(FLEX Class) Piano Class #3 With Mrs. Karen for Ages 11-16

I am excited to offer this FLEX Piano Class #3 for ages 11-16.  I pride myself in being a very encouraging and patient teacher.  I have worked to created videos that are hopefully easy to understand.  This class is for students that have completed learning the basic skills  in the Faber Accelerated Piano Adventures For The Older Beginner Lesson Book (Book 1) and are ready for Book 2.   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 will 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 class, students will use the  piano resource method book (“Faber Accelerated Piano Adventures For The Older Beginner” Lesson Book- Book 2). There will be no live meetings for this class and the computer link for the book will be sent upon enrollment. 
 
 Each week, several  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. They are each embedded into the Outschool classroom so that students do not have to access anything outside of the classroom.   In these videos, I will be teaching the skills that they will be learning for that week.   The videos as well as all class activities for that week will be uploaded each week on Monday. 

In this course, learners will be exposed to the skills in the first half  of the Faber Accelerated Piano Adventures For The Older Beginner Lesson Book (Book 2).

Additional activities, such as piano melodies to play, note identification activities, and simple music composition activities  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 compositions in the classroom. Students will be asked to comment on other students' posts through interactive open ended question/response activities.  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. 

COMMUNICATION and INTERACTIVE  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. One week, I will be uploading a selection of music.  Students will complete a "theory hunt"  where they are able to post in  the classroom to ask other students about any items that they might not be able to find.   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. These videos can be posted in the classroom, giving other students the opportunity to comment on the videos. Alternately, they can be sent directly to me so that other students will not see them.  I will always respond, giving suggestion for correction when needed. 

 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 ,  several videos  will be uploaded on Monday morning.  An assignment sheet will also be uploaded. Open ended questions will be part of the assignment each week, giving students a chance to respond to each other. 


SKILLS COVERED EACH WEEK: 
Week 1-  Students will review basic skills that students learned in Faber Accelerated Piano Adventures For the Older Beginner Book 1. Students 
                will practice in the Key of C and the Key of G. Students will learn about half-steps and major pentascales. 

Week 2 - Students will learn about ledger lines and practice combining chords in the Keys of C, D, and E. 

Week 3- Students will continue learning more advanced skills by learning Italian tempo markings in music.

Week 4- This week, students will learn about minor pentascales and how they sound different from major pentascales. They will also 
             add new tempo markings. 

Week 5- Students will continue working on major and minor pentascales, as well as stylistic skills in music. 

Week 6- Students will continue to learn notes that use ledger lines and how they are used in music.  

Week 7- This week, students will learn about arpeggios and how they are formed using the major and minor pentascales. 

Week 8- This week, students will review the intervals of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th that have been learned. They will add the 6th as
              well as review skills that have been taught in this flex class.