It's a group thing: getting started in group teaching

American Music Teacher, April-May, 2002 by Joan M. Reist

The room was filled to capacity; seventy-five enthusiastic teachers, representing twenty-three states, were seated in semicircular fashion around three studio scenarios; three vertical, acoustic pianos and a chalkboard, a computer and screen set for transparencies and Power Point presentations, and a T-shaped digital keyboard lab. A stationary TV camera was centered on a platform in the midst of the audience, and movable cameras, followed by the customary tangle of cords and cables, occupied much of the periphery.

From Friday afternoon until noon on Sunday, these teachers and six clinicians explored the mysteries and marvels, the principles and practices of group piano teaching, while a skilled TV producer and his crew documented every word and action. The site was Indianapolis, Indiana; the event was the very first seminar presented cooperatively by Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) and the National Piano Foundation (NPF): Getting Started in Group Teaching. The clinicians discovered that the audience consisted not only of those eager to get started in group teaching, but also many who had already experienced its benefits and were eager to learn more.

Enthusiasm, good humor and collegiality were the order of the day; within that brief window of time "a camaraderie developed," attendees praised the opportunity to "learn not only from excellent clinicians, but from other participants," appreciated the "time allotted to sharing experiences" and enjoyed "intermingling" in order to "learn about different approaches." The teachers all took home a large, priceless notebook of resources; some took home new philosophies as well. One teacher admitted, "The seminar turned around my opinion of group teaching;" another claimed, "It changed my methods and my life!"

The TV version of this unique event, edited to fit into a reasonable time frame, will soon be available for use by individuals or associations. MTNA and NPF are in the process of planning a second seminar, to be scheduled in late summer of 2002. Meanwhile, just to pique your curiosity and whet your appetite, read on and contemplate some questions and answers about group teaching that emerged from the Indianapolis seminar.

Perhaps the overriding question with regard to this topic is "Why teach in groups?" The group in Indianapolis answered this question vociferously and without hesitation. (Some typical comments appear in quotes above.) These individuals reveled in the opportunity to learn from each other, share ideas, discuss, ask questions, offer opinions and compare and contrast, under the guidance of several facilitators--all in an atmosphere of openness and collegiality. It's no surprise, then, that these teachers came together in search of ways to offer the same sort of opportunities to their students, who will ultimately reap the benefits--and the excitement--of learning from their peers under their teacher's watchful guidance.

Just What is a Group Lesson?

* A group lesson is a learning environment where all participants are involved at all times and in all activities, where individuality is respected and cooperation is encouraged.

* A group lesson offers a climate of respect--teacher to student, student to student and student to teacher.

* A group lesson offers optimum learning potential, enjoyment and excitement, as well as a chance to develop lasting friendships.

* A group lesson has many forms and faces: It can meet weekly, or less often, in combination with private or partner lessons or can stand alone as an effective learning situation.

* A group lesson is equally effective with children or adults.

* A group lesson can take place in a studio with one or more pianos, in a piano lab or in a studio with a combination of acoustic pianos and keyboards; equipment can range from chalkboards and flash cards to more sophisticated technology.

* A group lesson is an effective use of a teacher's time and energy.

What is it that Makes a Group Lesson Really Unique?

* Peer interaction and group dynamics are the main ingredients--the "rockbottom" essentials--in successful group situations.

* Peer interaction--"The combined or reciprocal actions of two or more individuals that have an effect on each other and work together"--is present when students are guided to learn from each other by sharing ideas and strategies, and applauding the success of a classmate in the process of a shared goal--learning music.

* Group dynamics can be described as an atmosphere where the excitement of exploring, being creative, performing--and hence, learning--is shared and nurtured by the contributions of all the members of the group and in the presence of supportive peers.

How Do I Get Started with Group Teaching?

* Begin with a resolve to explore this approach to teaching music and be courageous and creative:

* Find a colleague already engaged in group teaching, observe lessons, take notes and ask questions; enroll in a seminar or an appropriate college pedagogy course; or go to such sources as www.grouppianoteacher.com and www.music.sc.edu/ea/Keyboard/PPF or subscribe to a listserv by e-mailing listserv@ouwaxa.cats.ohiou.edu with the message text "subscribe GROUP-PNO-L."