Alan & Brenda Leonard

1/28/03 20:08:

> And she'll practice more once you're unschooling and not just recovering from
> requirements and rules. Deschooling takes some time.

Couldn't she just play more? eww eww eww. I hate practicing. It just
makes me itch, it sounds so awful.

brenda, wound up and going to bed to sleep it off.

[email protected]

In a message dated 1/28/03 3:50:56 PM, abtleo@... writes:

<< > And she'll practice more once you're unschooling and not just recovering
from
> requirements and rules. Deschooling takes some time.

Couldn't she just play more? eww eww eww. I hate practicing. It just
makes me itch, it sounds so awful. >>

Brenda's right.
I was repeating phrases without thinking.

What I said was tacky and I would like to withdraw it (which I really can't,
but you know, kind of figuratively withdraw it.

When she's WANTing to play more she will. And the more she plays the better
she'll be, and the more confident she'll be, and if her lessons are fun
she'll like them and when they're not fun anymore she can do something else!

Sandra

Alan & Brenda Leonard

1/29/03 04:16:

> "start playing piano yourself. If she wants to play and asks you to move,
>> GREAT! Don't put her off. hearing the music might inspire her."
>
> Okay, this happens about every time. But, am I suppose to then give up the
> piano to her. She will usually come over and tell me how something should
> be done, and the next thing I know she is playing and wondering why I am
> there bothering her.


Yes, yes, yes. When she comes to the piano, slide over, and once she's
play, leave. Make a lame excuse if it makes you feel better -- oh, I better
go put the laundry in the dryer kind of thing. But yes! If you want her to
play more, be prepared to be evicted. You can go right back when she's
tierd, right?

As far as music to listen to together, go to a mall and peruse their
classical, jazz and new age sections. All will have piano music.

Your best bet on classical music is probably those $2.99 cd's that are all
in one little area. Often by companies like Laserlight and Naxos, they
cover some of the most well-loved music in the world. At that price, they
hafta sell lots of cd's to turn a profit, so it's generally all good stuff.

Yes, your piano teacher should be able to recommend stuff, too, but ask
particularly for non-classical things. Jazz piano is COOL and fun to move
to, and New Age piano is different, too. I find new age the easiest to
improvise; maybe it'll give your daughter some ideas. Try George Winston or
something like that.

I hope you have fun with it.

brenda

Jim Selvage

Brenda,

Thanks so much for the information on what kind of music to get and advice!

Guess what my dd did yesterday? I put the Suzuki cd in and just left it
playing. (My dh complained, but I said I needed to listen to it). My dd
came out of her room and it was on, she didn't comment at all. After about
an hour she asked me to turn it off. I asked her why she wanted me to turn
it off, and she said because she wanted to practice (I know, icky word). I
turned it off and she played for a while. Then she asked me to turn the CD
back on to a certain song. I asked if she could tell me about what number
it would be, she very casually said it was the first song in Book 2. I
found it and she listened several times. She then went and worked on it!
Yeah! And I hadn't even mentioned that we were going to a lesson next week,
but I had played piano and listened to the CD.

I am sure not everyday will go like this, but it sure was great! Thanks for
the inspiration you all!

BTW, she also started knitting a pair of socks yesterday. Which is pretty
cool to me. I have never knitted socks. I did show her how to knit at
about seven years old, when she asked, and then bought her a knitting book.
She has learned lots from that and gone way beyond me!

thanks again,
erin

> > "start playing piano yourself. If she wants to play and asks you to
move,
> >> GREAT! Don't put her off. hearing the music might inspire her."
> >
> > Okay, this happens about every time. But, am I suppose to then give up
the
> > piano to her. She will usually come over and tell me how something
should
> > be done, and the next thing I know she is playing and wondering why I am
> > there bothering her.
>
>
> Yes, yes, yes. When she comes to the piano, slide over, and once she's
> play, leave. Make a lame excuse if it makes you feel better -- oh, I
better
> go put the laundry in the dryer kind of thing. But yes! If you want her
to
> play more, be prepared to be evicted. You can go right back when she's
> tierd, right?
>
> As far as music to listen to together, go to a mall and peruse their
> classical, jazz and new age sections. All will have piano music.
>
> Your best bet on classical music is probably those $2.99 cd's that are all
> in one little area. Often by companies like Laserlight and Naxos, they
> cover some of the most well-loved music in the world. At that price, they
> hafta sell lots of cd's to turn a profit, so it's generally all good
stuff.
>
> Yes, your piano teacher should be able to recommend stuff, too, but ask
> particularly for non-classical things. Jazz piano is COOL and fun to move
> to, and New Age piano is different, too. I find new age the easiest to
> improvise; maybe it'll give your daughter some ideas. Try George Winston
or
> something like that.
>
> I hope you have fun with it.
>
> brenda