My 8-year-old step-daughter has started teaching me piano.
First, she taught me some basic songs. Then I asked her to teach me “Jingle Bells” which she had learned and played over the Christmas period.
On the same piano, she read music and I watched her fingers.
The song was too involved for this approach.
Even though I insisted, she recognized this and began teaching me from the beginning.
I resigned myself to this because she is stubborn, like me.
And because it is the patient approach.
Now I have a goal – to read and play “Jingle Bells” on my own.
I learned guitar by learning songs. This means while I can impress someone who doesn’t play, any guitar player worth their mettle can recognize my limitations.
Part of me just wants to learn songs on the piano.
But that is the impatient approach, which will limit me.
If I learn basic piano, like my step-daughter is from her experienced teacher, then I can branch out and learn more songs, more quickly.
We expect a lot from children.
As a teacher, I am in daily contact with this. And at home as well.
But put in the same position, we as adults often take the easier path.
Children can be more patient because they don’t have the expectations we do.
