Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Teachers Forum what method books are you using?

our local music schools seem to have something against teachers who do not follow method books step by step (maybe they feel insecure to hire such teachers)

the only method book i'm familiar with is Thompson's, which I use to improve students' reading skill

I would like to know everyone's suggestion. My target is kids from 5 to 10.
Thank you

I use Bastien, Alfred, Faber and Noona (not in that order). I also like Piano Celebrations.

I don't have siblings use the same books, it's easy to tell them that some are harder than others if one child passes up another one. I also like to mix-up the technique, lesson and performance books depending on the child's strengths/weaknesses. I don't use theory books because I hand out worksheets each week.

Faber & Faber is a very popular method. I sometimes use Hal Leonard, but I don't like it as much.

Hi, and welcome to the teachers' forum. Although I have used all the previously mentioned methods, my current favorite is Piano Town, written by Keith Snell and Diane Hidy, and published by Kjos.

Younger and more imaginative students love to follow the adventures of the "piano students" who live in Piano Town (the illustrations). Pedagogically, it is quite sound, but doesn't hold the teacher's hand unnecessarily.

John

I use Piano Adventure and Keith Snell Piano repertoire together. https://www.burtnco.com/snell.a5w

I use Piano Adventures. But I recently moved one of a set of twins into Alfred's new Premier Piano (level 1) and am liking it a lot so far.

I supplement with all sorts of things, depending upon the need of the particular student.

Seems like Faber's Piano Adventures is really popular! I'll check on Piano Town and Alfred as well.

Thank everyone for great the input!

I've been lurking for a long time, so I think it's time I post something!

My favorite by far is Alfred's Premier Piano Course. Alfred has solved the biggest problem with its original series--it doesn't teach positions, so it forces students to read the notes and look at the fingering for each song. I also use Piano Adventures and Piano Town. I plan to start my next student with the new Helen Marlais series titled Succeeding at the Piano just to test it out. It looks rather promising.

Nice to have you on board. Welcome to the forum.

I'm using primarily Piano Adventures, followed by a few siblings in Alfred Premier. I'm trying out the Marlias series this summer. She's speaking at our MTNA state convention next weekend.

I love Music Tree. So solid pedagogically and the students and I can be so creative with the pieces. I certainly get good readers with strong technique.

I love Music Tree too, but, I have not used it past the 2nd level. The primer level seems a little slow, but when the kids catch on they do get excellent reading skills! I do sometimes skip over some of the assignments/pieces depending on the student.

I also love that there are only 2 books in each level - lesson book and theory (Piano Adventures gives me an aneurysm because I feel like I'm flipping back and forth between 5 books).

My 2nd choice is Piano Adventures. I like both Music Tree and Piano Adventures because they encourage students to think beyond C hand position fairly quickly.

I use a mishmash of everything, but my favorite method is Music Tree. The concepts are rock solid, but of course you too must have an excellent understanding of what Music Tree is trying to accomplish. I leave Music Tree once we get past green book because the rudiments should be established by then, and I'm itching to get to repertoire. Time To Begin (the primer) is the best primer book I have ever seen, however. Both the lesson and activity books are spot-on. Side By Side, the supplementary book, is also fantastic.

Anyway, back to the question at hand; I've used Music Tree, Faber and Faber (less and less now that I can pick what I want), Piano Town, Noona, Russian Piano School, Alfred Premier, and Mikrokosmos. Does Mikrokosmos count as a method?

As far as pacing in Music Tree, I tend to use the Discovery section at the lesson and the Using What You've Discovered section for the home assignment. I, too, like having just the 2 books. It's more fun for the student to have something else for supplementary work.

I work more like Ebony and Ivory with many different method books and not the same books to the same siblings except maybe one or two. I try to also find the students strengths and weaknesses and taylor pick the books that will motivate each student to their maximum. I am not a real keen fan of Noona but have also used Steiner, Schuam, Faber, Snell, Bastien, Alfred,Fletcher, Glover also not in those orders. Certain artists books like Celebrate America Bk 1 and 2 or Spanish Songs Books 1, 2, and 3. Piano Solos we like to play, Book 1 & 2. Cream of the Crop Book 1 & 2. Are just a few. I do use theory books, but many different kinds of those as well. It helps there to be no gaps in the students knowledge and lends to more interest to have different books to choose from visually as well as factually.

Millions of thanx for these wonderful feedbacks. It's amazing that everyone is willing to share these thoughts and experience.
I'm probably gonna order Piano Tree and Piano Adventure first, and take a trip to the music store to see what they have there when I have the time.

And thank you John, for the warm welcome.

Has anyone started using the Helen Marlais Succeeding at the Piano method? I'm still waiting for my free shipment in the introductory offer. Was told today when I phoned the publisher that they are "back-logged" and will try to have the rest of their freebies shipped out by the end of next week.
I'm curious, has anyone used this method yet?

(my favorite is Piano Adventures series, combined with Pop if they request it, Masterworks Classics, and Celebration series.
Not the same for all students of course).

I haven't had a beginner in 2 years! I have used N. Jane Tan, since I took her class for two years, as a foundation and then do lots and lots of branching off, to Snell theory and scales, repertoire all over the place, Christopher Norton, Celebration Series. But I'm starting a new student in the fall, and his mom (a pianist) has him started in Alfred. I'm kind of curious just to see what it's like. I think in general, I do a lot of more of just teaching through the repertoire, instead of following a book.
I looked at Piano Town today at our music store - remembering that John V. liked it. I didn't have much time, but it seemed the lesson book focused more on introducing notes and intervals than rhythms. Where does that come in?

I absolutely adore Piano Adventures - but I only go up to book 2B. After that I transition them to Celebration series. Love how they set up that curriculum - I also have my students take NMCP exams which this particular curriculum prepares you for. Very high integrity...

My beginner students are currently using different sets of books. A girl is using Hal Leonard; two boys and a girl are using Piano Adventures; and a pair of brothers are using hand-me-down copies of Bastien (horrible!!). I am experimenting as I go along, trying different activities and supplementary materials with each student.

I stopped using John Thompson years ago. It advances too quickly for most kids and the music is not very "modern" sounding.