What to Expect - 5 and Under

Introductory Lesson

The first introductory lesson is a free session aimed at getting to know your child, what stage they are at developmentally and whether they are ready for music lessons. It may be decided that they should return a little later, or they can begin right away. Every child is different. In the introductory lesson, the parent and teacher will talk about what you may have at home to support practice, anything you may need to buy - and of course the student will have a little introduction to playing the piano where they can get hands on!

What method do you teach?

For ages 5 and under - fingers are very soft and little! Piano keys can be large and tough to push down. Fingerings are not strict until the child is physically developed enough to play with fingers 4 and 5 but will be encouraged to play fluently with 1,2 and 3. The primary focus is to play the correct sounds for keyboard fluency, enjoy exploring music and set the foundations for formal training.  There is a primary focus on classical training, though as they get older they may wish to expand into other areas of music.

What about reading music?

If your child is particularly young and cannot read words, it may be overwhelming for them to begin with reading music. If this is the circumstance, for the first month of tuition, the main focus will be to settle with the teacher and secure musical concepts. This includes playing musical games and an introduction to the piano through sounds, finger numbers, high and low, long and short, fast and slow, piano keyboard games and the musical alphabet: ABDCEFG. You may want to support your piano teacher by teaching your child the ABC Musical alphabet song at home by singing “ABCDEFG” and learning “left hand” and “right hand”. If your child is taking an interest in colouring and penship - please practice learning to write ABCDEFG and 12345. If they are already able to do this - great! There is a fantastic theory book that you will be encouraged to buy that is age appropriate  CLICK HERE

What books do you use?

For the first month, your teacher will provide all materials before asking for you to also buy any useful materials and may introduce your child to a variety of books. You will need to buy the method book that works well with your child and this will be discussed with you.

Should I stay in the lesson?

In the first lesson you will be asked to stay with your child. For further lessons, I encourage at least one parent to sit outside the teaching space in the waiting area outside the studio door until the child is ready to be dropped off. Whether parents are sitting in, or participating in lessons will depend on your child's needs. You’re very welcome to bring in a cup of coffee or read a book! 

Note if sitting in lessons: please try to only assist if asked and keep comments or conversation to a minimum. It can be difficult for many parents to see their child ‘go wrong’ or ‘take a long time to process’ and want to help but it is crucial you let this happen and allow the teacher to analyse your child's behaviour and support them. Though your child isn’t aware, they are being finely coached for discipline, patience, emotional regulation and more. Disrupting this process could cause difficulties with their practice and create a fear of going wrong. Music lessons are a fine psychology. If you have any concerns, please write these down on your phone and talk about it after the session. Your teacher always has your child's best interests in mind and wants them to succeed as much as you do!

Help With Practice at Home

Even little musicians need practice - but practice looks a little different for them. Of course you will need a piano so your child can practice. Please take videos or make notes in lessons to support your child's practicing at home. Try exploring piano once a day as part of a routine (perhaps having Sunday off). Keep the practice as short as 5 minutes a time. A good time to practice is before leaving in the morning, or straight away as you come home later in the day. Reward charts with stickers are very useful. You can expect to support your child's practice closely until they reach 6-7.  Sometimes your child may not want to practice but treat it as though it is as important as brushing their teeth! Your teacher will give you a practice chart and a diary (for parents) with goals to achieve each week. Please bring the diary with you to every lesson.

Progress Reports

Sadly, we do not always get enough conversation between parent and teacher during term time. At the end of each winter and summer term, you are welcome to book a slot to discuss the progress of your child (dates are posted on the News section of the Seahaven Music website a fortnight beforehand). You may wish to ask for ideas to support your child's practice, games you can play at home, useful books or apps. Your feedback is important too. You may wish to bring your child too for a group conversation.

Create a Library

The wonderful world of books! There are many beginners books and more than one book is recommended to keep students curious about the world of music. After all, you can’t learn to read English with only one book. You can expect setting your child up for lessons to cost about £15-20 for their first few books, then when your child has finished these or may need more content, you will be advised to spend £20 at the WorldofBooks website to buy a little library of second hand books your child can explore at home. Story books about the piano can also be found here that you can read to your child at bed time. 

Concerts

We perform concerts twice a year (December and July/early August) and always encourage all students to give it a go, even if they are playing something simple. A lot of students here also help to come up with ideas for the concerts to make them extra fun! Younger players will always play first. There’s usually a short interval where the youngest are welcome to leave as the concerts can be quite long for them!