Help w/my sons lessons

sharkminkle · #1 January 10th, 2007

I have questions about where my son should be with his lessons. He has been going to private lessons for almost a year and I am concerned that he hasnt isnt were he should be with his education. He hasnt learned how to read music or count music.. His instructor asks him every week what song he wants to learn and teaches him the chorus and he practices it for a week and plays it for him the next week. The instructor writes the music down for him also. It seems he should have made progress towards reading music and also writing music. I am looking for input from other instructors or former students on how their lessons went

Ben_Sir_Amos · #2 January 10th, 2007

I'm not sure that you can get an answer over the net that is fair to your son, or to the teacher. In general, the key to progress for kids is regular daily practice. That's every day. I always say at least five minutes every single day can help to make good progress. More than that is a bonus but I don't like to push them into hating it. On the other hand, progress through grades is usually calculated on twenty minutes practice a day - but that puts a lot of kids off.

Is your son enjoying playing? Does he like the tutor?

These are key issues for me. I've found that young kids seem to make very slow progress and then all of a sudden, as they get older, they get good really fast.

Now you'll ask, can't we skip the slow years? Perhaps, but my experience is that although it seems like slow progress, it does set them up for the rapid progress later.

I'm not much help, am I? But you'd need to give a whole load more information before anyone could realistically get close to an answer.

allthumbs · #3 January 10th, 2007

Is the teacher writing the lesson out in standard? Has your son learned an entire song in that year long span. How old is he? Does he like the teacher and the lessons. Have you talked with him about goals and time tables. Are you seeing improvement in your sons playing? Is your son practicing and for how long?
As you can see there are lots of variables to be considered.

Rockerbob · #4 January 10th, 2007

My parents pushed, but just a little. It took me a long time to learn anything, but the lessons I had when I was 11 through 15 gave me a good foundation for when my personal inspiration hit at about age 17. Since then I have learned on my own, but I give credit to the foundation built with those lessons that didn't seem to do much at the time. It warms my heart these days to play and sing along with my Dad because he really enjoys it and I feel his pride that his son finally got good at something.

Justapicker · #5 January 10th, 2007

Guitar is often taught as a "hobby" instrument, as opposed to a "serious" instrument, without any emphasis on musical literacy, in part because learning the basic mechanical aspect isn't that difficult. In one sense that's a good thing because it has produced an enormous number of people who can play to one degree or another.

If your goals for your son include being able to read and write music then it's your responsibility to have a talk with the instructor and explain what you want your son to get out of lessons. If this instructor won't (or can't) sign on to your preferred type of lesson plan, there are plenty of qualified teachers who can and will.

scotty_b · #6 January 10th, 2007

HI
There are many things that I can only speculate upon from the information you provided, which is not a great deal.
I have been teaching 30-40 people a week for several years now, and I find that the majority of people (be they kids or otherwise) refuse to learn to read music. I cannot comment on your son's attitude as I do not know where he is at with it all, but most people seem to decide that learning to read is too much effort and don't bother. Perhaps they cannot see the benefit of reading, perhaps your son has a negative attitude towards it anyway, he is possibly happy with what he is doing and that is what he has asked the teacher to do? What does your son wish to achieve on the instrument? And why do you expect him to be able to read and write music after a year? What are your expectations of your son?
Have you discussed your concerns and expectations with the teacher (and your son)? If you have and he cannot meet your needs, then look elsewhere. In my experience not everyone comes forawrd to say what they want, and then get frustrated with the teacher for not providing that. I have felt it and witnessed it with other teachers at the music school I work for.