Minor in Piano Pedagogy
This program is intended to be a supplemental area of study for the piano performance major interested in acquiring basic training in piano pedagogy. This is an attractive and viable supplement for pianists who may not wish to pursue careers as professional performers, but would like to learn more about the art of teaching.
Required Courses |
Credit Hours |
MUS 113 - Piano Studio Teaching Techniques and Materials |
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MUS 117 - Literature for Teaching Piano |
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MUS 135 - Studio Teaching of Piano |
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EDUC 103 - Foundations in Education |
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EDUC 105 / EDUC 106 - Human Development |
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MUS 113 – Piano Studio Teaching Techniques and Materials (3 cr.)
Course description: Introduction of teaching techniques in a specialized field including selected methods and materials.
Required text: The Well-Tempered Keyboard Teacher (Second Edition) by Uszler, Gordon, and Smith.
Course content: The course consists of discussion and activities involving the following:
General Aspects of Pedagogy:
- Career possibilities for teachers
- Training of a piano teacher
- Psychology and the piano teacher
- Psychology of learning – theories and their application
- Motivation
- Time management and practice habits
Teaching Basic Elements:
- Beginning piano technique
- Note reading
- Rhythm
- Fingering
- Scales, chords, and arpeggios
- Sight-reading
Age-specific pedagogical approaches:
- Preschool and elementary school
- Secondary school
- Adult
- Criteria for auditioning new students of various ages
Miscellaneous topics:
- Teacher-student-parent relationships
- Lesson procedure
- Memorization
- Stage fright and coping strategies
- Pros and cons of competition
- Preparing students for recitals and competition
- Business of teaching – studio policy, bookkeeping, advertising, etc.
Examination of methods:
- Criteria for evaluating method books
- Methods: Bastien, Glover, Olson, F. Clark, Tan, Palmer, Noona, Pace, Faber and Faber, George, Hal Leonard Piano Library, Piano Discoveries
- Approaches: Suzuki, Yamaha, Dalcroze, Orff, Kodaly, Kindermusik, Musicgarten, Montessori
- Preparatory courses: Little Mozarts, Bastien’s Invitation to Music, Sing and Play, Glover, Music for Moppets, Palmer
- Adult method books
- Class piano texts and curriculum
Additional topics:
- Jazz and improvisation
- Twentieth-century notation
- Piano duets
- Ensemble playing in teaching
- Use of electronic keyboards
- Sight-reading skills and materials
- Teaching and technology
Projects:
- Student observation of a piano studio in the Des Moines area that utilizes a pre-school approach, i.e., Kindermusik, Pace, Suzuki, Montessori, etc.
- Student presentation of written reports in class:
- One report from each of the studio visits
- Critical review of two piano methods
- Evaluation of two early childhood approaches
MUS 117: Literature for Teaching Piano (3 cr.)
Course description: A survey of piano literature ranging from the beginning through early- advanced levels. Prerequisite: MUS 113.
Course content: Developing learning strategies for sight-reading, discussion, and analysis of piano literature. Topics for student presentations, written reports, and projects may include:
- Formal discussion regarding characteristics of the repertoire.
- Development and formal presentation of a student’s personal philosophy of teaching.
- Development of a two-year plan of materials for students at various levels who have just completed method books.
- Logical organization of materials discussed in class according to category and level as suggested by the following:
- Jazzy duets at the intermediate level
- Easier literature by master composers – Bach, Bartok, Chopin, Handel, Kabelevsky, Mendelssohn, Prokofiev, Scarlatti, Schumann, Telemann, etc.
- “Easy but sounds hard” pieces
- Sonatinas at the elementary level
- pre-Bach, pre-Chopin, pre-Mozart pieces
Suggested guidelines for class presentations may include items similar to the following:
- An overview of the content
- Brief summary of the composer’s life and works as pertinent to the presented material.
- Listing of repertoire to be discussed and a rationale for the selection of repertoire.
- Indication of the type of student to whom the selected music would appeal.
- Commentary on the strengths and weaknesses of the selected repertoire from a pedagogical perspective.
- Personal demonstration of music and techniques discussed in presentation.
- Use of audio or video recordings of material being presented.
MUS 135: Student Teaching of Piano (4 cr.)
Course description: Practical application of applied private instruction and observation of class piano instruction supervised by experienced studio teachers. Prerequisites: MUS 113, MUS 117 and EDUC 103.
Course content:
Applied teaching component:
The piano major will provide weekly tutoring for individual students enrolled in the piano laboratory sequence, i.e. MUS 6, 7, 49, or 50. The piano major will provide 30 minutes of instruction for 4 individuals per week for the semester of enrollment in MUS 117-118.
Responsibilities include providing:
- Remedial assistance in note reading, technique, and the learning of repertoire
- Enrichment learning for piano laboratory students in need of more challenge
- Assistance on specific skills toward meeting piano proficiency requirements
Class piano component:
The piano major will observe the activities of two class meetings of each level of piano laboratory offered, i.e. two class meetings each of MUS 6, 7, 49, 50 for a total of 8 class meetings. With consent of the piano laboratory instructor, the activities of piano majors enrolled in MUS 117-118 may include the following:
- Assisting individual students during class drills
- Monitoring individual progress on headphones
- Monitoring and directing group activities
- Assisting in the monitoring and grading of tests and quizzes
- Planning and implementing a class session involving the following:
- Reading activities
- Technique instruction
- Repertoire
- Keyboard harmonization and improvisation
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