My students seem to get confused with the Twinkle Twinkle in book A. How do you approach this one?

To tell you the truth, I usually skip it. I really haven't figured out how to get the kids to practice this effectively at home...especially if the parents have no idea what to do.

The way I teach this is that I buy little colored post-it tapes. I put the color on each key that corresponds to the colors in the book. The stick and come off easily. This way, they match the colors. I also leave them on the keyboard until they learn the song.

Good to hear this Niftynote! I skip it too, but was feeling badly for doing so. It seemed to cause "this is too hard" syndrome so early in the book!

I like the idea of colored post-it tapes, but how to do they do when they get home to a blank piano?

Practice putting the sticky's on the piano. I only use a red sticky's for twinkle/c and a green sticky for the second twinkle/G. Then I put the sticky's on the picture of the keyboard and talk about where they are in the black keys.

The rest of the notes/colors either go up one key or down. I already call them steps.

When we practice putting the sticky's on - we start on many different C's. It's a great way to keep looking at the patterns of the keys.

Think of this as "just for fun" for those who can master it, giving them an instant popular piece to play. It needs to be approached more as a game than something to be taught seriously or you will get kids who shut down.

Teach by rote at first, starting with a piggyback on the teacher's 3-1 doughnut.

I use sparkly craft balls from Target, one for each key. Last week I did it and we sang and pointed the colors before going to the keys. Some get the connection instantly, some don't. The ones who get it have fun and receive reinforcement that symbols = action. The ones who don't will catch up later so move on if they don't as there's plenty more fun coming later.

Sorry...I forget that I'm probably one of the few teachers here who go to the student's homes to teach. For me, it's easy just to put the stickers on the keys of their piano. However, you can do what the others have suggested and it should work just as well.

How long usually students of yours stay in Book A? About 2 months? 6 months?
How long usually students of yours finish Book A to C and move to Piano Adventure Series?
I am curious
Thanks

After edit:
I am considering to use MFPA for my new 4-6 years old student, and I had an interview yesterday. Parents ask me how long it takes a normal students to finish Book A, B, and C, and I do not know how to answer because I never taught in MFPA....
Please help....

It really depends on the student, and the age group.

4-5 year-olds - I would say 6-8 months. Use discretion with the Writing Book; do activities in the unit first, then review and do coloring/writing. Take your time, play the CD with the lessons, do lots of repeats and reviews. Kids this age are unsure on letters, Right/Left, Up/Down, etc. Make sure they know and remember the concepts before moving on.

6-7 yrs. - They can go faster, again depending on student and grade level. I have one 6-yr. old who is racing through MFPA A and is getting ready for Level B (her mom plays and went to Julliard). Others this age seem to take about 4-6 months to get through Level A. Levels B and C have more songs, so those might take longer...

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4-5 year-olds - I would say 6-8 months. Use discretion with the Writing Book; do activities in the unit first, then review and do coloring/writing. Take your time, play the CD with the lessons, do lots of repeats and reviews. Kids this age are unsure on letters, Right/Left, Up/Down, etc. Make sure they know and remember the concepts before moving on.

Hi bnich, do you mean that for 4-5 years old, it is going to be 6-8 months completing Book A itself, or Book A to C in 6-8 months?