Piano Lessons

So, did I mention that Gianna began piano lessons this semester?  My sweet friend gave me a heads up about a piano pedagogy program at McNeese State which is a program where a music professor teaches Piano/Music students how to teach piano lessons to young children.  Basically the professor teaches four elementary students (paired with college assistants) for 45 minutes and then the last 15 minutes each students goes with a college student for private lessons in practice rooms (which are videoed and later viewed by the professor.)  It's just been about 8 weeks, and I am beyond impressed by how much Gianna has learned.

Below you can see the professor in the background with Gianna at a keyboard with her college counterpart.  They all wear headphones and can hear the professor and only their keyboard.  They professor can hear ALL the keyboards.  Super cool to watch.

Home practice has been challenging in that 1st Grade had been a rough adjustment and between homework and learning another completely new skill - her little brain is being taxed in a whole new way. I selfishly and realistically take credit for a good bit of her success, because I really push her to meet her goals and complete her tasks.  It's been exhausting, but but it has been fruitful for my little  musician.

After a couple of lessons:

This is after five weeks:

 And this is two weeks later(with a little extra zip with the help of the percussion back-up track)...

Not too shabby, huh?

Oh - and the lessons end up costing roughly $10 per hour.  Seriously! I've NEVER heard of lessons that reasonable.  So pleased with our experience.