Music Educator (I hope you get this message),

I went to the store and got several of the PA books (figured I'd see what the big deal was about) and decided that if nothing else they could just be more books to add to the shelf. However, I started enjoying myself as I was playing the songs. I really like how a lot of the songs are fun for kids.

I am not going to switch methods, I am very happy using Thompson, Aaron and Schaum (and I like how thorough they are), however, I would like to add the PA books to the list. I want to use them for a few months as a trial period for several of my students. They would be purely supplemental (the emphasis of the lessons will continue to be the other three books, but the PA books would be there for fun). I am always trying to get the parents to buy supplemental books for their kids (and I am always offering to pick them out, get them from the store and have them ready at lessons, but most parents just don't care too much), so I figured this would be the perfect chance to kind of "force" some extra material on them.

If after a few months my students are enjoying the books, I would like to incorporate them with the other three I already use (required material). I really like the Lesson books and the Performance books. What are your thoughts? Do you think using five books at each level is excessive (and this isn't including note spellers, workbooks, and anything else they bring to the lessons). I personally think they will do better if they play more material at each level, I'm just a little concerned that they may feel like I'm giving them too much. (They do have five primer books that I use, so it wouldn't be too much of a stretch -and I wouldn't use the PA primer, I'd start at Level 1, I just don't want to get myself into any boogers!) My hopes are, though, that they will see the PA books as supplemental and fun to play instead of more lesson songs.

I guess I don't really know what I'm asking, just wanting your opinion on the subject. I know that you (like myself) learned from all three- Thompson, Schaum and Aaron, so you know what it's like to spend a long time in each level.

Thanks,

Amy

-- Amy (Seraiah1@aol.com), March 07, 2001

Answers

I took the liberty of e-mailing my answer to you. Hope it helps.

-- Music Educator (noname_poster@yahoo.com), March 20, 2001.