Getting lost in a good book is one of my favorite things to do. When that happens, I can usually finish the book in an afternoon or evening. Now, I’m not going to pretend that Teaching the Trivium is that kind of book. Don’t misunderstand me – it’s great, but not exactly easy reading. My mind is being challenged to think of education in ways I had not previously considered. I’m weighing formerly unfamiliar ideas against my own notions or ideals. Just when I think I’ve grasped the information they’re offering, more is introduced. Your mind doesn’t really get a break.
But, of course, stretching the mind is a very good and worthwhile thing. So, I’ve been finding time each evening to read. Sometimes that includes sneaking a few paragraphs in while cooking dinner and sometimes it’s that last hour before I fall asleep at night. How about you? Have you been finding time to read?
Besides reading lots on classical education, I have a few other small goals to achieve this spring and summer: 1) figure out piano lessons, 2) reorganize my littles’ rooms, and 3) map out our next year’s plans. Can I ask your help with that first one? I played piano and took lessons for ten years. We bought a piano recently to begin lessons with our littles. The question is should I guide them through beginning lessons myself or start them with a piano teacher? Any suggestions? Any piano lesson books you would recommend? I’d love to hear what you have to say!
That book is a tough one isn’t it? You had quite an ambitious goal for your first book! Good for you for plugging though.
Up until a year ago I paid someone else to teach our kids even though I had 12 years of really good lessons. I kept thinking that I shouldn’t pay someone else to teach them if I could, but I would never get around to it. It somehow was always last on the list of things to do. I had to realize that I can’t do everything. I think it also helped that they were accountable to someone else, and because I was paying for the lessons I made sure they practiced! I do teach them now and it is going pretty well, but things are a bit less crazy then when they were all little.
That’s my two cents. I’m not saying you can’t do it. Plenty of people do, but you have to remember that you are only one person and as a homeschool mom you have about 50 hats you are wearing, so you will have to let something go to keep your sanity. 🙂
Thanks, Christy!! I thought of you when writing this post, so I’m glad you commented. : ) What piano books do y’all use?
I know, I forgot to mention that, so thanks for reminding me.
I have used many different ones, but I have been most happy settling in with the Suzuki books. I don’t teach completely Suzuki style (my kids don’t play only by ear), but I do really like the way the pieces progress and build upon each other. I like that the music is all classical or folk songs and not silly little pieces made up just for the lesson. I do follow the Suzuki method in that I have the kids continue to repeat over their old pieces even after they are mastered. This helps not only them, but the younger children as they hear the pieces over and over again. They then are able to learn the pieces more easily because they are so familiar with the songs having heard them so often. I have found this method to be the most effective and easy to teach for us.
While I play the piano and am completely capable of teaching, I chose to have another teach because I wanted a mentor relationship developed at a young age. We have a 20 something young married Christian woman with her own piano business come to our home each week. That was another issue for me….I didn’t want to drive and drop off with 3 other littles. Because I play I have found that I’m still teaching the other days of the week during practice, I’m just allowing someone else to assign and give accountability to my daughter. I started Vivien at 6, but my boys I won’t start until closer to 8. I think my daughter could have waited too, but I selfishly wanted music in the house from little fingers.