Merry Christmas!

Hello to Family and Friends,

I didn't get Christmas cards sent out last year, or a Christmas letter written, so if you didn't hear from me, you're in good company. :)  Last year for Christmas, we went to Utah for a family reunion with all of my brothers and sisters and their children.  We flew out there a couple of weeks before Christmas; I had every intention of writing a Christmas letter there, but I played with my family instead! :)

Here is a picture of all of us together at a ski lodge in Aspen Grove:

Here is a little update on our family:

Jason
Jason decided to return to school to get his master's degree in Information Technology.  He is an excellent student and is doing fabulous in his classes.  We miss him during his long study hours, but he still finds time to play with us when he is not working or studying. :)  He has been the cub master in our ward for the past few years which has given him a chance to show his funny side.  He is a dedicated basketball player in church ball.  If you ever want to know the stats for the games in our stake, or see "highlight reels," just ask. :)

Marsha
My new passion is teaching piano.  I started in the spring of 2013 and it has been an exciting journey.  I have always loved to play piano (privately, not publicly), but I had much to learn about teaching and it has been very fun to learn.  I'm also trying to be brave and play piano in public a little more myself. :)  I started teaching my own boys (Kayla had already taken for years) and now I have sixteen other students that I love, love, love.  I am a little piano obsessed at the moment, so if I do end up posting on my blog more (which is always my goal), I'm sure there will be plenty about piano.  When I'm not at the piano, or attacking the never-ending housework, I love to read books with the kids, play games, and watch movies.

Kayla
Kayla is 14 now and a high school student.  It's hard to believe!  She is as delightful as ever and I'm so grateful to have her as a daughter.  She is still getting her education at home.  She always planned to go to public school once she hit high school, but she tried partial enrollment at the middle school last year and decided she prefers homeschooling.  In truth, she isn't home much as she takes Algebra, Spanish, Literature, and a history/government class in the community.  She enjoys all of these classes and the freedom she has to choose her studies.  She started early-morning seminary this year and it begins each day at 5:30 a.m.!  This is super early for our family of night owls, but we're getting used to it.  She just goes back to bed when the class is over! :)  Kayla loves to create and write.  She is always working on some story and her brothers eagerly await the new installment of the on-going story she shares with them.  She has created several websites for business purposes and growth and improvement.  I think she is an amazing girl and a wonderful daughter and friend.  She just might be my favorite person to hang out with!

 

Hunter
Hunter is 13.  Yes, I have two teenagers!  He is the family comedian who sometimes takes his teasing too far, but life would be dull without him.  He is also homeschooling again and taking similar classes to Kayla.  He has really taken an interest in piano this past year.  To be honest, I don't get around to teaching him formal lessons often, but he teaches himself to play beautiful songs by watching YouTube videos and working hard it.  It has been fun to see his interest and hear his playing.  Jason thinks he might actually practice more than me, but I still think I win on practice hours!  Hunter likes building with Legos, video games, and making stop-animation movies.

Tanner
Tanner is 7 and goes to 2nd grade at Glenkirk Elementary.  I broke my homeschooling streak and put him in school at the beginning of first grade.  It wasn't my plan, but I felt like I couldn't give him enough on top of my other responsibilities.  When Kayla and Hunter were in the younger grades, homeschooling was my passion and "job" so to speak.  I devoted myself to planning fun classes and clubs for them.  With an energetic 2-year-old, piano teaching, and church responsibilities, I just didn't have enough left to be the "amazing" school teacher I wanted him to have.  We decided to give public school a try and it has been a wonderful fit for Tanner.  He has been blessed with excellent teachers and he genuinely enjoys going to school.  He likes structure, routine, and sitting quietly more than my other children, so it is a nice match for him in that regard too! :)  He loves the "specials" at school--art, music, library, etc., and we both LOVE his teacher, Mrs. Hayes.  Besides school, Tanner loves the computer game "Minecraft" and would happily spend all of his spare time playing that if Mom didn't make him do other things.  He also enjoys playing the game Apples to Apples with the family, making crafts (rainbow loom and bead stuff), and hanging out with his friend, Will.

 Archer
Archer is adorable and exhausting all wrapped up in one package.  He is a whirlwind of energy and has definitely shown a bit of a stubborn and demanding streak.  He is still my "baby" and I love snuggling up together with a stack of books and getting my daily "hugs, kisses, and loves."  I can't believe how fast he is growing up and I have a hard time realizing he is not a baby anymore!  He loves to play catch, ride his scooter, play with cars and trains, climb anything, and leave a trail all over the house.

That tells you a little about each of us.  Here are a few more photos from the past year:

Archer loved picking strawberries from our garden.

Baby bunnies we found in our garden.

Daddy outing with Archer and Tanner.

Boating at Lake Anna

Kayla going down a natural water slide.

Daddy outing with the kids to Skyline Drive

Going to the Gala Ball (at church) with Steve and Heather

Halloween at Grandpa and Oma's

Family Photos taken by Jean Allen at Stone Bridge.

Family photo taken at Busch Gardens this past summer



Merry Christmas one and all!

Much love,
Marsha

Thanksgiving

On Thanksgiving I wrote about the things I was grateful for and posted it here.  I asked my family to do the same thing and we read our papers to each other.  I loved hearing what they said.  This is what they wrote:

Archer (dictated at preschool)
I am grateful for Daddy.

Tanner
I am grateful for God.
I am grateful for Jesus.
I'm grateful for my life.
I'm grateful for the Holy Ghost.
I'm grateful for my mom and dad.
I'm grateful for peace.

Hunter
I am thankful for many things, and I am going to share a few of them and why I am thankful for them.

I am very thankful for being homeschooled. One year my parents decided to send me to elementary school, it was so awful. I was not able to speak without rasing my hand, not able to eat when I wanted, and the worst part was if you finished early, you had to wait for everyone else. On the contrary, at home you are able to do all those things plus you are able to chose what you want to do when you want to do it, get the blessing of your own home and the feeling of comfort, and you get to were your pj's which is EPIC! That is why am thankful for that.

 

Another thing I am blessed  for is my home.  Recently I've been learning about people having a hard time and not being able to pay rent and get food.  I am thankful we are able to do that without trouble.

 

And last but not least, I am thankful for my family. Archer is very cute and it is fun to watch him laugh, it is awesome to play with him and he is super cool.  The Fob (Tanner) is very playful and happy.  Although he is ridiculous, he always makes me laugh.  Kayla is an awesome sister that is epic.  Although I tease her, she usally takes it well and plays it cool.  She is really trustworthy and I know I can talk to her. Kayla is an amazing sister that I love very much, she is my best friend.  Mom is, well, I guess you could say she is what you call neat.  Even though we don't always get along, she is my mom and I love and respect her for the most part.  She is always helping me with my homework and is a loving and caring mother. Dad is the coolest dad in the whole world, he is always giving me good advice that helps me for the most part.  He is one of the strongest guys I know and can beat all of my uncles in arm wrestling. He is very loving and is always rubbing my feet. He shares really good shows that I always seem to enjoy. I am very thankful for my family that helps me get through so many trials in my life.

 

That is the things that I am most thankful for. I hope this paper helps you think of some things you are thankful for too.

Kayla
I am thankful for many things.

I am thankful for my home.  It is nice and large and provides a safe shelter.  My room is bright and cheerful, and it holds my toys that I like a lot.  

I am also grateful for my dog.  She is warm and soft and really cute.  Sometimes, when I am really sad, she is there to comfort me.  Though she does not always cuddle, it makes it really special when she does.  I am grateful for Kassie.

I am grateful for the church.  It has been such a blessing in my life.  I know it has given me essential guidelines that have helped me immensely.  It is great to have home teachers and ward members who will help us when we’re in a jam.  The church will help me become a better person through encouraging service and thinking outward.

I am grateful for my friends, namely Olivia and Rachelle.  They both are people I like to talk with, each having different subject of interest.  I’m grateful Rachelle could help me so much with the Spark Club.  I’m glad Olivia and I have stayed friends for all these years and get to see each other on some weekends.

I am grateful for my family.  While we may not always get along, they have my back and I have people to lean on.  What I’m grateful for about each member is:

Dad—makes me laugh, supports the family

Mom—sympathizes with the trials of little brothers, is fun to talk to, and fun to go on trips with

Hunter—a friend, another toy-lover, and funny

Tanner—a fellow basement role player, smart, and fun to talk with about his school

Archer—makes me smile, and is ultra cute
      
I am grateful for vacations, technology, food, love, the church, family, home, toys, the Book of Mormon, Ninjago, our cool basement, being homeschooled, and for holidays.  I am thankful for many things.


Jason
In general, I feel that I am a pretty grateful person.  I have lived a pretty charmed life and have thus far achieved outcomes that vastly exceed the level of effort that that I have input into life.  I am certainly grateful for my job that has employed me and given me financial security and employment stability that in this tough economy have provided much peace of mind.  Certainly, I am grateful for parents that raised me in a wonderful home, gave me more than my share of love and support, and helped me when I fell short.  I would be remiss if I also didn’t express gratitude for wife and children, all of whom are a source of great joy and happiness in my life.  Without them, there would be an emptiness to my life that could never be filled.  Although I could write extensively on any of those, I would like to focus my gratitude on this day of Thanksgiving toward my Father in heaven for the many mercies that he has shown me.  

From the earliest days that I can remember, I have had a strong belief in God and a desire to please him.  When consequences would come my way, it was because although God is merciful, he is also just.  In other words, I had it coming.  Nevertheless, looking back, the hand of God can be seen guiding the course of my life.  At a relatively young age, I had an experience that helped me to change, to be less impulsive, more patient, and ultimately helped me gain understanding of people and myself that would shape my destiny.  I knew at the time as I know now, that the experience was a revelation from God in how my character should be.  Over the years, although I didn’t know it at the time, my Father in heaven has sent the holy ghost to prompt me on what to do…only to have me second guess and discard those promptings.  Despite my failings, I always knew that “His arm was still outstretched…” toward me.  When I was at a turning point in my life, and I called out to my Heavenly Father, he answered my prayer and showed me a path to happiness.  For the love He has shown me, the great mercies He has bestowed, and the plan of happiness that He has provided, I am truly grateful to have such a loving Father in heaven.



Kind Words

A few months ago, I joined a Learning Circle with the Power of Moms group (if you are a mom and you haven't heard of this group before, you should definitely check out their website).  The Learning Circle is very similar to a book club, but you only have to read an article instead of an entire book.  So far, the discussions have been very inspiring.  Last month, the article was about the value of motherhood and our "homework" was to ask our husband and children to write down five things they appreciated about us.  My husband happened to be at his parent's house when I remembered the assignment and texted him.  He sent me these lovely messages, even his parents chimed in.  I thought I should record them so I can read them when I'm feeling blue!  I definitely liked this kind of assignment! :)

From Jason:
1.  Your example
2.  You are never malicious
3.  You are always striving to be better
4.  Romantic yet practical
5.  You are my best friend
And because I can't limit myself to five things that I appreciate about you...
6.  You are very appreciative which makes doing things for you a joy.  I wouldn't have taken the time to clean the kitchen this morning if this weren't so. 

Ah, so sweet!

From Kayla (age 14):
1.  She's good to talk with.
2.  Compassionate and caring.
3.  Fun
4.  Great vacation buddy. :)
5.  Helpful and hardworking.

From Hunter (age 13):
1.  She's nice.
2.  She's funny.
3.  She loves me.
4.  She lets me be homeschooled.
5.  She's my piano teacher.

From Tanner (age 7):
1.  She's nice.
2.  She helps me with school.
3.  She reads with me.
4.  She plays games with me.
5.  She gives me hugs and loves me.
6.  She lets me play Minecraft for hours on end while she plays piano.  (I can't imagine Tanner using the phrase "hours on end."  I think Jason might have added that part).

From Archer (age 3):
1.  She's my mommy.
2.  Hugs, love, kisses
3.  Batman mega blocks
4.  Octopus
5.  A Christmas tree...A toy one that you squeeze...A duck

Ha, ha, I think that list turned into his Christmas wish list, but it totally made me smile! :)

From Brigitte:
1.  She is a kind human being.
2.  She is honorable.
3.  She is a good daughter-in-law.
4.  She's a good mother.
5.  She took Jason off of my hands. :)
6.  She is a very patient person.

From Roy:
1.  She is very appreciative of what we do.
2.  She is very kind.
3.  She is very complimentary of others.
4.  Willing to help on anything.
5.  Her personality personifies warmth.

Well, I needed all of those kinds words.  I definitely don't feel like they apply to me half the time, but I'm going to try harder to be all of those good things!

Feeling Grateful

Dear Neglected Blog,

I have thought about you many times over the past 6 months and composed many posts in my head, but I haven't managed to sit down and actually write these posts.  I began this blog as a way to record the life of my family, print it out, and have it for all time, so I definitely need to do better!  I hope this is the first step to doing better.

My kids had less school assignments this week due to the Thanksgiving holiday, so I asked them to write a paper on what they are grateful for and why.  I told them I would write a paper too.  I will post their papers later when/if they actually write them. :)  For now, this is what I'm feeling thankful for:

Being a Mom
I've been thinking about this a lot lately, mostly because it has felt really hard lately and I've been trying to remind myself how wonderful it is and that it is my life-long dream come true! :)  I never knew how much I loved peace, quietness, solitude, and order until I had four children and found myself surrounded by chaos, loud noises, wrestling, fighting, poking, teasing, prodding, and messes almost all of the time.  It seems I can't even go to the bathroom without someone calling for me and needing me.  I often long to be able to work on projects uninterrupted, in a quiet house that shines from being so clean.  I long to be able to clean a room and actually have it look clean an hour later.  I long to be able to write on my blog, pay bills, cook, practice piano, plan lessons, read a book, and maybe even do some crafting (crafting days are completely out the window) without being needed every five minutes.  I'm sure every mom can relate.  But the reality is, I wouldn't want peace, quietness, and solitude all the time.  That would be so boring and empty!  As I've thought about what life would be like if I wasn't a mom, I have felt so grateful for the richness and fulfillment that comes in my life because I'm a mom.  My children are so precious and I love each of them so much!  It is nice to be needed by them and I need them too.  I always have someone to talk to and hang out with; I can get a hug anytime I need one (and I love hugs!); I have a reason to go see Santa, visit Disneyword, play at a water park, make cookies, play games, and do all the fun things I probably wouldn't do if I didn't have children.  I can't imagine the holidays without children.  I can't imagine my life without children and I wouldn't want to.  Watching them learn, grow, and make good decisions is so joyful.  Talking with the teenagers and sharing our ups and downs together and learning from our experiences is so meaningful.  Watching the excitement of the little ones as they discover and learn new things is so delightful.  Yes, there is chaos, but it is temporary.  The relationships are eternal and I am so grateful for them.

Ha, I'll never get this done if I write that long about each thing, I'll try to make my thoughts more succinct! :)

Being Married
That kind of feels like an odd thing to say, but I'm thankful every day to be married to my wonderful husband.  I'm thankful for the kind of person he is and the kind of relationship we have.  Marrying Jason was truly the best thing I've ever done and I don't think I'll ever stop feeling grateful for what we have together.

Extended Family
Most of my life revolves around my husband and four children, but we have a much bigger family beyond our little unit and I love to spend time with them and appreciate their love and support so much.  My parents and siblings mostly live in Utah, so I don't see them much, but it is always fun when I do.  And of course, I talk to my mom and sisters by phone on a regular basis!  Jason's family lives nearby, so we get to see them often and we always look forward to it.  We appreciate all they do for us and love to spend time with them.

Piano Teaching
This is something I never imagined myself doing and yet, it is my absolute passion now and I continually feel grateful for the opportunity.  I started doing it because we needed the income, but it has become so much more than that.  I'm not exaggerating when I say it has taken over my life to some extent, but I love it!  It gives me a chance to develop my talents, to be creative, to work with children one on one, to see them make progress, to see them get excited, to meet their families and create friendships, to play awesome music all of the time, I just love it!  I love my students, I love their families, and I am thankful every day to be a piano teacher. :)

Basics of Life
This is one of those things I take for granted most of the time, but my kids and I read a lot of historical fiction and non-fiction books where people are suffering from a lack of basics--food, clothing, warm shelter--due to war, disease, immigration, famine, bad government, poor economy, etc. and it just makes me feel so thankful for the abundance we enjoy.  It puts into proper perspective the insignificant things we may want but not be able to afford.  We are still richly blessed.

United States of America
I am grateful to live in this great country.  It is another thing I take for granted, but all of our reading also keeps the blessing of America prominent in my mind.  We were reading Red Scarf Girl, the true story of a girl growing up in China during the Cultural Revolution and we were completely appalled.  I happened to read it during one of my most stressful weeks when everything seemed hard and overwhelming, but reading this book put my little cares and worries in their proper place.  I don't have to worry about people raiding my house, being falsely accused, tortured, or having family taken away.  As I was talking to a friend about this, she said something profound that I think about often, "Our worst days are better than most of humanity's best days."  Very true.  When life feels hard, it helps to remember how blessed I really am.

Good Friends
Because Jason is my best friend, and my kids are close friends too, I often think I don't need other friends, but I do!  I need other women to talk to, to share my little troubles with, to have fun with.  Because my life is really busy with being a mom, teaching piano, church service, etc., I don't hang out with friends much, but I always love it when I do.  My friends strengthen me and add another element of richness to my life.

Being a Mormon
Last, but not least, I am thankful to be a Mormon.  I love being part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and I often wonder what my life would be like without it.  I can't imagine it really. It truly is my greatest source of joy and happiness and I feel grateful for it every day.   There are so many things I appreciate about my membership in the church.  First, I love the doctrine.  I love the teachings, the understanding it gives me about Jesus Christ, the purpose of life, our Heavenly Father's plan of happiness and so much more.  Second, I love the relationships and friendships I've made with other members of the church.  They are all my extended family and a constant support group no matter where I go.  Third, I love the opportunity for growth and personal development.  We don't have a paid ministry and everyone is "called" to serve in some way or another.  These callings are temporary and our callings change regularly.  One year I might be teaching a Sunday school class to little kids, another year to adults, another year I might be planning fun activities, another year I might be the librarian, etc.  Often, I am asked to do things I don't feel qualified to do, or maybe I don't want to do.  I could say no, of course, some people do, but I've found when I say yes, I grow.  I learn how to do new things I didn't know I could do;  I learn to love things I never thought I would love (like teaching a rowdy class of 6-year-old boys or learning the cub scout program); I get to work with new people and build new friendships and it all enriches my life.  It is time-consuming and demanding at times, but it's a great work to be involved in and I'm thankful for the blessings that come from serving.  Mormons are known for proselytizing, and sometimes I hesitate to share my love of my religion because of that label, but I really just want to share it because I believe with all of my heart that it will enrich and bless the life of anyone who embraces it.

Well, there it is.  I'm sure there are many other things I could write about, but this is plenty long and I've already been interrupted many times, so I better go attend to those precious people who need me and who I am so grateful for! :)

Summer Music Camps

Thanks to the wonderful ideas I found on Joy Morin's website here, as well as Susan Paradis's website here, I am offering a few musical camps at my home this summer.  If you are interested in registering, please e-mail me at pianowithmarsha@gmail.com.  Registration will close when camps are full.

Ms. Marsha’s

Summer Music Camps

Intro to Piano, ages 5 to 13*

$60, June 30-July 3, M-Th, 9:30 to 11:30
This camp is full.  If you would like to see this camp offered again in August, please send me an e-mail.

This camp is perfect for those who are considering piano lessons, or for those who haven’t taken them in a while and want to review some of the basics to get ready for Musical Olympics Camp.  I will cover the same concepts I teach in my first few private lessons—the musical alphabet, names of notes on the keyboard, how to read finger numbers, basics of rhythm and note values, familiarity with the staff, and several songs the kids can play on the piano immediately.  This camp will include plenty of games and hands on activities.  Parents who want to learn the basics are welcome to stay and watch.

Musical Olympics, ages 6 to 13*

$60, July 22-25, T-F, 1:30 to 3:30

This outdoor camp will be filled with games that involve lots of running, movement, and teamwork.  Many of the games involve water as well, so wear your swimsuit under your clothes and bring a towel.  This camp will reinforce basic musical concepts through a variety of relay races, obstacle courses, ring tosses, bean bag tosses, water shooting galleries, and more!

Note:  If your child is not familiar with the names of notes on the keyboard, the musical alphabet, and rhythm basics, it is recommended that they attend the Intro to Piano camp before joining Musical Olympics.  Update: Since Intro to Piano camp is full, I am offering an "Olympic Prep Class" on Monday, July 21st, from 10:00 to 12:00 for $15.

Music History Blast from the Past, ages 7 and up*

$75, 5 sessions; Mondays, 2:00 to 4:00, July 7-Aug. 4

Students will blast to the past each Monday as they learn about fascinating famous composers and different eras of music history.  At each session, students will study a composer, an era of music history, and make a lapbook (a scrapbook on a file folder) to help them remember what they are learning and share it with others.  They will get to know these famous composers as they listen to their music, hear stories about their lives, and play short snippets of their masterpieces on the piano.

Session 1—Johann Sebastian Bach

Session 2—Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Session 3—Ludwig Van Beethoven

Session 4—Franz Liszt

Session 5—Scott Joplin

Note:  This camp is best suited for students who don't mind cutting and who enjoy crafty projects.  Students will make 6 lapbooks over the course of the camp, all supplies included.  You may also register for individual sessions for $16 each. 

_______________________________________________________________

*Age recommendations are flexible, slightly older or younger children may also enjoy the camps.

Camps are held at Ms. Marsha’s home in Gainesville, VA

E-mail to register, pianowithmarsha@gmail.com, 571-216-6148.

A snack will be provided at each camp.
Registration fee is due by June 30th.

All camps require a 4 person minimum or they will be cancelled.
Parents may drop off or stay and watch at all camps, but only registered children may attend.

Mini-Recitals and Piano Safari Review

Four of my students did mini-solo-recitals for their families over the Thanksgiving holiday and they were fabulous.  Unfortunately, I only have video of one of the students.  Noah did his recital after taking lessons for only 3 months.  Thank you, Noah, for letting me show you off! :)

What is a mini-solo-recital?  I give my students the option of doing a solo-recital of eight songs for their families anytime during the year.  Thank you Dr. Julie Knerr for this fun idea!  This is in addition to an end-of-the-year recital where all of the the students perform for all of the families.

PIANO SAFARI REVIEW

I've been teaching piano for 9 months now and I love it!  I have been wanting to write a review of the Piano Safari method since I started using it, but I've hesitated to do so since I'm such a new teacher.  What would my opinion mean to anyone, right?  I wanted to at least teach through the entire book once before reviewing. Well, I can't wait any longer, I just have to rave about it now!

What I love about the method:

1. The students get the immediate satisfaction of playing songs on the piano through rote teaching (I show them how to play a song without requiring them to read the music).  I know there are some out there who wouldn't think this is a good thing, but it is a fabulous way to help students become great musicians, not just great sight-readers.  It helps them develop an ear for music; it gives them experience playing more complicated rhythms, making it easier for them to read those rhythms when they are sight-reading; it allows them to work on proper piano technique without being bogged down with reading; and last but not least, it instills confidence and joy in playing the piano, increasing the likelihood that they will continue on with music lessons.  Kids like doing things that are enjoyable!  There are many benefits to rote teaching, much better explained by experts here, here, and here.

2.  It also teaches sight-reading from the beginning.  I have always been a fan of the Suzuki method, which my daughter used as a 5-year-old when she started playing piano.  She was taught by rote/imitation and I appreciate even more now the complexity of the songs she was playing at such a young age.  However, Suzuki delays learning to read music for quite some time, and I always felt my daughter would have benefited from an earlier introduction/focus on it.  When I decided to teach piano, I specifically wanted a method that taught sight-reading AND playing by rote (I sought this purely for the joy element, I didn't realize all the other benefits at the time).  The Piano Safari method was exactly what I was looking for.  Repertoire Book 1 has "Reading Pieces" and "Rote Pieces" so the kids systematically use both approaches.  The first two videos below are examples of "Reading pieces" followed by a couple of "Rote pieces."

Old McDonald, one of the early "Reading Pieces"



 

Ode to Joy, also a "Reading Piece," and a favorite with the kids.  Noah is playing this song with his mom, how cute!

 

Herbie Hippo (aka Peter Piper), this is one of the first rote pieces we learn.  I also learned this as a child, but I didn't learn it in 5 different keys!  With Piano Safari, the kids get early exposure to transposing as they learn to play this song in the key of Gb, B, C, F, and G.  My son even transposed it into other keys!  This video shows Gb, B, and G.

 

Cleaver the Beaver, a fun rote piece

3.  The Sight-Reading and Rhythm flashcards are fabulous!  This is how they work:  there are 5 levels of flashcards with 16 cards each.  Each card has two lines of notes to be read, plus a rhythm pattern to tap out.  The students pass off one line at a time.  First they "practice playing it in their brain," then they play it for real.  You can see a demonstration of this here.  I put a star by each line as they pass it off, then I put a sticker on a chart after they complete the whole card.  The kids get to pick a prize from my "big box" when they have passed off an entire level.  I usually do 2 to 4 cards at each lesson.  This is one of those things I originally did just because the method said to do it, without really appreciating the value of it.  Now I have all of my students working through these cards, even those who are using different method books (because they transferred from another teacher).  Reading rhythm is such an important part of sight-reading, and these cards ensure that we systematically work on reading rhythm at every lesson.

4.  Online resources--I love the Piano Safari website!  I highly recommend reading the essays under Pedagogical Resources.  These essays were so valuable to me when I started teaching.  They are valuable regardless of what method you use.  The instructional videos are also very helpful to me in teaching with this method, and the performance and reminder videos are valuable to the students. They are great for inspiring and motivating the students and showing proper technique.

5.  Customer Service--the ladies who created this method are the best!  I have emailed Dr. Knerr many times with questions regarding this method.  She has been so helpful, really going above and beyond in answering my questions and sharing her wisdom and expertise.  She has even thoroughly answered my piano -teaching questions that were unrelated to her teaching method.  I am so thankful for all of her help!

6.  Last but not least, I love the eighth-notes!  Some method books delay introducing eighth notes until the third book while Piano Safari includes them right away.  They are so fun to play, they make the pieces more diverse, and the kids are very capable of reading and playing them.

When I discovered Piano Safari, I was immediately excited about it, but found myself hesitating to use it because it seemed to be unheard of among my piano teaching friends.  I could only find ONE online review about it, fortunately it was a glowing review. :)  It is a recently published method, so that explains why it isn't well known.  I'm just glad I took a leap of faith on this method and hope others will too.  I wanted to add another glowing review to the web; I'm sure other teachers who have discovered it are doing the same.

A few things to consider before choosing this method:

1.  It takes more time.  At each lesson you work on reading music, work through the sight-reading and rhythm flashcards, and work on a rote song.  I teach 45-minute lessons and often wish for more time.  I try to include games and activities that help with music theory as well, so that also takes time. Dr. Knerr recommends 45-minute lessons and I would hesitate to do less than that.

2.  I find it hard to switch transfer students to this method because the approach and order of information taught is different.  For the most part, I have been keeping my transfer students in their former method books because I'm not sure how to make a complete switch.  I do use the sight-reading flashcards with all of my students, have I mentioned that I love those sight-reading cards?!  I also teach some rote songs and use Piano Safari terminology to teach different techniques and rhythm patterns (i.e. sleeping lion paw for heavy arms). 

3.  I think that Piano Safari is geared toward young beginners and you will need to have patience with the pace at which sight-reading/note identification progresses if you are accustomed to another method.  All of my students are under the age of 14.  I have transfer students who are in Bastien, Piano Adventures, and Alfred.  All of these methods move to the staff more quickly and move through reading a variety of intervals more quickly.  That doesn't mean the kids are always ready to move that quickly, but the teacher may be. :)  Piano Safari Book 1 has five units, the first one is reading black keys (using finger numbers), the second is reading white keys, the third unit starts reading on the staff with 2nds (intervals), the fourth unit adds reading 3rds, and the fifth unit combines 2nds, 3rds, and unisons.  The student only reads one staff at a time in the first book (either bass or treble), but they play rote pieces with two hands from the grand staff.  Also, the focus in Book 1 is on reading intervals with only a few guide notes.  Knowing all the note names of the staff is delayed until book 2.  This pace seems just right for most of my students, but a couple of them have been anxious to move to the staff more quickly and sometimes I wonder if it would benefit the students to read on the grand staff sooner.  On the opposite end, I have seen kids struggle in other method books that move through these concepts too quickly for them and it can lead to frustration and lack of self-confidence at the piano.  For me, this slow and steady approach is well worth it, especially for young students.  For older beginner students, I use a combination of Piano Safari and Accelerated Piano Adventures (this was recommended to me by Dr. Knerr), and that has worked out really well.

4.  It is important for parents to understand this approach.  Supportive parents will make sure the kids listen to the CD (for rote pieces) and watch the reminder videos when needed.  Some of my parents do this better than others and I can really see the difference in the quality of playing.  Parents and teachers should read the frequently asked questions page before starting this method as it will help them understand this approach.

5.  It is important to read the online teacher guide and pedagogical resources.  The Repertoire book itself doesn't have a lot of instruction for the teacher, but the online teacher guide has a wealth of information on how to teach each piece.  I printed out the teacher guide and the essays and had them spiral bound at Staples for easy reference.  Sometimes I forget to read the guide until after I've taught a piece and when I do read it, I realize I could have taught it much better.  So, don't neglect the guides if you go with this method.

To conclude, I am thrilled with the Piano Safari method!  I spent many hours researching different methods and playing through different lesson books trying to find one I could love.  I'm so glad I found this method that matched the way I want to teach.  Thank you Dr. Julie Knerr and and Katherine Fisher for your fabulous program.  Teaching piano has been such a joy!