Hop-staff Note Reading


(To learn more about my piano studio, click here.)
"What happened?" my sister exclaimed. She had just walked into the studio as I was putting the finishing touches . . . on this. My very own masking-tape grand staff, complete with all the earmarks of "homemade." Real professional, right? 

   I grinned. My next student, a cute, high-energy, young beginner was about to practice note-reading in a way that would be different than normal. 

   When he came in, I explained to him what was up with the masking tape. I'd call out note names. His job was to "hop" on the corresponding space or line -- left foot for the bass cleff, right foot for the treble clef. 

 Here he practices "A." 
   Why the trouble? Because drilling gets old fast, and little boys have too much energy to sit on a bench for half an hour. Why not harness that energy towards learning, rather than trying to curb it?

   Truth . . . I had fun teaching this way. So much fun, in fact, that the masking tape is still on the studio floor, just waiting for the next student. :)
Location: Onoway, AB T0E 1V0, Canada

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