Piano Pedagogy

Today I was trying to teach Matthew, a very bright five-year-old, the left hand note names. I just learned a couple of mnemonics that I like better than "Good Boys Do Fine Always" and "All Cows Eat Grass." And Matthew was my first chance to try them out.

"So, Matthew, the space notes in the left hand are 'ACEG - All Cars Eat Gas.'" I waited to hear the joyful exclamation of how much he loves cars and how he would never forget the left hand space notes because of that great sentence, and wow! did you, Miss Pamela, make that up?!?

Instead I heard, "Cars do not eat gas. Cars need gas."

I surrendered to the cows, but the best was yet to come.

"And the line notes are 'GBDFA - Good Burritos Don't Fall Apart.'" He would approve of this one, right? Maybe this five-year-old doesn't like cars, but surely he likes good burritos!

Ha!

"Good burritos can fall apart . . . if you squeeze them." He squeezed and tore his imaginary burrito.

I knew he had won, and I wasn't sorry. It's great to see my piano students take on challenges and grow musically and pass books and win competitions, but I think that, deep down inside, the real reason I teach is because I love the kids themselves . . . is because good burritos fall apart and cars don't eat gas.