This is a 12-week series of tools to build a deeper understanding of how music relates to the staff.
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While most of the 12 weeks are dedicated to implementing specific exercises, our first week includes some crucial reframing of the lesson experience itself.
I'm excited to release this material to teachers on Monday πbut thought I'd offer a sneak peek today.
The following is extracted from the transcript of our Week 1 video. Regardless of whether or not you purchase the resource, I hope this gives you something to ponder today.
From Building Better Music Readers, Week 1 - Reframe No. 3: Prioritizing Competence Over Confusion
Thereβs an important quote by mathematician Larry Martinek, who said, βChildren donβt hate math. They hate feeling confused, intimidated, and embarrassed by mathβ.
I believe those three emotions are the root of ALL discouragement when studying an instrument.
Unfortunately, when it comes to reading music, there are FAR too many students going home feeling confused β or intimidated β by their assignments.
They know parts of the puzzle, but they aren't sure how to fit the pieces together yet.
Itβs like how children are taught math in school: They learn to memorize facts.
Those facts are drilled over and over again:
Two plus one equals three.
Two plus two equals four.
Two plus three equals five.
After heavy repetition and lots of assessment, they move on to WORD PROBLEMS. Gulp. π
Word problems are designed for students to apply their knowledge to real-world scenarios.
Carlos has three apples. Caitlin has two apples. If they both put their apples in the same basket, how many apples are in the basket?
In theory, students know the information necessary to solve the word problem. They know the facts.
Yet β if youβve ever sat with a young child as they complete their math homework, you know word problems cause them discomfort. The application-to-the-real-world part is more complicated than regurgitating facts.
Believe it or not, a lot of our students are going home with similar feelings about reading their music. They know their finger numbers. They can figure out note names on the staff. They can identify a step vs. a skip.
In theory, they know everything they need to know to play their new piece.
β¦But they are lacking a full understanding to connect those concepts in meaningful ways.
Sending them home in a state of confusion is not helping our mission.
It's imperative students leave your studio feeling competent to do the work you're asking them to do at home. Challenge is fine; confusion is not.
(end excerpt)
Familiarizing our students with the reading process is a complex endeavor. It can be difficult for us to put ourselves in their shoes.
Over the next 12 weeks, I'll be helping teachers deconstruct the elements of reading staff notation. Then, we will reassemble them in ways that promote the necessary confidence to connect those dots. π
As I mentioned, this first session of Building Better Music Readers is a trial-run. If you are interested in being a guinea pig for this new offering, I'm saying thank you with ample opportunities for reflection/feedback, a live Zoom wrap-up on April 3rd, AND pre-sale pricing of $72.
PS: SuperFriends on Patreon save $10! Be sure to check your accounts if you support me over there.
Spots are limited for this first run, so if you're interested in leveling-up your Teacher Game when introducing the staff this year, I'd recommend signing up today!
Pre-sale registration ends on Sunday, 01.11.26 and will not open again until we complete this first 12-week session.
π₯ May we seek to instill our students with COMPETENCE over CONFUSION at every available opportunity, even when it means staying flexible with our own plans. π₯
βThis week's episode features a handful of thoughts about better preparing students to read staff notation. It's just the tip of the iceberg, but a worthy starting point.
If you've learned anything worthwhile from my work and want to be part of the BEST support team around, consider joining the SuperFriends Community for a season and see what you think!
Since we're talking about teaching reading this week...
Kevin Olson's Pre-Reading Made Fun is one of my favorite resources to send home with students during their first few lessons.
The pieces are easy for students to learn independently. This allows me flexibility to work on bigger musical concepts during lesson time while still sending them home with something fun to play throughout the week.
*This email may contain affiliate links. That's just smart business, but please know all recommendations are purely my own, and are absent of any icky ulterior sales motives.