Hi all... I have my dip on Sunday afternoon.... anyone got any words of wisdom for me beforehand. Any advice gratefully accepted.
Cheers

Not words of wisdom, just best wishes and hope you do well.
Try not to be nervous and relax as much as you can - pretend it is just a chat.

Hope to be there myself sooner or later and shall try and follow my own advice.

Good for you for getting on with it. But [i]Sunday afternoon?[i]

Let us know how you get on.

Mel

I live in the Middle East.... Sunday is actually our Monday!

I would get the Quick Study safely in the bag before the Viva if it was me - but you might decide otherwise. I would say that was the most intense part of the exam. Don't worry about the questions - they'll be fine and most of the time they are prompts for discussion rather than for direct 'correct' answers. I think I have learnt more since the Dip than when I was working for it. I keep thinking since how much clearer I am in my head about a lot of concepts - such as how to teach a pupil to make a good tone on the piano. That was one my first questions and I realised afterwards I should have started off with how the piano works. One thought leads to another if you see what I mean - just like a discussion.

Wishing you lots of luck

I don't think I could do the quick study first because if i make a mess I will be down on confidence which won't bode well for the vive. Thanks for the hint about tone production... I probably wouldn't have started there either but as I think about it it is the obvious place to begin.
Thanks for the good luck message... the examiner has asked me to come 15 mins earlier as his teaching diplomas tend to go on!!! Not sure if that is good or bad!!
Cheers

The very first question was about tutors I use for young beginners and then she asked me about tone. I guess every examiner will be different, but I would have thought they have to keep to a strict time in the exam though. Maybe the syllabus does need a clearer structure. My examiner did ask me what I wanted to do first and split the Viva up into sections which I wasn't expecting.

I think the syllabus is very vague especially for those of us with no teacher to go to every week who has experience of this exam. I hope I am quite organised and have gone in the right direction with my studies... I suppose I'll know soon enough... To be honest I'm more worried about the QS... sight reading is not my strong point and probably much worse with nerves. Not convinced I'll pass this part but worst case scenario is I'll re take it... not the end of the world!
How did you do in yours? And how long was your vive? Any more hints on questions much appreciated.

I think my report was a very realistic appraisal of my abilities. Be as well prepared as you can for the playing and Viva on the Grade 6 pieces where I think I lost some marks because I started to feel rushed. I knew I could play them well at home but I think nerves got in the way on the day and it was difficult to 'feel' the music being asked to play very small sections of the pieces. I know a teacher does this in an actual lesson but being in total control of the piano lesson on home ground is rather different to the exam room. My report commented on how as I get more experience in higher grades my pianism will improve etc. This was fine considering I had spent most of the year doing other studies as well as the Dip. so I wasn't expecting too much. I passed all sections first time and I got respectable marks overall and just missed a higher pass band.

Watch out for easy questions on the Grade 6 pieces - don't be afraid to say the obvious. The Dip is meant to be just the basic principles of teaching. You'll get a few questions about your Written Submission too. What did you choose to write about? I did Sight-reading and Aural.

I was just delighted to pass as I had been wanting a teaching dip for many years. To fail it would have been disastrous for me!

Thanks busybee for all you hints any little helps in my quest for calmness!
where you asked to play any of your pieces all the way through?
What did you think of the level of the QS... was it Grade 6 as it says or harder as alot of people seem to think. I stand half a chance if it is slow..anything quicker than andante and I'll struggle!!
I have a teaching qualification anyway so not desperate for this as a necessity just a matter of personal achievement.