The Brain Prefers Flowing Water Around Rocks

The brain objects to effort and usually prefers to not work hard in most instances of learning piano, or something else new. Like water flows around rocks to avoid confrontation in dealing with something hard, the mind may wonder, “Isn’t there an easier way to do this? This is tiring – I’d rather do something else…” – add a complaining, whiny voice of your choosing!

Effort

Learning piano takes effort when the student does not expect and experience success, rather immediately. If the attitude is “I understand this…I can do this…I can be successful doing this” – then the learning task is considered “easy” and requires no or little/but manageable effort. What the student experiences is more like fun, rewarding, and will likely produce interest to continue. The task is a self-rewarding and positive experience. The brain objects to effort and usually prefers to not work hard in most instances of learning anything new because it is work!

I found this in an article recently which

basically states the same:

Effort usually refers to whether a student tries hard, asks for help, and/or participates in class. Studies of student effort suggest that the more difficult a task appears–in the sense of the task’s difficulty and the likelihood that the student can complete it successfully–the less likely it is that the student will be motivated to take the task on. On the other hand, studies of student effort also suggest that effort is associated with the possibility of doing well on a task. Thus, students might be expected to figure out what they need to study, study it, and be successful–if they have the ability to do the assigned task, confidence in this ability, and no anxiety about the task.

Read more: Effort and Interest – Effort, Interest, Effort and Interest – Student, Students, Subject, and Learning – StateUniversity.comhttps://education.stateuniversity.com/pages/1946/Effort-Interest.html#ixzz7PsgnVKZy

So True . . .

While learning piano, when the learning task is considered easy because it is immediately understood and requires little effort, the student experience will likely be felt as fun, personally rewarding, and more apt to produce interest to continue.

Take a look at this early page in Book 1 of the Revolutionary Piano Method. It’s for young students aged 4 and 5 but the early pages of the book for older students uses the same thinking process at a faster pace for learning piano.

This selection is just the illustrations; the written directions are not included, but see that they’re really not needed!

You hardly need any directions to quickly see how the right hand READS the staff and PLAYS these two keys.

Once the four spaces are learned, the student is shown how to use the space keys and notes to find the line keys and notes. One parent who reviewed this method for her children to start learning piano found this immediate connection between written note and piano key to be “huge” and logical!

Following the guidelines of Instructional Design, the Revolutionary Piano Method series was developed to introduce piano concepts and tasks in a logical sequence of small and manageable steps of progression for the student. The Instructional Design process really makes a difference in how a student thinks and performs when learning piano!

What Would the First Lesson for a Young Student Look Like?

What Would the First Lesson for a 6 to Teen Look Like (video)?

View sample pages of all the books for students
ages 6 to teen:

View sample pages of all the books for students
4 to 5 years old:

View sample pages of all the books for older
teens and adults:

View the books on Amazon:

Buy on Amazon

Buy on Amazon

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Buy on Amazon

Leslie Young is the author/composer of the Revolutionary Piano Method. She co-founded a K-12th grade charter school in Texas and has been a piano teacher for about 40 years. She has had experience teaching a variety of students tackling piano for the first time or as returning students.

Leslie believes that “learning to play the piano is more about diligence and perseverance” – but would add that just as critical to success is the method that is used, the encouragement of critical thinking, and the instructional principles that promote immediate success.

She states: “In teaching piano to students of varying ages, what also varies is a commitment of time and the amount of dedication. Children of certain ages may do very well with a parent as teacher; others may need someone who is not family to instruct them. Some older children and adults prefer to make progress on their own, and this method is designed to act as a meticulous guide through new material. Some adults and teens insist on professional teachers, which also encourages continuity. Because these books are self-explanatory, a new or experienced professional teacher will have no trouble using the Revolutionary Piano Method with students. It is an easy way to learn piano.”