them.

And of course I've already got an ATCL, so DipABRSM would give me a different set of letters

Leave then?


YAP: .

STOP! - Lets not get personal and petty.
Everyone has their own valid views and we should all respect each other's points of views even if we don't share them.

dcmbarton - I have always valued your imput - please don't be chased away.

The DipABRSM is an interesting diploma to both prepare for and take. Let me know if I can help in any way.

One point about the Practical Musicianship. I know it sounds strange but in many ways I think Grade 8 is easier than grade 6. Have a look at the syllabus closely and see what you think. I decided to take grade 8 PM as I didn't think the theory requirement was either interesting or particularly useful for my pupils. I really enjoyed the preparation - and it also means you have the prerequisite for the LRSM!

Take care

Thanks Margaret

I had every hope of entering for this later in the year; did a lot of the reading, assembled a folder of notes divided into the different topics for written submission. Only problem was the teensy matter of gr 6 theory that I needed first.
Bah!
Have really stuck on this - suspect am making harder work of it than need be - working systematically through Annie Warburton - but I like to be thorough.
The gr 6 is not going to happen this year, obviously! Too many other things have cropped up and it is becoming clearer to me that I am never going to be a piano teacher. Haven't had a pupil for nearly a year, and you know? I'm secretly relieved. If I had to dash home knowing I had to teach an unprepared sub-teen and maintain the smile and the patience my blood pressure would have gone through the roof; and I LIKE(D) teaching.
I admire your application and organisational skills; I know you will achieve this and do it very well.
Best of luck katyjay.

Mel

Hi Katyjay,
Yes, I MIGHT be doing it. Depends what teacher says next week, after a LOng break over the summer.

My problem has been that my playing is not authorititive enough, but, hopefully that's changed.

If you like, we could PM eachother questions to practise how we'd answer? (I suppose that wouldn't work if you're not a piano teacher though.)

All the best to you anyway, .... perhaps in March 2008 we'll have a party! Yayyy!

I've already done this in clarinet last Summer, and I remember quite a releif when the written submission went in. With my academic background it was quite straightforward, but it still felt the hardest part. Once it was away I knew I could just concentrate on the practical part. Do treat this part like a performance dip, even though much shorter (same standard I mean).

I might do it again in piano, but I don't even have grade 8, and having done grade 8 in three instruments already I'm not in a hurry to do yet another.

Good luck with yours though.

I have my good eye on the DipABRSM!

However, I have decided that I've got my head on doing the performance DipABRSM next spring partly because after changing teachers last September, I realised there were many faults in my playing. Now that this is improving, I can gain confidence in myself and my playing, get the DipABRSM and then concentrate on the teaching diploma the year after. My priority at the moment is to improve my playing and what i know and then I'll think about getting qualified for something I already do!

However, I've been sneakily looking at the grade 6 exam pieces and the example topics for the written essay and drafting in my head what I'd write!

Eventually I'll do a teaching diploma, but rather than going through the Trinity or AB ordinary dip route, I'd rather do the CTABRSM.

I don't have any recorder grades, simply as I've never taken them. It does not stop me teaching beginners recorder. I may do my grade 7 one day...

Goodluck Katyjay, you seem to be insuring that your doing the thorogh and professional thing again!

While on the whole I endorse teachers having a teaching diploma, in certain respects it almost qualifies you for something you are already doing. I am fairly confident that people who ask me for lessons appreciate the fact I have a teaching certificate (not just performing), but the circumstances I did it in (under guidance from my teacher who I only had contact with during my masters year) may not be possible to everyone. It's not like the PGCE for classroom teachers, or accountants exams and so on.

Take the CTABRSM. You need 5 pupils on the same instrument and a years teaching experience (and a lot of time and cash that music teachers tend not to get growing on trees). The ATCL and ALCM teaching dips have similar requirements if less extreme. If a teacher is already happy with their teaching, and have a regular flow of pupils, can they always justify the time and expense of getting a piece of paper, which may not repay itself in the end. The plain fact there is no law what you need to teach privately puts all this in perspective (and just as well or we would never get started).

I am not wishing to undermine teaching dips or those who take them. I am glad I have one. Simply I feel they can seem not as beneficial or essential as they can appear. If we consider them as a means of improving our teaching for the benefit of our pupils, then that's the way. It's just worth thinking about.

Anyway, best of luck to those taking diplomas this term.

Thankyou Neil,

That's a very good way to think of it.

Neil, accountancy exams happen periodically through a period of practical training. So generally you'd take the first set after about a year's work experience and study, the next set after another year and your finals at the end of your three year training period. So that is in many ways similar to the way the majority of teaching qualifications work - you have to have the practical experience to be able to attempt the exam.

For me, the teaching Dip gives me a framework for thinking about my teaching, and about my own technique as a singer. It gives me the offer of some reassurance that my ideas on teaching are on the right lines, even though I don't yet have many pupils.

I know they're not essential - heck, my own teacher teases me that once I've got this Dip (assuming it all goes to plan and I DO get it....) I'll be more qualified than he is. Does that make me a better teacher than him? Of course it doesn't - I have a long way to go to build up the wisdom and experience he has.

Oh dear, oh dear...

There-there-ly
GC

Good luck Katy.

I'm not doing the dip at the moment, but I'm thinking about it. A small matter of G6 theory first though (unfortunately my ancient G6 theory won't do).

Just interested to know why you are not doing the CT course which I found very stimulating, and as an instrumental teacher it brings you into contact with lots of like-minded people (although I appreciate that you participate in lots of the forum concerts etc, so perhaps you feel that you have enough contact with others).

Not enough pupils over a long enough period yet.

Hi! I'm just about to get back into teaching after a very long break and I'm starting to consider the Dip Teaching. Just waiting for the syllabus to be sent to me.

Katyjay, can I just ask out of interest, if you had enough pupils would you still have gone for the Dip and why? Good luck with your preparations. I'm sure you will be successful and yes, I can so associate with your comments about an experienced teacher being full of wisdom! I have my teacher placed very high on a pedestal (he isn't that old actually but very very good).

Susie, I hadn't thought of doing the CT Course. (Goes off to ask for details on that too!!!) How long did it take you to do? Are there any prerequisites?

Just to let you know that Katyjay will be unable to answer this for a couple of weeks as she has no internet access.

I'm hoping to do it this session. provided I get the essay written up this week.

And before anyone asks why I'm not doing the CT instead, I would have loved to do it, and seriously considered it, but I know I haven't got time for it this year.

Sorry, been away from the forum for a while - a small matter of the start of term!!

I did the CT course in 2000 and it took me an academic year (Oct - June) - I think this is called the part-time version now, - there's also an intensive course. I believe you have to already have some pupils, and have been teaching for a year or so. (Having said that, there were some students on my course who had not quite accumulated a year's teaching I think, but the ones in question were graduate musicians, so perhaps there had been some discussion with them beforehand.) I'm sure it's all in the syllabus.

I found it very worthwhile.

I am delighted to report that, after six years of not managing to write the essay for DipABRSM Teaching, I have finally completed it. I have just been to the Post Office to send the whole lot off Special Delivery. Compared with this, I'm expecting the exam itself to be a doddle.



PS Many thanks to katyjay, without whose example this essay would probably not have been written.

Well done!

Congratulations on completing the essay and holding an excellent record for longest procrastination and putting off...

Just a quickie, is the closing date for the December diplomas the same as for grades??? If so I might finally finish off my essay and send it in before I spend the money on Christmas presents

No, it's today (no online entry option).

oh well, will have to be next December I should be taking my dipABRSM in singing performance in July