(FLEX Class) Beginning Piano Class With Mrs. Karen for Ages 11-16

I am excited to offer this FLEX class version of my Multi-Day Piano Class for ages 11-16.  I pride myself in being a very encouraging and patient teacher.  I have worked to created videos that are well documents and easy to understand.  This class is for students that have no background (or very little) in piano skills.  Students are encouraged to review the videos as many times as they need in order to be successful at the skills taught. They are also encouraged to stop the video after a skill is taught in order to practice before moving forward.  If there are any questions, I can be messaged by students or parents  and I respond in a timely fashion.  As a former public school teacher, I understand the importance of teacher/student communication and always welcome questions (no matter how small or big) from students and parents. 

In this FLEX version of the Multi-Day Piano Class for ages 11-16, students will use the  piano resource method book “Faber Accelerated Piano Adventures For The Older Beginner” Lesson Book) and will learn the same skills taught in the live version. There will be no live meetings for this class and the computer link for the book will be sent upon enrollment.  
 
Each week, two videos (approximately 15-20 minutes each in length) will be uploaded for the student to watch.   I have created each of these videos and uploaded them to an unlisted YouTube account specifically for students in this class.  In these videos, I will be teaching the skills that they will be learning for that week.  Both videos as well as all class activities for that week will be uploaded each week on Monday. Each video (after the first video) will include a short review of the skills taught in the previous video.  Basic music skills, such as posture, finger numbers, correct hand form, white keys and black keys, and music alphabet will be taught.  Students will learn the notes on the piano and where they are located on the staff. They will also learn music skills, such as intervals of a 2nd and 3rd, musical "ties" and "slurs".   They will also learn how to place counts under notes in measures so that they understand how music is created to fit a particular time signature. 

In this course, learners will be exposed to the skills in the “Faber Accelerated Piano Adventures For The Older Beginner” Lesson book through page 49.  All skills on these pages will be covered in this FLEX class. 

Additional activities, such as piano melodies to play, note identification activities, rhythm composition, and melody composition  will be sent home to encourage student learning.  These activities will also help to review skills they have been taught each week. Each week, students will be expected  to record and upload videos of themselves playing songs they have learned.  They are encouraged to share these with me, as well as the other students in this flex class.  They will also have opportunities to share their rhythm and melody compositions in the classroom. Students will be asked to comment on other students' posts.  Students will be directed to only post positive comments, as we all understand that no one is perfect and mistakes in playing (and creating) are expected.  

The videos that will be uploaded each week will be of me teaching the students each particular skill and how to perform that skill.  I will include plenty of repetition while performing that skill so that students can learn as they go.  The videos include two camera views.  One of the views is from the end of the piano so that students can see from that angle.  The more important camera view will be from above the keyboard. Students will be able to see my hands on the keyboard so that it is clear which notes and which fingers they should be using.  Each week students will be given an assignment including pages in the book to practice.  It will also include some type of written activity and a performing activity, such as uploading a video showing what they have learned on the pages that week.  Students are encouraged to watch and  respond to other students posts at least once throughout each week.  Additional songs may be sent home from time to time as supplementary songs that will reinforce the skills that they have learned in that particular lesson. Students are encouraged to upload all assignments for that week in the classroom by Saturday of that week. 

Saturday morning of each week. Teacher feedback and discussion will follow up each assignment. 
COMMUNICATION ACTIVITIES: 
Activities will be used throughout this course that require communication between students and the teacher.  Each week, the videos will be uploaded on Monday.  Along with these videos,  assignments will be listed as well.  Part of the assignment will be a question for the students to answer telling me what they think is the most challenging skill in their lesson this week. Students can answer the teacher question, as well as respond to other student responses.  It will be useful for students to know that many times  other students may also be having problems (or successes) with the same skills. A couple of times throughout the class (weeks 3 and 6), I will be uploading selections of music.  I will send a scavenger hunt list of items for each student to find on this piece of music.  They can use the classroom to ask other students about any items that they might not be able to find.  Each week (weeks 2-8) students will create easy rhythm and melody composing activities that  are to be uploaded and shared with other students in their class. Students will be expected to upload a short video each week playing one of the songs from their lesson that week.  These assignments are due by Saturday afternoon of each week. Throughout this class, students will be sent additional melodies and musical pieces that reinforce the skills they are learning that particular week.  Other activities to help reinforce skills will also be sent.  


Each week , two short videos (approximately each 20 minutes in length) will be uploaded on Monday morning.  An assignment will also be uploaded.  Each video will cover:   

Week 1 (video 1)-  (pages 4-9)  This video will include an introduction and basic music skills, such as posture, correct hand form, finger numbers, black keys on the piano, and high/low sounds.   They will also learn the note names of the Music Alphabet and where these notes are located on the piano keyboard.  

Week 1 (video 2)- (pages 10-12) This video will introduce the “rhythm flag” and go over note names, such as “whole note”, “half note”, “quarter note”, and “eighth notes”.  They will also learn about  “measures”, “bar lines”, “double bar lines”, and intervals of a 2nd (steps).

Week 2 (video 1) – (pages 13-15) This video will introduce the interval of a third.  Musical terms, such as “time signature”, “accent”, “grand staff”, “staff”, “treble clef”, “bass clef”, “line notes”, and “space notes”. 

Week 2 (video 2)- (pages 16-18) This video will review the basic music skills learned in the last few classes.  It will also introduce the notes “Middle C” and “Treble G” on the staff.

Week 3 (video 1)- (pages 19-21) This video will introduce the note “Bass F” .  The guide notes “Bass F”, “Middle C”, and “Treble G” are discussed.  Students are taught the notes “D”, “E”, and “F” as well as the “repeat sign”. 

Week 3 (video 2)- (pages 22-25) This video will talk about “changes in direction” when playing on the keyboard.  The term “legato” is learned and students are taught about the “C Pentascale”.  

Week 4 (video 1)- (pages 26-27)  This video will introduce the note “Bass G”, the “dotted half note” and the type of music known as “minuet”. 

Week 4 (video 2)- (pages 28-29) This video will introduce the bass clef notes “B” and “A”. 

Week 5 (video 1)- (pages 30-33) This video will review the interval of a 3rd and will continue “skips”.  The composers Stephen Foster and W. A. Mozart will be discussed. 

Week 5 (video 2)- (pages 34- 35) This video will introduce the musical “tie”.  It will also go back over the skills that have been taught so far with additional information about each.  

Week 6 (video 1)- (pages 36- 39) This video will introduce eighth notes in simple melodies.  Students will learn about “phrases” in music and how they are marked.  The composers Edward Grieg and Jean-Phillippe Rameau will be discussed. 

Week 6 (video 2)- (pages 40-43) This video will introduce the concept of “pick-up” notes.  Students will learn the new notes “Bass C” and the new “Bass C Pentascale”. 

Week 7 (video 1)- (pages 44-45) This video will introduce the musical term “theme” and the very popular song “Ode To Joy” by Beethoven.  Students will learn important information about Ludwig van Beethoven.  This song is quite difficult and uses both hands.

Week 7 (video 2)- (pages 46-47) This video will introduce the musical style of playing called “staccato”. They will review “legato” playing and will use both of these styles of playing in a song.  They will learn about the composers Franz Joseph Haydn and Johannes Brahms.

Week 8 (video 1)- (page 48-49) This video will introduce the note “A” played in the Treble Clef.  The style of music “waltz” will be discussed.  Students will be taught about the composer Frederic Chopin. 

Week 8 (video 2) This video will include a new song (sent as an attached document) to be learned. This piece will be a review of skills that have been learned during this 8 week session of classes.