Lesson #1

Welcome back from summer! I'm so excited to begin 2nd Year: Keyboard Time! 

This is the practice process for this year: Here at the beginning, practice only needs to take as little as 2 to 5 minutes, 5 times a week! The goal is let your child get the idea that sitting at the keyboard is brief and pleasant.

Remember that listening to the class music often is part of the weekly practice assignment and will enhance your child's learning process: Listen, Listen, Listen to the music. If you need help getting the Let's Play Music app to work, start here. Remember, you will use the same login information you used when you registered for class.     
      
Remember to text or email me a picture of your child sitting at the piano with proper posture.

Tuition is due today and is $280 for the Green Turtle Shells semester. You can pay via Zelle using my phone number (preferred, so I don't have to pay Venmo transaction fees). Zelle is a way to transfer money from your bank account to my bank account without needing to wait or pay extra fees. It's easy to set up through your bank and even easier to use once it has been set up. You could pay via Venmo @musikandme if you really can't set up Zelle. If you need to make monthly payments, rather than paying for the semester, it will be $75/month. (You will save $20 by paying for the semester up front!) 

Celebrate Connection
Think of ways you can focus on making practice time as fun as possible – give your child warm, friendly eye contact, smile with your voice, be a little silly, show you are relaxed and happy to sit with your child, and look for the good in your child's effort. Notice the joy in your child's eyes. Verbalize the good you see and hug your child often. This is the beginning of the practice relationship that will be essential to your child's success in Let's Play Music. The more you invest your energy into positive interaction, the more solid and successful this habit will become.     
      
After doing your assignment for class, allow your child to fool around and experiment if he wants to, and play a song you know -- no matter how simple. This can be done anytime or multiple times throughout the week. Model joy as you play the piano. If you make a mistake, smile and show that you are relaxed and enjoy trying again to fix the mistake. Celebrate your effort to give him the idea his efforts are something to enjoy and celebrate.

DO is Home
Just a reminder to put one RED STICKER on Middle C (Do is Home) this week on your piano or keyboard. See the graphic below for clarification. If you are still unsure which note is Middle C, please let me know! It should sound just like the large red bell in your bell kit. Each practice time should begin with THINKING OF middle C, then SINGING it, then PLAYING it! This will continue to strengthen the goal for each student to acquire relative pitch.

Kit Kat Keyboard

The first thing we will focus on is the black keys. The first verse of this song emphasizes the black keys in groups of 2 and 3. The white keys for now, are just the background to the ‘picture’ of the black keys. Dividing the keyboard this way helps build keyboard geography in our minds: a mental image formed from visual conclusions. As we look, study, and play at the keyboard, a mental map is formed. Use the entire hand to see, feel, and hear the black keys! It’s important to remind students to say out loud “2” and “3” as they practice. The more senses we use at once, the easier it is to retain and recall information.  

Bubble Hands

The 1st verse of this song is all about proper posture for piano playing. Be sure to begin each session of practice with this song. It will get easier the more your child does it.

The second verse is all about proper finger shape. Practice with the bubble to build finger strength and good form. Finger numbers will be emphasized more next week, so don't worry about the 3rd verse yet. For now make sure their elbows are close together and their fingers are aligned with each other, spread apart and not overlapping. The technique that happens in class is important, but reinforcing it at home is even more influential! Please send me a picture of your child sitting at the piano with proper posture this week.   

Spring Bees

We have a new fun puppet show! You and your child can also perform it at home. Look in the back of the piano book and you'll find the "Spring Bees" coloring pages. Turn on the puppet show music and have your child color while they listen. If you'd like to laminate the puppets and put them on sticks, I have a laminator and I only charge barely more than the cost of the laminating sheets.

We're so excited to have our parents participate in class with us! Check out some terrific ideas to make the best of your Let's Play Music experience in the classroom and at home with your child!

Also, I've added the Spring Bees Coloring book to my student portal if you want to print additional copies. Log in at www.musikandme.com and you can download and print these two pages out and let your child color the characters as you discuss their favorite part about the puppet show! (Don't forget to listen to the music while coloring!)

 Have you wished that you could have your own staff board and magnetic notes at your house for your child to work with? You can! Order your own Student Magnet Board and 2nd year Student Magnet Set.

Here is a link to all the skills videos as well as the link to be able to purchase a class video to make up for a missed class. (tap or scan)