Hi there, I'm teaching my two daughters Grade 2 theory together (I'm also a piano and theory teacher). They took Grade 1 together in the summer and it worked really well. One is 12 and one is 9. The 12 year old is Grade 4 piano and is used to doing harmonic scales, so I will teach her the harmonic version of the minor scales, which is what I usually do with my theory pupils at this level (You can choose either until grade 4 and I don't usually teach both until then).

However, my 9 year old is trickier. She takes Grade 2 piano this autumn and because she has such tiny hands we're doing melodic scales as she finds the stretch in the harmonic from finger 3 to finger 4 over the 6th and 7th notes of the scale too great to play smoothly.

So, my question is this. Would you teach her the melodic, so that it ties in with what she is playing? My thing against this is that it is, in my opinion, it is the much harder option on paper and far more likely to lead to errors in the exam as you have to remember both the ascending and descending. It also means the two girls will have to ignore what the other is doing - usually they bounce ideas off each other. Or would you teach the harmonic even though it bears no relation to what she is playing?

Anyone else had this dilemma?

I teach both harmonic and melodic forms of the minor scale at grade 2 theory - (you have to know both at grade 3, not 4 - you are an expreienced teacher , so it was probably a typo!) - and I feel that it becomes something they have met before when we go through the grade 3 book, so is not so daunting. It is also an opportunity to discuss why there are the two forms. I get them to do the exercises first in the harmonic. When that is mastered, I explain the melodic and get them to do the same exercises in that form.
When it comes to the exam, however, I advise them to always choose the harmonic at grade 2 - less margin for error. That said, not all my students take every theory exam - if they finish the book and complete test papers, getting distinction marks without looking things up, and it is not near an exam entry date, then we move on to the next grade.
That's just my take on the theoretical side. I am not a piano teacher, however, so can't offer advice on that score, but I would probably teach the scale she is playing. Or maybe this is an opportunity to experiment and teach both girls both forms? Only you know them well enough to know if they can cope with it.

Yes, of course, it is both at Grade 3, I don't know why I said 4 (good grief, I should know, I've been teaching it 15 years!) - just having a premature senior moment!

I think I will try teaching both and see how we get on. I've always left it before until I had to teach both, but something to be said for doing it early. I guess I was just worried about over confusing my little one as she is quite young - but she's grasped it all so far, so maybe I underestimate her