Quite a successful simultaneous learning

Prior to this lesson with a 7 year old beginner (boy), I do not have a weekly lesson plan. However the long term plan was to follow the Piano Adventure 2A and achieve what was already in the book.

When he arrived, we were discussing what he had learnt from the performance he put up at the June Concert which happened a week ago.

Glancing through the next piece in the book, I got him to locate and play all the five keys of G position which he was not very sure yet. After that we make up some music in that position. Initially with nothing in mind and he went up and down the five keys. Subsequently, some ideas were incorporated into the improvisation which include- bouncing basketball, high jump , hopping rabbit, happy song etc ... Well done ! We have convered quite a lot , from learning G position to improvisation . I know this student learns a little slower in a new piece, trying to read all that is in the page and struggling to put things together. I think now he can play lots of songs that he is going to make up .

Next we proceed to placing magnets note on the grand staff magnetic board. I get thim to do it and I will guide him to find the right line or space when needed.

Now, he was ready to play the piece. Right hand first always, especially for this boy. So right hand went playing the melody but with quite a few corrections needed. I just feel that was not good enough.

We stopped playing. Instead I proposed that he tells me if he can find the notes in bar one on the treble staff appearing elsewhere. He spotted it in the second bar, and twice consecutively on a phrase in the second page as well. Seems things are improving.

Then miracles happen. He play the first phrase melody on the right hand again and this time he can play the melody without as many mistakes as compared to the first time. Actually he played well.
At the end of the lesson, we managed to focus on the the first phrase to be played by both hands , that means two phrases as the phrase reappears in the second part of the music.

Lesson was well paced- not congested with activities and music elements . However it was a great lesson as student get to really understand each element well, achieved progress and an interesting homework which will include playing new improvised music everyday.