Cynthia Benson, Assistant Professor and Coordinator of Group Piano at Bowling Green State University, holds a bachelor's degree in music education from the University of Central Arkansas, a master's degree in piano performance from Rice University and a D.M.A. in music education with an emphasis in piano pedagogy from the University of Texas at Austin. She has presented research at state conferences of the Music Educators Association in Illinois and Texas, and at the 1995 National Association of Music Therapists National Convention in Houston. She currently serves on the National Advisory Board for the Music Teachers National Association Student Chapters and has participated in presentations at the MTNA National Conferences and state MTNA conventions in Texas, Illinois and Wisconsin, and has published articles in Texas Music Education Research, American Music Teacher, Keyboard Companion, Roland's Keyboard Educator and the Illinois Music Educator. Past teaching appointments include positions at Illinois Wesleyan University, Western Illinois University and the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Benson serves as an adjudicator for piano festivals and competitions, and has participated in summer programs at the Texas Summer Music Academy, the University of Texas at Austin Longhorn Band Camp and Music Camp, Summer Piano Institute at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and the BGSU Summer Music Institute Piano Camp. She frequently performs solo and duo recitals with her husband, Michael Benson.
Cynthia Benson
College of Musical Arts
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green, OH 43403
419.372.2629
cbenson@bgnet.bgsu.edu
One of the many goals for group piano students is to teach them to become independent learners at the keyboard. We cannot teach every skill to its highest level or every piece of music they will ever need to know, but must teach in such a way that they can continue to develop functional skills or learn new music on their own. In developing skills that equip students to use the keyboard after the course, students need to realize that skills learned in class are not only to 'pass the class' but also to be used and improved beyond the class. For this attitude to develop, each student must feel successful and involved in the learning process.
One of the challenges in achieving individual success is the combination of different levels and experiences of students in the same class. Even those in beginning classes with no previous training will show different rates of learning and progress. Added to these challenges, consider these typical scenarios in a group piano class:
These scenarios could describe four different students or one student. In all scenarios, the individual will have different needs than the other members of the class for different reasons. While there are many variables in determining student progress, student learning and success in the classroom does affect progress and is the responsibility of the teacher. I recall a saying I read as a graduate student at the University of Texas at Austin: "Learning can occur without teachingÉhowever, teaching has not occurred if there is no learning." For whatever reasons the student does not progress, the experiences inside the classroom can determine the future progress and motivation outside of the classroom.
How can individual success be ensured without sacrificing the "good" of the group? As Janet Lyman stated in her article, "Remember the true nature of group teaching and teach to the group as well as the individual." There are a number of advantages to teaching functional skills in a group environment, but how do we approach teaching a group in such a way that ensures individual student success? In developing independent learners, what contingencies will be motivating besides grades since students will not receive grades for continued learning or improving keyboard skills after the course? I consider these questions every time I walk into the group piano classroom and have found some basic principles and strategies that assist me in achieving group and individual success.
Sequencing for Success
One principle is sequencing or structuring the steps of teaching a task in a way that will maintain involvement of all students with each step of the sequence. For example, when teaching a two-hand accompaniment (RH chords, LH single bass note) notated with Roman numerals:
Throughout any teaching sequence, I ask students to verbalize what they are playing as in the above example. This lets me observe if they "know" what they are playing and keeps them involved mentally as well as physically. It also works on their coordination of doing two things at the same time. I also have students say finger numbers aloud while playing scales or say chord letter names when reading Roman numerals (or vice-versa) of chord progressions. I have found this helps students unsure of the material when playing in a group and reinforces correct performance of the given task. When reading melodies of transposing instruments, singing solfege syllables reinforces sight-singing skills. When sight-reading single-line melodies or bass line, saying the intervallic relationship between notes or saying/singing solfege syllables encourages students to think not only play. When playing four-part hymns or scores hands separately, calling out the intervals between soprano and alto or bass and tenor helps students 'see' intervals rather than reading one note at a time.
Going back to the typical group piano class scenario of the student who does not have the same facility as others in the class, verbalizing the correct answers is a way for the student to be successful. Breaking down the material into small well-sequenced steps will also help this student in that it demonstrates ways to practice and allows many opportunities for success. The more success this student experiences, the less frustrated s/he will be which, in turn, will lead to more success.
This student will probably need many playing repetitions for success as well. To allow many repetitions without slowing the pace for others in the class, more parts or ways that will make accompaniment more challenging may be added such as:
Those who can readily play the accompaniment are met with more challenges, while those who need more repetitions of the steps in the original sequence will be allowed more opportunities for success. The finished product from the whole group can become a nice ensemble as well. To make scales more challenging, change the articulation in one hand or have some play in eighth notes (more octaves) while others play in quarter notes. With any lesson plan, I try to include steps in each part of a lesson plan that will allow all students to be successful and steps that can challenge when needed.
Feedback with Focus
Within a sequence such as the one above, there are also many opportunities for individual response and feedback. Even though group piano is a 'group' situation, there should be many opportunities for individual response/performance. To call on individuals for response or performance is one of the suggestions that I make most frequently to my graduate assistants and pedagogy students. Individual performance or response does not have to be long. Having a student simply play the first note or phrase or respond to short answer questions can be done in a small amount of time and frequently with many students during class. One way to involve the whole class with individual response or performance is to have the class give feedback as well as the teacher. "Did the student spell the chord correctly?" "What chords did s/he use in that harmonization?" "Did s/he use the correct dynamics?" In each of the above steps for learning a two-hand accompaniment, a student could be asked to perform one of the steps before all perform. Since we can not watch all students all of the time, this will also help assess how each individual student is progressing throughout each class meeting. This assessment allows teacher feedback that can be specific and reinforcing to the student. In each class meeting, my goal is to have asked for a response or performance from every student in the class (as many times possible). This feedback is also helpful to the individual student in that it not only shapes correct student responses/performances, but also elicits students' self-perceptions of success. The more often feedback can be given to the student in one of the scenarios who is self-conscious and easily frustrated, the more information this student will have in forming realistic perceptions of progress in the course. Specific feedback can be a proactive response, if the student is set up to give appropriate response or performance. Maximizing the probability of student success allows for more sincere approving feedback rather than reacting to student performance with negative feedback only.
Another point about teacher feedback is that it does not always have to be positive to be given, but specific, frequent and sincere. If feedback is always positive, it can be perceived as insincere. If "good" always follows student or group performance, "good" will not function as feedback. Students can detect this insincerity and research has actually shown that negative feedback is perceived to be more sincere. When the class performs together and not all were successful, specific feedback should be given about both unsuccessful and successful aspects of the performance. "Great! That was the correct fingering for that scale, but some F#'s were missed." Feedback from students about the group's performance can effectively involve all in listening, as well as playing.
Self-evaluation, Self-motivation
I have found that motivating and effective feedback given is not only from the teacher or peers, but from self. Self-evaluation creates involvement of the student in the teaching and learning process and encourages motivation and enthusiasm. One way to include self-evaluation in group piano is to take advantage of in-class solos or playing exams by recording these using video, audio cassette, MIDI sequencer sound module, or the recording option on some digital keyboards. I usually give students the opportunity to evaluate their performance after watching or listening before I give feedback. This way I know if they really hear what needs improvement rather than repeating what I had told them earlier. If playing exams are administered during class time, classmates can also be involved by having them write constructive comments. Recording does not always have to occur with prepared items only. Any material performed in class can be recorded. I have students record any type of skill from sightreading, scales, to harmonization on the recording option of the digital keyboard and self-evaluate their performance. From this evaluation, they know what aspects they need to practice before leaving the classroom. I can also monitor their performance and evaluation through the headsets and lab system. It is important to mention that particular aspects of the music to be performed should be discussed and noted before performance and evaluation. A checklist of these aspects can be derived by the teacher, classmates, or performer. Setting up goals and pinpointing problem spots before sight-reading a piece helps the student self-evaluate during class. I avoid putting students on headsets to practice sightreading until we have 'talked through' the piece. I am also trying to set them up to always think before playing! The student in one of the scenarios who practices little or none between classes may more likely be motivated to practice when s/he evaluates own performance. Students will tend to be their hardest critic, not the teacher. Self-evaluation through video or audio media can be just the incentive needed as it allows the student to observe own progress and success.
Self-evaluation also teaches skills that develop independence and confidence - or an independent learner - and places the responsibility of teaching and learning in the student's hands. In the first scenario, a student has missed a day (or more) of class and does not contact the teacher about make up work before coming to class. If this student feels involved in part of the teaching/learning process, s/he may learn responsibility for own learning and become concerned about what was missed in class when absent.
Self-evaluation or evaluations of others can also demonstrate the student's awareness of both positive and negative aspects of the performance or what the student hears when listening. Listening skills can be effectively developed in the group piano classroom. Another opportunity for evaluation involving the whole class is while students are paired on headsets through the lab system. Many evaluations can occur at the same time during class and sometimes peer evaluation and explanations are more effective than the teacher's. I will pair students not for just duets but also to compare chord choices for harmonization, check each other's scale fingerings, or evaluate performance of literature, transposition exercises, or chord progressions.
I have found one of the most motivating factors in achieving student success in group piano is making music. With all of the functional skills that need to be developed in a short amount of time, it is easy to forget that our goals should have musical outcomes. In every class, I try to have some good music making occur. Since our students are developing musicians on another instrument, they can relate to this expectation. Musical goals could be correct voicing of a two-hand accompaniment, 'phrase-shaping' scales and chord progressions, or correct balance of ensemble playing. Positive associations with keyboard playing through musical outcomes can ensure student success and encourage independent learners and lifelong learning at the keyboard.
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