Neurotransmitters, Children and Piano
Neurotransmitters, children and piano are linked together to produce the feelings your child has during a piano lesson. Thus neurotransmitters and endorphins are substances in your brain that induce good feelings. If you're a clever piano teacher, your student’s brain will be chock-full of feel-good endorphins.
The published benefits of piano for kids are better math scores, and in addition better handwriting and better schoolwork. But the hidden reward is the beneficial mental state that half an hour with a nurturing adult will produce. The quickest way to that feel-good state is humor, so if the teacher employs humor, learning becomes much easier for the child.
Learn How To Back Off
First you must dispel the "lecture" atmosphere. Thus your first job is to engage the child on whatever level they make available to you that day. Get that kid to smile and your job today just became 100% easier. So humor from the teacher works no matter what the mood of the child. If the mood is good, you are furthering it.
Similarly, If their mood is bad, you have a chance to break through it. "Back off" is a good rule of thumb. You'll get nowhere by forcing your ideas onto a reluctant child. You can see the kid shrinking from you like an audience from a boring play if you use force.
It Matters How A Kid Feels
Kids know when they're being treated as an equal, and when they are expected to be a robot. Treat them as an equal, ask for a simple task, and eventually they will do it. Perhaps the best scenario is for the teacher to first produce happy endorphins using humor, and then engage in brief, intense intellectual exploration. I'm not suggesting you just be a clown.
Balance Work And Play
If you ask firmly for work, after you have let the child play, they will almost always comply, knowing that more fun is always on the way. This approach works for any average child. If the child shows more promise, you can treat them like a young artist. Even with these rare kids, the humor and collegiality is appreciated.
REFERENCES:
PIANO BY NUMBER AND DOWN'S SYNDROME
PIANO BOOKS FOR SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN
PIANO BY NUMBER FOR A SEVERELY DISABLED CHILD
HYPERACTIVE CHILDREN AND THE PIANO
BRAIN HEMISPHERE COORDINATION AND CHILDREN’S PIANO
BRAIN CHEMISTRY AND EMOTIONS IN CHILDREN’S PIANO
BRAINS, CHILDREN AND PIANO
THE PIANIST WITH TWO BRAINS
ENDORPHINS, CHILDREN AND PIANO
WHY KIDS DISLIKE PLAYING WITH THEIR LEFT HAND
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CHILDREN, PIANO, MUSIC AND MATH
EINSTEIN’S PIANO
EINSTEIN’S VIOLIN IMPROVISATIONS IN GYPSY STYLE
PIANO BRAIN CHEMISTRY FOR KIDS
BRAIN HEMISPHERES AND KID’S PIANO
MATH, PIANO AND KIDS
NEUROTRANSMITTERS, CHILDREN AND PIANO
BRAIN STRUCTURE AND KID’S PIANO