Teaching tips WANTED!

November 27, 2005 at 06:23 AM · Hi everyone, ...pardon the lengthy intro below but i need to explain a bit.....

I am a violinist of 10 years, I am 16 and I have been teaching violin for about a year. I teach 4 primary school aged children and 2 adults. I absolutely love teaching because it causes me to remember so much about violin that i might have forgotten in the time ive been playing and I just love to share my love of violin with my students. Sometimes i find myself identifying what i need to or would like to teach my students, but then usually find i have the solution to their problem, just not the pathway to get there.

I was wondering if anyone out there has general tips, educational games, good technique exercises, anything that you have found helpful that has a good outcome... much appreciated. It's not so much running out of things to do.... but just running out of ways to teach them what i know i want to at the time. EG: i might identify that a stiff wrist is causing trouble with bowing but sometimes i find it hard to find ways to accomplish the outcome of a more relaxed wrist..... please help! thanks

Replies (2)

Sandy Herrault

November 28, 2005 at 11:10 AM · In the past I taught mostly from Suzuki, however, I found difficulty in following just one book. I added the Applebaum duets, and for very young beginners i add some basic kids songs, like Hot Cross Buns. After years of teaching, out of frustration trying to find music, and a desire to make the kids more interested, I wrote my own books. I wrote the Smart Violin Books. It includes pieces in various genres, such as folk and bluegrass and reinforces basic skills. They are on Amazon.com.

Good luck with teaching... I find it a good way of life.

Ian Snyder

March 6, 2006 at 12:26 AM · Sevcik, Sevcik, Sevcik. Enjoy!

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