If you've been reading my posts, you know that a big part of my pedagogy involves Body Mapping. Body Mapping is the process of clarifying how the body is structured in order to move in a co-ordinated and healthy fashion.
If you've been reading my posts, you also know that I am a small town piano teacher who works with students like yours. Most of them want to learn to play the piano as a part of their life, not as their whole life's work. They are often busy with other activities and aspects of family life.
For us as piano teachers, that means we are juggling all the aspects of the elements of piano playing in each and every lesson. We are the teachers most likely to be responsible for teaching theory, for example, because it is visible, audible, and tactile on the piano. We are also searching for repertoire that keeps kids interested. And dealing with kids practicing on keyboards that aren't up to our standards. It's a lot.
My hope is to give piano students life skills, and one of those skills is playing comfortably and in harmony with the body's structure. That's why I write this blog, and it's also why I wrote Piano Moves. Piano Moves is a book designed by me for you - and for me. It is a series of lessons that gives you a lot of options for incorporating Body Mapping into your lessons. Every element is a step-by-step lesson including images, explorations, and the basics of anatomical structures and movements. You can choose what works for you and for each student. It's designed as a spiral curriculum, so you can start with Fundamentals and move into In-Depth Mapping at your own pace. We do this all the time with the elements of piano playing.
As I planned this book, I made a glossary a priority. Words that pertain to anatomy are defined in an extensive glossary so you don't have to go hunting for them elsewhere. I also included a detailed Table of Contents and an index to make it easy to access each lesson. There are worksheets that you may copy and distribute to your students to get them thinking about how they perceive key parts of the body. The images are clear, with helpful labels. The writing is engaging. This is book for us - the front line of piano teachers for students of all ages and ability levels.
To order your copy, click on the link below. It will send you to a secure payment page. You can also see more about this book on Piano Moves by AllSense Press on Facebook.
