Case Study Jessica #3

Let there be laughter! I’m no miracle worker, but something dramatic has happened over the course of the last three lessons. Jessica has gone from being a cynical, resistant, stubborn student to one who is eager to learn and full of life during her lessons.

She has noticed that I have taken a special interest in her by having her fill out all sorts of questionnaires on her personality and by video taping her lessons. In this way, I can understand that she feels special and unique (This would lend itself to an “Idealist” temperament, according to Keith Golay).

Today, Jessica came in saying she practiced Medieval Sand Castle, and almost had it memorized! Wow! What a dramatic change from three weeks ago! She put herself to the test as well because she forgot her music. It was still left out on her piano at home. After playing through it one time, she noted the areas where more attention to memorization was needed. She was genuinely disappointed that she forgot her music because she had also made up a dance to it. I handed her my cell phone and she called her mother to bring the book toward the end of the lesson. She said, “let’s come back to it.”

Next, I had her think about the time signature and rhythm for her “Clowns” piece. We talked about the strong beats being on 1 and 2. I had her stand up and toss a ball back and forth with me to the rhythm of the song. We caught &/or threw the ball on the strong beats. She noticed that the ball was in the air for the sixteenth note pattern and she could sense the strong beats more clearly after this exercise. Jessica’s touch has been quite heavy, so in an effort to get her to think about a light touch, we talked about Clowns at the circus, and what they might be like if they were to juggle balls to entertain people. I mentioned that Clowns could never juggle bowling balls, but they would juggle light, airy balls. With that image in her mind, I asked her to produce a quick and light sound. I turned the metronome on and asked her to think about the metronome click as the ball being thrown back and forth on the strong beats. Next, we worked on a few fingering issues, and I helped her think about how her wrist movement would aid her weakest fingers in moving swiftly across the keys.

The New Song: She came in with the first half of “Snoopy” well rehearsed. It was not perfect by any means, but her performance showed me that she had spent time practicing!! That is the first order of business these days…giving her repertoire that she will actually practice! After hearing her play it, I mentioned that I was thrilled with her work. I also said I would like to hear more of a steady beat throughout the piece. I played it for her so she would understand how the grace notes sound. I also told her to listen to the CD that came with the book. She left it at home, so I told her to bring it next week. Upon my request, she willingly began counting and tapping her foot. The strategy for putting hands together included playing each phrase three times (Right Hand, Left Hand, Hands together) or until she mastered it. She understood the practice tip and demonstrated it for me. She chose a metronome tempo and tried it before we moved to the next piece.

She played through her E flat Major Scale. She still had not practiced to the point of grasping the scale. I had her incorporate her foot tapping and helped her with her fingering. I also reassigned arpeggios and chords on E flat, and asked her to be ready to ace them next week.

She played her Arabesque with strength. She is to have it memorized hands alone for next week’s lesson. We worked on dynamics and two places that needed fingering attention.

Her mother brought in the book with Medieval Sand Castle. She opened it up and began to play it beautifully. Then I sat down and played it for her while she danced. I couldn’t see her dance movements, but I could tell she was moving freely across the hard wood floor.

She left the studio in a cheerful spirit and actually said “thanks, good bye.” She usually walks out with her mother and doesn’t say a word.

Productive lesson, indeed!

'Sensory' strategies: Throwing a ball, tapping her foot/heel, dancing.

'Feeling' Strategies: Encouragement. Her playing wasn’t great on the new piece, but her effort was brilliant!

'Idealist' strategies: I let her know her uniqueness is recognized. She knows I am taking a special interest in her because her lessons are being video taped and I am having her fill out questionnaires about her personality.