There are so many great suggestions and ideas that get buried in the comments on various blog posts (some from years ago!) that I thought it would be kind of cool to have a “Comment of the Week” feature. Each week – probably on Friday – I’ll post a comment that was left that week that seems especially insightful, creative, resourceful, humorous, etc. 🙂 If the commenter has a blog or website, I’ll include a link to that as well.
So, without further ado, here is a comment from Migna that I just love and can’t wait to try with some of my students!
I hate saying “you need to try that again…and again…and again” and nothing improves because they’re not focusing. So here’s a game I play, similar to the penny game, that helps them intensely focus on what they’re doing. I will put a little toy frog, dinosaur, dog, or whatever I have on hand if I’m at their home, and place it on the last 5-6-7 keys (or however many you choose). Each time they play the measure/section PERFECTLY, they may move ahead. If they make a mistake, they must move back. I have them move it forward or back themselves. It seems to “hurt” more and they have to reposition their hands again. Sometimes I have the frog jump on the last 5 black keys. Goal is to have the marker go off the piano. A 6 year old student of mine told me how his sister put a pretty rock they use on the first low white key and she made him practice 2 measures until he got it perfect 66 times!
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