Jonathan Carew came straight from basketball practice to a practice room in the Center for the Arts. His teacher, Erin Armstrong, asked him about his day. In a matter of minutes, he turned the conversation from his point guard position to tetrachord scale chants.
Carew is only 11-years-old. Armstrong is a junior biochemistry major. While they may not have many overlapping interests, the one they do share — playing the piano — is well-nurtured. Armstrong is one of four students in the first cohort of piano pedagogy minors.
At the heart of Elon University’s piano pedagogy program is the desire to provide music education in a sequential way that always arranges for the student's success. The pedagogy minor allows its pupils to learn this practically in an arrangement that hones their skillsets and benefits the Elon community of faculty and staff .
Carew is only 11-years-old. Armstrong is a junior biochemistry major. While they may not have many overlapping interests, the one they do share — playing the piano — is well-nurtured. Armstrong is one of four students in the first cohort of piano pedagogy minors.
At the heart of Elon University’s piano pedagogy program is the desire to provide music education in a sequential way that always arranges for the student's success. The pedagogy minor allows its pupils to learn this practically in an arrangement that hones their skillsets and benefits the Elon community of faculty and staff .
LEGATO: Behind the pedagogy program
“long, connected and seamless notes; ideal for conveying musical ideas that are lyrical, emotional and impactful”
Victoria Fischer Faw, professor of music, calls herself an “enthusiastic crusader for piano pedagogy.” She implemented the piano pedagogy program — the foundation of the present-day piano pedagogy minor — during the first two years of her 29 at Elon. Her interest in teaching piano began much earlier on, when her high school teacher passed her a couple of students off her waiting list.
Piano teachers continued to be hugely influential throughout Fischer’s life. While doing her masters at the University of Texas, she walked into a class with pioneering piano pedagog Amanda Vick Lethco. For her, that day changed everything.
Piano teachers continued to be hugely influential throughout Fischer’s life. While doing her masters at the University of Texas, she walked into a class with pioneering piano pedagog Amanda Vick Lethco. For her, that day changed everything.
“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?’”
The goals set for the classes and practicum of the official pedagogy minor aren't essentially different from the previous pedagogy program. Now, however, those interested can take a full sequence of classes, rather than an as an elective or standalone.
“We’re able to take them further into the profession and finally to this place where they are entering the discipline and prepared to complete the certification,” Fischer said. “We’re able to complete this piece of their training instead of just introduce them to it.”
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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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ACCELERANDO: Actualizing the pedagogy minor
“to gradually quicken the tempo; used to inject excitement, drama, and change into a piece of music; a way of making the listener lean in and pay attention”
2018-2019 University Catalog
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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. |
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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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CRESCENDO: Putting theory to practice in piano lessons
“a section of music that gets gradually louder; ideal for building excitement”
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.” |
ENERGICO: Recital and Federation
“to play a piece of music with energy, enthusiasm, and zest”
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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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REPRISE: The pedagogy purpose
“calls to play a part of the piece that’s previously been played again;
reminds the listener of something; ideal for giving a piece of music closure”
Fischer credits Vick Lethco with the philosophy of Elon’s program: To master something at the grasping level, and then add on and add on. The piano pedagogy minor at Elon is a direct result of the benefits of high-caliber and devoted instructors. The chain can be traced from Vick Lethco, to Fischer, to Eesters Brown, to the pedagogy minors, all the way to Carew and the rest of the elementary-school-pianist community.
“It was necessary and important as a part of the link, as a part of the legacy, to help pass it on,” Fischer said. “It's a chain and we're all in it together.”
Great pianists are a testament to great educators. And great educators are more than great pianists.
“It was necessary and important as a part of the link, as a part of the legacy, to help pass it on,” Fischer said. “It's a chain and we're all in it together.”
Great pianists are a testament to great educators. And great educators are more than great pianists.
“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
*Music terminology and definitions found here.