Mood:
brightTopic: Music Moves for Piano
Recently, a teacher posted a comment to my blog, asking if there was a resource available to help teachers learn to teach this program. She was specifically talking about offering a "Pre-Piano" program, and mentioned that she has the Prep-Book and the teacher's guide.
I, too, started out by purchasing the Prep book and teacher's guide. At first it really didn't make any sense to me! I had NO clue what the "Watch Please" game was... I swear, I read over that teacher's guide three or four times, and still had no clue! (For reference, there is now a video of the watch please game on Marilyn's site!)
It wasn't until I started teaching Book 1 that I started to "get it". I taught Book 1 before I taught the Prep book. Unlike some method books, you don't have to start with the prep book. All my students in grade 1 and up go into Book 1. I use the Prep book or Keyboard Games books with younger kids.
The Teacher's lesson plan book for Book 1 lays out everything very clearly, as in "step-by-step" instructions on what to do in each lesson. I learned SO much from this book! This is how I really got a good handle on teaching Music Moves.
I'll admit - it was really confusing at first. I was so used to teaching in a traditional way, it was hard for me to wrap my head around a lot of the activities. But, it's becoming easier and easier now.
If you're looking for a "pre-piano" or "piano transition" class, the Prep book or Keyboard Games books are really excellent resources. However, right now, there isn't much in the way of Lesson Plans. Don't worry! Marilyn is very aware of this need for lessons plans for this level!! I do know that she is presently working on putting together a comprehensive lesson plan-type book for the Keyboard Games material.
There is a little bit of information about the Keyboard Games books here: http://www.musicmovesforpiano.com/method.asp These books are only available directly through Marilyn.
What I like SO much about the MMP is that it is easily adaptable for any age group, not limited to specific age groups like almost every other method out there.
Perhaps I'll post a few of my sample lessons on here, showing how I teach a Keyboard Games class.
Another way to learn about teaching Music Moves for Piano is to join the discussion group: http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/musicmoves/
This is a wonderful group of teachers, some of whom, like me, use MMP in their regular teaching, others who have incorporated it into their own personal style of teaching, and yet others who haven't started teaching MMP, and have a lot of questions! Marilyn, the author of MMP, is on the group and often answers questions teachers have about using her method.
