I'm curious about how teachers decide when to take their students out of method books and transition to repertoire only. Do you finish all levels in a particular method? Does it vary from student to student?

(Disclosure: I am not a teacher, but I read this forum frequently and find it extremely informative.)

I transition students out as soon as possible. With Hal Leonard, this means after Book 3 unless the student really wants to go to Book 4, but I never go to Book 5. For Piano Adventures, this usually means after Book 2B. I may then have them go into the Celebration Series just because I like the variety and editions provided, but I will also choose pieces from basic early intermediate repertoire covering all different style periods. The reason I get out of the method books so quickly is because while I find they provide age and level appropriate songs to introduce the concepts necessary in beginning piano, I find that a larger majority of the pieces do not feel like real compositions, but ones still simply geared toward teaching a certain concept. I know that those composers who wrote this music did their very best to make it musically appealing, but it is still putting a technique or concept before the piece. The excitement that a student feels when they are learning a piece actually written by Mozart or Beethoven and it is not modified or simplified so they can play it really is exciting.

Just as soon as possible. Depending upon the student, it may be at the end of level 2, or level 3. I use Piano Town primarily.

When I'm working with a student using Jane Tan's series, then they transition as soon as they've left the primer levelas her Level 1 and 2 use actual compositions, not contrived solely for teaching purposes.

I don't use a "method book" as I use my own pedagogy to guide students as long as they are with me in study. I have a "curriculum" and make "lesson plans" for each student for 10 weeks at a time. I continue to do this throughout piano study.

How fast they launch into being strong students with skills and knowledge depends on their innate talents and abilities, their acquired skills, and the amount of quality practice they do at home. Also relevant is their parental support, their passion or interest for music, and our relationship as partners in making progress.

I don't like having 4 separate books at one level. I prefer to handout each week what we will be working on which will include music pieces to support the concept under study, technique, theory, exercises, and performance repertoire ("AAA" List).

I also get to avoid naming the level at which they are studying since little is labled as to level. We are in a process and there will be a product. I prefer that they thing of themselves more as being a "Young Learning Musician" than having graduated in step wise progressions. When they are independent, they have become "Musicians". I think 1st year, 2nd year, etc. is a good way to identify their study. What they each accomplish in one year can be very different. Some leap ahead and some linger but most are steady as you go.

I use music educators compositions, public domain sources, folk music, children's music, popular music and early classical in the first year and thereafter. We use music graphics and draw our own ideas on blank paper to support out concepts being learned. All instructions are written in the student's 3 ring notebook. We are basically creating a journal of the students experiences in music. Students have somewhat different experiences based on their individuality, personality, learning styles, and energy levels.

Self esteem, confidence and motivation are a large part of the picture since the notebook is so representative of their learning experience. Their "book" grows one week at a time to represent the growth they are working toward and achieving. They can really feel, hear and see the progress when it seems like everything in the book is their journey, their adventure, and their destination, and we created it page by page for them.

This is not quite the question you asked, but I felt that you might like to know that some teachers have created their own methodology and use it in their piano studios.

Betty Patnude

I had a transfer student who came to me with Piano Adventures Book 5. I've only seen those books in stores, but I didn't think any teacher would keep a student for THAT long in method books. I inquired further. It turns out that the music school she came from makes every student go through all five books before they play anything else, IF the students stick it out for that long.

The last "beginner" who started with me from the very start transitioned out of Piano Adventures Book 2B. She's the talented kind, though. I usually don't transition kids until after Book 3 of any method book. When I used to do Schaum, that's Book D. John Thompson, Book Two. I have had students who came to me playing regular repertoire, but they were so ill-prepared, I took them right back to method books. This happens with regularity.

I mix piano method books and regular repetoire fromt the beginning so that I can get away from the method books as soon as possible. There are many books that have a compilation of various composers within them that are not "classical" but very valid pieces and wonderful to play teaching students all kinds of things. If you stick with one method book not only are there gaps because every student is different but it's like learning only one composer say,. . . all Bach when there are 10,000 other wonderful composers that can stretch you in ways that Bach cannot. Is Bach valid absolutely but nothing else becomes boring and tends to hold you in one place.

Are not the easy and early intermediate classical repertoire teaching pieces from earlier eras?

Most of the great early repertoire has been composed in the past 100 years, as it turns out! And lots of it in the past 25 years...