Hello parents,
I’m looking for wisdom from parents of ADHD kids. I am a relatively new piano teacher and have several ADHD students.
Have done general reading on ADHD and talked with a couple of adult friends who have ADHD. So far it seems to me that the keys to a successful learning environment are establishing good communication with the parents and building trust with the child.
I would like advice however from parents who have children learning piano or other instruments. What does your teacher do that helps your child learn their instrument and grow musically? What does your teacher do that hinders musical growth? Any materials that have worked particularly well with your child, or have not worked at all? And why do you think the material or teaching approach was helpful or not hlepful?
Thank you for any responses.
Alice
Re: teaching ADHD students piano
My son is ADD and has been taking piano lessons for two years. He’s 10, he loves it but like many students hates to practice (but he still does). I think the most important key to his enjoyment and continued committment is his teacher. She has scaled down the lessons to one song per week and now one song and one new scale. Her approach is to verbally reward and not coddle her students as well as using imput from the students and parents on amount of material to cover from lesson to lesson. Hope this helps.
Alice:
I am a flute teacher and I would love to have answers to your questions as well. I recently started trying to teach my daughter (who I believe is ADD) to play flute. It is hard to teach your own child anyway, but I wanted to at least get her started before she goes to band camp this summer. She has been enjoying recorder so much this year that I was wondering if she’d like flute. She becomes frustrated and wants to give up very easily.
I have had a few students who I have questioned if ADHD might have been getting in the way of their progress. Unfortunately, these thoughts were after the fact. These were students who could not ever play through anything without making at least one or more mistakes. Not that playing the correct notes is the most important part of lessons, but these students did not seem to be able to concentrate enough to successfully play even an easy etude (or even a scale for some). Of course other factors could have affected this as well.
Anyway, I am intrigued by your question and I look forward to seeing any feedback you receive.
Margo