If you were this boys parent what would you want me to do?

[bobbybob]

I teach lots of children music. They all have different ways of approaching things, and I am very flexible.

I have one 10 year old boy who is totally different and I want some advice on what to do next.

My enrollment form asks about health problems/learning disabilities - Mother written "None".
He has no concentration AT ALL
He guesses the answer to everything - even if you ask the same question twice (so you know he knows the answer)
He will write bits of music the wrong way around week after week (more like it's right to him that way - than that he simply wasn't listening)
He has real issues with questions such as "which is the high note?" when looking at them on the music.
He frequently sounds awful because he just plonks his hands anywhere on the keyboard and then starts.
He has made absolutely no progress in a whole term.
His note book from his old teacher shows it took him 6 weeks to learn a piece that should really take 2 (which suggests she went through the piece note by note with him rather than him "learning" it himself.

So it you were the parents, would you want me to

1. "Invite" you to a lesson more forcibly(they are always welcome but choose to stay in the car). Coming to a lesson may not help because they will have no idea what a more typical lesson would be like.

2. Call and ask if he has any learning issues at school.

3. Something else I haven't thought of.

I'm sorry this is so long, but I wanted to give detail to show that it isn't a personality clash or anything. He is sunny and warm and always looks pleased to see me.

hi there
another school teacher here....musical in my childhood but one who got to grade 3 on severasl instruments then gave up.....

an idea off the top of my head... would it help if you recirded the music he is learning for him to listen to and maybe play along to? this used to help me a lot as a child....i am a rbbish visual learner, but much better with auditory and kinaesthetic (doing) strategies for learning

over the years i have found strategies to help myself (eg putting notes for exams on tape etc) but it might just be that the writing/notation on the page is hard for him to digest

will just google for you to see if i can find literture for teaching kids music in schools with different learning styles

my waffle may be of no use at all ....

wow that was easy....
here you go

a bit advanced for your pupil but ma y give some ideas

more

Thanks for those interesting links Popsycal. There are a range of books where a CD of all the pieces are included and it could be that a move onto this would be helpful. His book at the moment (which he came to me with - I would not have chosen it for him) needs a child with a lot of gumption (or a musical parent)to work things out before starting each piece.