smallholdingsister's strivings

apple_muncher

Good luck with your planning and plotting x

Secret_Saving_Squirrel

Yes, good luck. I loved my very short time as a sahm and wish I had made it last longer.

CathT

smallholdingsister wrote: »

Going to bed planning out my routine as a SAHM...

Love this

Karmacat

Thats the kind of thing that keeps us sane.

AlexLK

smallholdingsister wrote: »

AF has many meanings depending on the forum...on flylady its meaning is entirely different!

DD1 is doing grade 2. I just bought the associated board books as instructed!

Earthie I would like to go AF until half term, but DH is wriggling so prob back to Fridays and Saturdays after September.

I am guessing its not John Thompson comedian?

Did you buy the scale book as well as the pieces book for £13? Personally, I tell pupils not to buy the scales book as that's all about muscle memory, they don't need to read the notes on the page. Has your daughter chosen any pieces yet?

CathT wrote: »

It's for my dd who has just turned 7 Alex. It was recommended by the tutor and seems to compliment her first lesson well. I wa surprised by how much got done in a half hour lesson!

Is it the Easiest Piano Course book or the Modern Course? The Modern Course moves quickly (too quickly for most 7 year olds). If it's the Easiest Course, Book 1 doesn't move from the middle C 5 finger position and whilst it makes it very easy for kids to play 'tunes' almost straight away, they get stuck in this middle C position and begin to associate C as finger 1 (thumb), D as finger 2 RH, B as finger 2 LH etc. etc.

Make sure the teacher is covering both practical and theory during lessons. There's no reason a 7 year old cannot be working towards Grade 1 Theory whilst picking up the basic technique. Having a good theoretical grounding makes all the difference in how long it takes for new pieces, scales and sight reading exercises to be learnt. Also if you are not a pianist, make sure the correct technique for physically playing the piano is taught - type piano finger and wrist placement into google images and you'll see how it should look. Often correct technique is overlooked and kids sometimes 'fight' against proper technique.

CathT

That's helpful, cheers Alex. It's the easiest piano course. The teacher did spend some time ensuring dd was lifting her wrists up but dd kept lifting her shoulder up!

At her first lesson she played scale of c with both hands for the teacher which she said is a grade 1 piece? Maybe it won't take her a year to get there

Sorry for hijacking Al. How are the SAHM plans coming along?

smallholdingsister

No problem Cath.

Plans should be more correctly termed dreams. No progress on house!

Alex I got three books including scales. I imagine her teacher will choose the pieces?

AlexLK

CathT wrote: »

That's helpful, cheers Alex. It's the easiest piano course. The teacher did spend some time ensuring dd was lifting her wrists up but dd kept lifting her shoulder up!

At her first lesson she played scale of c with both hands for the teacher which she said is a grade 1 piece? Maybe it won't take her a year to get there

Sorry for hijacking Al. How are the SAHM plans coming along?

I'd ask what the teacher supplements the Easiest Course with, rest sounds OK, though.

A scale is a technical exercise not a 'piece'. C major is the easiest scale at Grade 1 level but that finger pattern is used for all Grade 1 scales (except for F major RH). Don't push exams, there's quite a lot to get through and many new techniques to learn in the early stages, a well rounded Grade 1 musician will find moving on much easier than a pupil taught by rote to pass the exam.

smallholdingsister wrote: »

No problem Cath.

Plans should be more correctly termed dreams. No progress on house!

Alex I got three books including scales. I imagine her teacher will choose the pieces?

Which three books did you get? As for the teacher choosing the pieces, many do but unless there are going to be physical difficulties with a particular technique required for a piece in the list, I always let the pupil choose the three pieces they will play for the exam. The first few weeks of deciding to study for the exam we of look through the different options, talk about how to go about practising relevant techniques and doing some relevant listening work in order for the pupil to make an informed choice.

smallholdingsister

Alex I will tell you when they arrive.

You lot are like Ashford n Simpson or someone... you lift me up when I'm down.

Its Friiiidaaaayyy and payday. Frankly this month I have earned it and some.

Hope everyone has a great weekend. Xxx

CathT

Woohoo, double celebrations! Enjoy the weekend