36 replies to this topic

[Dorcas]

Teaching can feel like trying to push water up a hill.  I use what is in the tutor books, with commentary from me.  This does not always translate well on the forum.  Taking over transfer students is difficult, especially the very young ones.  Sometimes I am horrified by what students and parents tell me, but there is always the problem of chinese whispers, or to put it another way, poor communication.  I think we can all be guilty of that sometimes, if not frequently.

[Iulia]

I'm afraid I simply keep showing students the picture in Tunes for ten fingers of the hand with the little mouse under it.

 

I like the mouse thing as well

[zwhe]

Me too - don't squash the mouse works for most little ones!

[jenny]

Me too - don't squash the mouse works for most little ones!

 

Absolutely!

[mel2]

I've got a cute woolly sheep on the end of a pencil for this purpose and a 7 yr old with a wicked gleam who refuses to allow the sheep into its little 'house'.
Back to the drawing board...

[Gran'piano]

I love it. Been there, done that! Kids are so often one step ahead of us.

[The Great Sosso]

I do the mouse thing too (sometimes its a baby chick).  When we get to thumb turns, I say, "it's time to meet the mouse.... it's your thumb!" This can help those who have had resolutely flat hands up until that point to correct the hand shape.   I do think that if they know why we ask them to do certain things it can help, but the difficulty is when the reason for something is way in the future (like playing really fast).  

 

TGS X