Young Children Learning Piano: Group or Private Lessons
Piano can be taught through the one-to-one approach with a private teacher or with a small group of students in a classroom setting. Many parents of young students do not know what is the best option for their child’s lessons. We will describe how the two approaches vary for students of piano.
Class sessions mostly highlight lively activities for students that are under the age of six that include playing with percussion toys, learning childrens’ songs, dancing and learning short pieces on the piano or keyboard. Some children that are older will be able to spend more class time on the piano, but they also get some skills in rhythm and learning new songs.
Private piano lessons can be quite demanding for younger children as it can be mentally and physically challenging. If a teacher is particularly strict or demanding, piano lessons begin to become something that is dreaded by a young child not used to structure. The attention span of a young child is shorter than an older child, and the hands are much smaller so not many keys can be reached at once.
Some classroom lesson sessions and a few private instructors may require that parents attend the lesson with the child. The reason is that the parent can study their child’s behavior during the learning process, and possibly learn some music themselves if they don’t have any musical training. By observing lessons, a parent will be able to help their child if they do not understand and need help.
If the student likes the lessons or classes, let them remain taking the lessons longer. A compassionate and understanding teacher will go a long way with students that are not confident and not sure of their ability. Many children love to get a small incentive like a star or sticker when they play a piece successfully.
Children that attend group lessons with others may not learn as much as they could in a one-to-one lesson situation. Young students tend to be distracted by other children and their attention will be focused away from the class, so if they have private lessons the teacher can help them focus on the learning. Parent attendance will help both types of lessons, and they can see if the classes or lessons are really effective and that their child is learning.
What does your child prefer? Do they have friends that are attending classes or taking private lessons, and what does their friends and parents think? A good strategy would be to take you child to a sample music class, then to a private lesson to see if they are ready for a private teacher.
Is your child excited or happy about the classes or lessons? If not, do not make them go to a class or lessons if they do not wish to go. One of the worst things you can do for a child is to force them to take music lessons or classes when they have no interest.
