“For all of us that were all about playing and performing, we realized, ‘What good does it do if you don’t pass it on?’”
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Eden Eesters Brown, adjunct professor of music, graduated from Elon in 2007 and now leads several classes in piano pedagogy. She was fundamental in creating the language and curriculum for the minor, alongside Fischer.
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Piano Pedagogy is the art and discipline of piano teaching. The minor requires a series of classes that cover everything from how to correctly teach music from different time periods to how to set up your own studio.
The minor is open to non-music majors with a background in piano and at or above an intermediate skill level. Just like education majors, piano pedagogy minors are required to take methods courses. Piano Pedagogy I and II prepare students to teach beginners and early elementary students, and intermediate and adult students, respectively. During the piano pedagogy practicum, the tradition of Elon piano lessons marries with the class material and objectives. Students will work individually as a piano teacher to the same student(s) throughout the duration of the semester. |
The final capstone, which the cohort will take in the spring, is centered around building a portfolio and best preparing each student to teach professionally. The portfolio will eventually include lesson plans, resumes, and videotaped teaching demonstrations to show that they have reached the "gold standard" for piano teaching.
"We can't make them apply, but they'll be ready to do it," said Fischer of the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) certification. The certification allows teachers to charge competitive prices and tells those looking for a teacher that they are the real deal. |
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The student teachersSenior Lindsay Hopkins and juniors Jasmine Smith, Erin Armstrong and Sarah Leonard make up the first cohort set to finish the minor this spring.
Leonard is a music performance major and plans on going to graduate school, maybe for piano pedagogy. Hopkins joined the program because she wanted to incorporate music into her life while she pursued elementary education. Armstrong was interested in continuing her own lessons and heard about the program when emailing with Fischer. While she wants to go to optometry school, she’ll be set to teach piano along the way. |
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Their studentsThe piano pedagogy program caters to the children of Elon's faculty and staff.
“If you look around there are so many faculty members whose children, many of them grown—some graduated from college, that were part of our program,” said Fischer. “It’s been a real part of the Elon community for a long time.” |
The program gives young students the opportunity to perform their pieces in a safe space. The end of the semester recital is affectionately dubbed, “Piano Party,” and also features the student teachers themselves.
“Piano Party” serves a dual purpose in also preparing the students for federation. Federation is an opportunity to hear feedback from teachers outside of Elon, and many students give their federation pieces a run-through at the recital. “It's a very low stress, non-competitive way to give them their first opportunity to compete against themselves,” Hopkins said. |
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“I would not want them to say on my tombstone, ‘Boy she knew a lot but she never told anybody.’ When you have the privilege of great education and great mentors I think that’s the responsibility. Pass it on.”
Dr. Victoria Fischer Faw
Do you play piano at an intermediate level?
“Our arms are open here.” Eden Eesters Brown |
Are you a member of faculty or staff thinking of getting your child involved?
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Are you a member of faculty or staff looking to take lessons?
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Doesn’t sound like you meet the qualifications?
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