new teacher

[Batboy]

I will start teaching lessons, and i need some ideas to develope a complete course. Could you please give me some ideas.

[Bongo Boy]

Sure.

1. List what you think are your strengths as a teacher, and ask a few people who know you but who you think will be honest with you if they agree.

2. Select the level of student that you would prefer to teach (beginner, intermediate, advanced) and list the reasons you'd like to teach at that level.

3. See if your strengths found in 1) fit with the needs of the students selected in 2).

There. Those ideas are more than I'm qualified to submit!

[EricV]

Bongo boy... great reply ! That is the kinda stuff many teachers don´t care about enough !

Batboy, some things that I think are important:
-Although it is good to have some kind of a "program" ( like a "step by step"-program you go through with a student, from the basics to the advanced stuff ), also try to make each lesson a little bit individual for the student... sure, a 15 year old who wants to learn how to play Metallica-songs and a 40 year old who loves Pat Metheny need some common basics, but it might help to bring those concepts over in a way they can apply to )...

- Remember that these days, almost everyone has access to an unbelievable amount of resources.. books, videos, CD roms, websites, with exercises, theory, chords, lead sheets, tablature.
Remember that and focus on the things that make people want lessons with an actual teacher... give away things that make playing easier, show the students details that they can´t get from a book, try to compensate things they miss because they aren´t mentioned in those resources...

- Try to have fun yourself. Don´t copy the exercises you´re giving them from somewhere, try to make up some yourself. See, when I i.e. wanna teach a student the concept of string-skipping, I prefer to make up a little "etude" or a few licks by myself instead of just taking those popular Nuno- or Ynwgie-licks that I know...

- Try to level with your student, try to figure what they wanna do and what motivates them. Focus a bit on that, go through some of that while of course still teaching what YOU think is important. That way, he / she will get the information that is important mixed with stuff he / she likes...

Anyway, that´s what I try to remember when teaching...
Warm regards
Eric

[szulc]

How to hold the guitar and pick. How to fret notes. AP exercises with "dumb" four and three finger per string patterns just to get the dexterity thing going. Then theory, break up the universal set of the chromatic scale into the concept of major scale construction using M2 (WS) and m2 (HS) intervals.
Teach them the open position C Major scale (CAGED FORM) then eventually the 2 note per string three note per string and four note per string forms.

Show them how to read the notes on the staff ( eventually note timing). Teach chord construction from major scale then apply to teach open position chords, then movable forms.

[Bongo Boy]

More opinions!!

I'm a real beginner, practicing on my own and using a wide variety of materials. I think what could be a real benefit to your beginner students, at least, is a practice program that includes a good deal of variety.

Not knowing any better, I try to do about 4 to 6 specific things each session. Right now I'm learning the Cmaj scale in various places on the fretboard. Where the scales can be played is one thing, accuracy is another, improvising around the scale is a third.

But this gets old in about 30 min. So I've taken another Beginner's Book and begun practicing your typical open chords. This includes just voicing the chords at all, then doing some simple progressions and trying to keep a beat and plan ahead. This frustrates me in about 15 min too, plus I'm tired.

Next, I want to build strength in the fingers for barre chords, so I try to select a small assortment of those--just for accuracy and finger stretching, not much else. I can't even take 15 min of this.

For fun and to get a sense of beat, groove and relaxation, I try to pick out a tune or two I'm familiar with, especially if it sounds good in Cmaj or Gmaj. I go for accuracy and, mainly, pretending I can actually play guitar, am totally comfortable with it, and don't even have to 'try'. It's easier for me to have this attitude pickin' out a fun tune than anything else.

This may not be a recommended way to learn--but I guess I'm saying that being a disciplined student takes some getting used to, and I'd never play this damn thing if I had to spend 60 min trying to make a single 4-chord progression sound great.

Finally, for the theory, if your students have access to a PC, I'd strongly recommend findng the materials on the web (jazclass.aust.com offers what I think is an amazing music theory course of 30 lessons for $30 USD on CD shipped anywhere). It's all in English, however.

[JackT]

Good and clear tips EricV.

To new students first lesson i give is free and no limit on time, find their personality and musical inclinations and once again as Eric made remark to, have fun, that is what music is for.