I adore my little 6 year old piano student who comes at 4:30 on Wednesdays … but I got almost no sleep last night. I wasn’t quite myself, but had her lesson planned to the minute today – she’s away next week and we have a recital to prepare for that is approaching rapidly. We had lots to accomplish. I had a plan.
So did she.
“I would like to change the words to this song.” She announced this as she dumped her books on the floor and left one of them open to the piece we started last week. She loves adding words and changing words to her pieces. Usually I’m a very willing participant. But it takes forever because she insists that they all rhyme (and while you all know I’m quite the poet! LOL)… I just wasn’t feeling it today. We had things that had to get done.
“I want to do the duet with you.” We had just started reviewing what we had started last week… she couldn’t quite play it well on her own, let alone with me.
I re-directed her back to what we were doing. But she’s a wily one. “I sure like playing duets.” I smiled and re-directed her once again. “I just love this.” She ran her finger along the teacher duet part on her piece. I ignored this one. She gave up for a moment and played through her part agreeably. And then… “It just sounds.. I don’t know.. lonely.”
She’s just too cute.
And this innocent comment woke me up in more than one way. Yes, it shook away the sleep-deprived gloom I was feeling, but it also was a fabulous reminder that these piano lessons were for her… not for me. My goals for her were my goals; not hers. It was me who wanted her to be well prepared for the recital… in her mind it’s an event that is weeks away. She just wanted to play duets.
So we did. We changed the words to her piece to be all about an abominable snowman with hiccups. We played the duet. We even played the duet on my digital piano so she could change it to the Marimba sound she loves so much. We had a fabulous lesson.
And as she left I realized that we had actually accomplished a ton. Her piece was much more fluid than it had been… In fact, it was basically memorized since she loved her new lyrics so much.
It was a great reminder for me. Sometimes it’s important to listen to the cues your little clients are giving you; their piano lesson needs are often best served if we are willing to adapt to what they are subtly (or not so subtly) telling us.
Sarai says
November 15, 2012 at 5:07 amI have a student JUST LIKE THIS!!! hahaha Mine is Thursdays at 4 🙂
Andrea says
November 15, 2012 at 12:06 pmI think we all must have a Bossy Boots 🙂 They are great fun though.. I’d rather bossy than boring!
Geneva Keinath says
November 15, 2012 at 5:25 amWhy not play that duet for recital? I had three duets this last recital and almost for the same reasons, not quite – your student did a little more to her piece. why not take the digital for the Marimba? The audience would love it!
Gen
Geneva Keinath says
November 15, 2012 at 5:27 amMy reply was why not use that duet for recital, even use the digital for her favorite sounds. She could even entertain the audience with the words, if she can’t sing and play, then read them. One of my students read a clip about young Mozart. Another one told the audience why she played a song differently because now it’s for her dog that died a while back.
robin madden says
November 15, 2012 at 5:47 amGee, mine is at exactly the same time.
Andrea says
November 15, 2012 at 12:06 pmDepending on your time zone we can have a chuckle together every Wednesday 🙂
Natalie says
November 15, 2012 at 6:52 amMine just informed me last week that she wants a costume change between her to pieces at the Christmas recital… LOL.
Natalie says
November 15, 2012 at 6:53 am*two*
Andrea says
November 15, 2012 at 12:04 pmHa! I love it! Why not I guess eh? There have been some very eccentric pianists on stages in the past… maybe she’s the next great one!
Lauri Bernet says
November 15, 2012 at 7:04 amGreat advice and in my experience 100% right!
Andrea says
November 15, 2012 at 12:04 pmIt was a good reminder for me! I’ve known this deep down, but it’s so easy to get caught up in “life” that it’s easy to forget. Thanks for commenting Lauri!
Marion says
November 15, 2012 at 8:11 amHahha! Maybe it is the time… mine is on Tuesdays at 4:30!! Thank you so much for this post… a much needed reminder of why I teach piano-joy! 🙂
Andrea says
November 15, 2012 at 12:04 pmIt must be the mid-day time! I adore her… but she can be a lot of work! 🙂
Kim says
November 15, 2012 at 8:25 amI have a 6 year old student too. Just got her last month and she really tests me by trying to do her own thing. Her mom sometimes interjects to tell her to be a “good listener”, but I think I need a better approach. She’s a smart little girl and I think she needs more stimulation or something. I don’t know how to approach lessons with her, but I don’t want to give up either. Please help.
Andrea says
November 15, 2012 at 12:05 pmHi Kim – I can sense your desperation! I’ll email you with some ideas 🙂
Jackie says
November 15, 2012 at 3:28 pmMine is Monday at 4. I don’t plan for her anymore – I just enjoy the journey. She’ll be a wonderful artist or event planner when she grows up. She’s having so much fun, now I’m teaching mom too!
Heather says
November 16, 2012 at 3:40 amI have a student like that and she’s so much fun!