Cello

[Worriedmum42]

Hi
My dd has been having weekly cello lessons at school for just over a year (start of Y3). She also plays in a beginners string group on a Saturday morning. I am a bit concerned about the lessons at school as the teacher is writing the letter name and position above each note and I think it is making my dd lazy with regard to reading the notes as when I ask her at home she can read the notes without them being written etc.

I have no idea where she should be after playing for this amount of time and I am wondering if I should get her some private lessons to get some better feedback.
Any ideas/experience? Thanks

Cello teacher here, your dd should be reading music certainly without names/numbers after a year. Why don't you pop a note into her diary to the instructor and say you're trying to encourage your dd to read without prompts and would she mind not putting them in to see how it goes.
That would drive me insane having to write in the notes although I will put in wee reminders if there are new notes or position changes. Is she in a group or individual lesson? Can you go over some of the earlier pieces in her book after you've rubbed out the letters and see where the stumbling blocks are? What book are you using?

Hi, many thanks for the reply. 3 children in the lesson and they are using cello time joggers. I will do that with earlier pieces but most of them she seems to play without even looking at the music. I keep explaining to her how important it is to be able to pick up any piece of music and be able to play rather than the quick easy fix of having it written down.

I have no idea about playing the cello so feel out of my depth and really not sure what we should expect and where she should be /appropriate progress etc.
Thanks again

I would say that in 6 months time the latest your dd should aim for grade 1 exam. But it does not often happen with school lessons....

My pupils use abracadabra cello, it's good for notes and rhythms as well as bowing technique etc. It also comes with a cd so they learn without knowing it! Why don't you get that to supplement what she's doing in lessons? Also get cello time scales or the grade 1-5 cello scale book to help with key centres and basic extensions. Good luck!

cello mom here - you could also add a sight reading book in - there are the grade ones or you could choose one of the the non grade ones for cello that aim to build up the skill from the very beginning (try amazon as they have a variety); your dd might show she is picking up more than it seems and it would certainly build her confidence quite quickly i think.

Thanks, have just ordered a couple of books as suggested.

MY DS was still writing in notes at G8 ... they often know where the note is on the fingerboard but don't know the name. High notes that is ...