I've been given a pair of new Y7s to teach this term; one of them has been learning the violin for about three years, the other one is a total beginner. The more experienced player would much rather be learning on her own or with someone else who's at the same level, but logistically there's no way to make this happen for her. I only have one half-hour space and it has to be for them.

The beginner had been trying to teach herself so at least she was holding the violin and bow quite well from the start (I think her mother taught her a few bits and pieces), but she doesn't really read any music at all, whereas the other one is quite a good sight-reader.

I've put them both on Fast Forward, which they love, and have written a series of easy accompanying parts for the beginner to play, but still feel I'm not able to give either of them the attention to detail they both really need.

It would help if the beginner spent more time learning some of the notes during the week, but it's a slow process, which is frustrating especially as the other one is eager to speed up and I suspect is feeling a bit held back. I think it's going fairly well as they sounded really nice playing together today in what could be called a rather tuneful duet, but I'm wondering if I could be coming up with something better for them.

What would other teachers with a mixed ability pair? Any suggestions would be most welcome!

Would it be possible to teach them in 15 minute lessons rather than a half hour shared one?
I know it wouldnt give that much time to each of the kids, but at least the lesson time available would be at the level they need.

Or you could set them separate pieces, get one of the on their own for 10 mins, then 10 mins into the lesson the other one could join in for some joint stuff for 10 mins, then the other kid gets 10 mins private lesson. Im sure that would give you enough time to chat to them about what they personally need to do.

Just a suggestion anyway x

I took on some piano pupils last year from the primary school adjoining the secondary school I already taught in. These pupils came in pairs for a half hour lesson - I wasn't given a choice initially. At first it was okay as they were all starting from the same point, and I discovered some advantages to teaching them in pairs - we could do rhythm work together and I brought in some percussion instruments so while one was playing their piece to me the other could be putting a basic rhythm with it - we managed some nice trios. One playing the piano, me playing the teacher's duet part and the other child on the percussion.

However, after a while one pupil out of each pair progressed more quickly than the other and I began to be concerned that I might be holding one back while we proceeded at the pace of the slower one. So I did what Pengy suggested, I moved to giving them each an individual 15 minute lesson. It's far from ideal, but at least they move at their own pace, and I sometimes still put them together to listen to each other or supply a rhythmic part to go with the piano. Might be worth a try.

I think as long as the lessons are pre-planned and no time is wasted, 15 minutes can be plenty enough time :]
Or then you could teach each of them once every two weeks if you wanted a longer lesson.. I can understand why that would cause some problems though.

Thanks for the suggestions. I give some fifteen minute lessons in another school but always go over the time to about twenty minutes because the opportunity is there and money isn't everything. I think a tight fifteen minutes would be hopeless in this particular school because the music block is a bit out of the way and students sometimes turn up five minutes late because a teacher wouldn't let them leave a test or whatever.

Also, you've got to spend a couple of minutes while they get their violins out of their cases, tuning (or letting them tune) them, rosinging the bow etc etc.... it would be a nightmare and it just wouldn't work unless you had spare minutes at the end to give them a little bit more.

I think I'm just going to have to be as creative as possible and somehow make it work...

I'm not a teacher, but are they old enough that you could get one of them to do theory work for 15 minutes quietly, while the other did practical stuff, then switch over?

She said they're year 7.
My brother is in year 7 and is working towards grade 1 theory.. but then again he is grade 5 practical.

I dont know if a beginner year 7 would be able to cope with theory, especially if expected to get on with it on their own.

I think the school is to blame.. they shouldn't say that their pupils are allowed to pay for music lessons and then refuse to let them out of lesson.. Thats what my high school was like

Of course a Year 7 can do theory on his/her own for 15 minutes if it's the right level - and it doesn't have to be working through the ABRSM books, either. I made my own theory work sheets for my year 3/4/5 pupils and they were fine. It would really help the beginner learn the notes, too.

I had the same situation with my son and my friend's daughter.
They both started learning in January this year, but the girl NEVER practices so my son has jumped way forward being almost at grade 2 by now and the girl not even ready for a prep test yet.
Anyway, at first they shared the half hour, now the teacher does fifteen minutes each. They are both much happier this way..to have the 15 minutes each. It works even better than sharing the whole half hour.
I'd suggest you give it a go and do like others say (give some theory or something to the one standing 'idle').