I am excited to offer this FLEX Piano Class #4 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  skills  in the first half of the  Faber Accelerated Piano Adventures For The Older Beginner Lesson Book (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 second 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. Several weeks, I will be uploading selections of additional music for students to analyze and learn to play.  


Students will complete a scavenger hunt activity 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  at least 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 (approximately each15- 20 minutes in length) 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-  The first week of this flex class will be spent reviewing skills students have already learned along with an interactive activity
               showing their previous musical knowledge. Songs from the first half of the book will be chosen and reviewed, focusing on
               important skills students have already  learned.

Week 2 - Students will learn the C Major octave scale and how a major scale is formed.  They will learn to identify 8th notes split 
               between hands.  Key signatures are also discussed and explained. A composer will be introduced. 

Week 3- Students will continue practicing the Key of C.  A basic C major chord progression will be learned. The waltz pattern will be 
               discussed.  Students will begin composing activity by using the chord progression I IV V7.  

Week 4- This week, students will continue learning about rest and rest values, including the 8th rest. Students will compose 8 
               measures.
                                      
Week 5- Students will learn about the dotted quarter note and how notes are counted using this rhythm. Students will compose a
                short melody using dotted quarter notes.  A new composer will be introduced. 

Week 6- Students will learn the G octave scale and will learn about the key signature in the key of G.  A new composer will be
                introduced. Students will compose a short melody in the key of G. 

Week 7- This week, students will continue playing in the Key of G major.  They will learn about the arpeggio.  

Week 8- During this last week of class, students will learn the F major octave scale as well as the key signature and the chords 
               associated with the Key of F.  Two new composers will be introduced this week.  Students will receive a certificate
               showing completion at the end of this class.