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Piano Brain Chemistry For Kids
Piano brain chemistry for kids is really quite simple. Younger kids rarely have the physical development and mental skills to read music. But they do have all it takes to make simple music using numbers or letters instead of the ancient system of notes. Difficulty causes uncomfortable brain chemicals, whereas ease causes pleasurable brain chemicals.
For example, dopamine is a brain neurotransmitter that makes you feel good and play with more accuracy. Serotonin has a similar effect. It makes you feel confident and happy. It's not a drug, it is what occurs naturally in your brain.
Minimize Stress
I'm a big advocate of watching the child's face to look for signs of fatigue. As far as I'm concerned, I want their brains to be at ease, not under stress. Reading music causes great stress in the early stages, so I am very careful when I teach it. I keep careful track of time and the child during this activity. Most important is the teacher's reaction to the child's mistakes.
Every time the child senses anger in you, their brain chemistry moves towards fear. Every time they sense humor and forgiveness in you, the good neurotransmitters flow.
Don't Be Negative
If you react negatively to every mistake, you upset the child. Choose your corrections carefully. ou're under no obligation to give the child an exhaustive list of their shortcomings. I often adopt the manner of an English butler, saying, "My, sir, that was quite an awful crash there!" Thus the best reaction to mistakes is comic. You both know that an error occurred, so why be negative? Just make note of it. Get the child to take note of it without feeling guilty.
I spend a lot of time training kids to react correctly to mistakes. Some kids are mightily freaked out if the teacher says, "That's wrong." But negativity is totally unnecessary. All that is needed is awareness of the mistake. Don't upset your whole flow for the sake of one or two wrong notes. Stay on the horse. I get kids to observe mistakes calmly.
The Proper Lesson Atmosphere
The worst mistake a piano teacher can make is to cast an atmosphere of failure and gloom over the lesson. This mood alone will work against the child. They need a bright, witty atmosphere, devoid of anger and guilt. It's a laboratory, not an insane asylum or prison. So this is the real reason for all my jokes, my comic manner, my games. I want the most possible positive neurotransmitters in my student's heads.
I don't want fear at all since it can only get in the way of real learning. Laughing at an error says, “Yeah, I see the mistake but this music is hard, everyone makes mistakes, so let’s just keep going and have fun.” And lo and behold, if this is your attitude, the child will act like they are playing Nintendo, trying again and again. Games work better than lectures or shaming.
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
