The Benefits of a Group Teaching Approach

Peter Friesen, M.M.

Some benefits of group teaching

Organizational/financial benefitsSocial interactionMotivationCritical listening Reduced performance anxietyFun!

Organizational/Financial Benefits

Organizational/financial benefits

Increased Hourly Wage!

Or…

Organizational/Financial Benefits

Flexibility to offer lessons to low-income families

Organizational/financial benefits

Slow students generally learn faster through group teaching than through private

Can build in a mechanism to weed out students who are not practicing/progressing quickly

Organizational/financial benefits

Less time spent repetitively teaching elementary theory/technical ideas

Explaining the same theory assignment to 4 private students = 40 minutes

Explaining the same theory assignment to a class of 4 students = 10 minutes

Organizational drawbacks

Lesson times More difficult to find 2-4 students of similar

age/level who can meet on same day/time Make-up lessons

Must be dealt with strictly in studio policy; more difficult to organize

Lesson planning Actually needs to happen! But is this really

a bad thing…?

Social Interaction

Social Interaction

Enables students to learn in a familiar classroom setting

Smaller groups help to engage many shy students

Social Interaction

Enables teacher to organize learning games for theory, rhythm practice, reading, etc.

Advanced students can help “teach” slower students

Social Interaction

Cooperative Learning Teams students together to work toward

a common goal Avoids negative competition Promotes exchange of ideas, teamwork

Social Interaction Cooperative Learning Examples:

Four students individually analyze a piece, compare results with each other, agree on final analysis

Four students each learn one part of a four-part piano ensemble; after performance, they share what difficulties they encountered, what practice techniques they used to overcome difficulties

Two groups of two students work together to find logical fingerings for a technical exercise, then share findings with each other

Social Interaction

Cooperative Learning encourages problem solving, rewards students for

thinking critically about music.

Motivation

Motivation

Students are motivated to practice simply so they do not fall behind “standard” of their peers

Reward “model” students with heaps of praise

Helps eliminate “nagging” of below-average practicers

Motivation If self-regulating is not occurring

among students, there are options to help motivate students

Weekly practice chart in studio with stars/stickers

Reward “good” practicers with extra pieces, fun duets

Withhold in-class performance from students who are negligently unprepared

Critical Listening

Critical Listening

Weekly in-class performance

Extremely regular – not reserved for semesterly studio classes or studio recitals

Ask questions before and after any performance

Always have directed listening goals

Critical Listening

When introducing a new musical concept (e.g. crescendo, legato), demonstrate the idea for the students, then have each try it one by one, asking after each attempt whether the students hear the desired musical concept in action.

Performance Anxiety

Performance Anxiety

Regular performances and demonstrations reduce the stress of

recital time

Performance Anxiety

Group classes provide the opportunity to increase positive performance experiences and minimize negative experiences

Offer regular low-pressure performances Avoid letting anxious students perform in class if

they are unprepared – set them up for a positive experience

Positively reinforce well-prepared students and solid performances by anxious students

Fun!

Fun!

This aspect is very important for students who are not intrinsically motivated

Group activity options – practicing rhythm, note-naming, movement, etc.

Fun!

Fun is a motivator

Performances become fun

Social interaction is fun

Positive reinforcement is usually even more effective in front of one’s peers

Making Group Teaching Happen

Making Group Teaching Happen

Don’t make it an option – make it mandatory for a set period of time

Making Group Teaching Happen

Plan a year or two in advance, charging a monthly “technology fee”

to put toward purchasing (tax-deductible) lab pianos and equipment

Making Group Teaching Happen

Different group formats Pairs Groups of 3-4 Larger groups Weekly group classes + private lessons

Making Group Teaching Happen

Be prepared for more work! Lesson Planning Group coordination Parental communication

Benefits outweigh difficulties