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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Prep School whole class violin - great idea?

54 replies

thedolly · 23/02/2009 18:35

DD is in the first year of Prep School. Since the beginning of the year the whole class have been learning to play the violin as beginners. I'm sure this is a great idea for the majority of pupils but not DD. She has had private violin lessons for a year and a half now and is expected to 'learn' violin with the novices. She is understandably bored. Please could someone give me some advice on what I could do? I have already spoken to the teachers involved at the beginning and end of last term and nothing has changed.

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missmem · 23/02/2009 19:32

She'll just have to put up with it unfortunately if they won't let her sit out. Think of gifted children who sit through their entire school day bored in every subject!

Smithagain · 23/02/2009 19:38

Do the teachers agree that she is way ahead of the rest of the class? If the lessons are well delivered, I would have thought they could still be fun, even if she has already started learning. Certainly, I used to have both group and individual violin lessons in primary school, and still enjoyed the group ones even though I was ahead of the others. You can do things in a group that you can't do alone.

But if she's streets ahead - and genuinely bored out of her brain - I think it would be reasonable to ask them again how they are going to make things interesting for her.

MollieO · 23/02/2009 19:41

If they do the same further up the school can't she do her lessons with the older children? Whole class lessons sounds odd unless it is a very small class!

LIZS · 23/02/2009 19:43

Ours do this but change instrument each term. It is only one lesson a week, at which she will shine. I doubt they'll vary it for a handful of pupils, whatever they choose someone may already play individually, but is it such a big deal really ?

Original poster

thedolly · 23/02/2009 19:51

missmem - putting up with it doesn't seem like a solution to me! Aren't gifted children supposed to be on on some sort of special register that allows their needs to be addressed?

Smithagain - she is way ahead purely because she has had individual private lessons for 1.5 years.

MollieO - The older children wouldn't be having music at the same time. There are about 10 in the class, so quite small.

It's only 20 minute slot but I'm sure there is something else she could be doing, I just don't know what? Any ideas?

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Original poster

thedolly · 23/02/2009 19:56

LIZS - the shine of 'shining' has worn off now! They will continue for the rest of the school year so if you add it up it's quite a bit of time in which it would be nice for her to have learned something, don't you think?

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ellingwoman · 23/02/2009 19:58

Blimey - whole class violin! Glad I'm not the TA in THAT class

missmem · 23/02/2009 20:03

Gifted children don't get their needs addressed, or at least very few do. Personally I think these instrumental lessons are silly as there will be some musically talented children who progress faster and they too will be left bored. Have you asked if they'll stick them in ability groups after a term or so as this may alleviate some of the boredom?

ZZZen · 23/02/2009 20:04

If there is a room she could go to, it might be nice just to get her daily violin practice done in that time, unless you are very involved in supervising/monitoring that practice at home.

scrooged · 23/02/2009 20:11

Ds had 'piano' lessons at his school. I wouldn't mind but he's been playing for three years so doesn't really need to know how many keys are on a piano.

He's also highly gifted, he's repeated year 5 twice as he skipped a year last year and has now been put in his own age group so be thankful that she's not spending all lesson repeating what she already knows. Bored children are a PITA, as his teacher now knows.

Hulababy · 23/02/2009 20:12

But is your DD actually gifted in music? I know you say she is ahead of the class as she has had lessons - but is she actually musically gifted? If not then she won't be G&T.

Can the music teacher not differentiate a little in lessons? Could your DD not play some of the accompaniment music alongside the children learing the basics.

TBH this thing has always been the case. Many schools do recorder or keyboard. Lots of children have had lessons privately and can play in excess of what is done in the 20/30 minute music lesson.

Will they try another instrument later on? Or is it violin for good?

Hulababy · 23/02/2009 20:13

I doubt they will do ability groups simply because of staffing and supervision.

Original poster

thedolly · 23/02/2009 20:13

ZZZen - that was one of my suggestions to the Director of Music. He said to leave it with him and so far nothing has changed. That was at the beginning of this term.

missmem - I agree that they are silly in a sense as no real progress will be made. They are more like taster lessons that give a flavor of what it is like to learn a particular instrument.

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Hulababy · 23/02/2009 20:18

"They are more like taster lessons that give a flavor of what it is like to learn a particular instrument. "

That is exactly their purpose I would think. The idea is to gve all children a chance to try out different musical instruments and to have a go. It sounds like a lovly fun idea and better than the music lessons I had at school.

ZZZen · 23/02/2009 20:19

worth speaking to the Director of Music again?

Original poster

thedolly · 23/02/2009 20:20

Hulababy - DD is very good at the violin although as at an Independent School, no G&T. She also plays piano at Grade 2 (she is 7). Maybe I should have posted on the AIBU thread .

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Hulababy · 23/02/2009 20:21

Is violin for a whole year?

scrooged · 23/02/2009 20:24

They should be able to differenciate (sp?) this for her, it shouldn't be too hard for them.

Original poster

thedolly · 23/02/2009 20:25

Hulababy - it's not much fun if you are already quite proficient. It's like going into a non swimmers group when you can swim lengths in three different strokes (whilst singing the National Anthem, rubbing your tummy and patting your head )

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Hulababy · 23/02/2009 20:31

That happens in many school swimming lessons too TBH!

I can't see why the teacher can't differentiate a bit for your DD.

Speak to the teacher again. Explain that your DD is bored in the lesson and if there is anything they can do. Don't just accept a "we will see" type answer - ask for a specific solution.

scrooged · 23/02/2009 20:32

lol! Ds has had 6 years of full schooling like this! One lesson a week would be heaven for him.

Original poster

thedolly · 23/02/2009 20:32

Hulababy - yes

scrooged - That's what I thought, but actually the more I think about it, how do you differentiate violin? Is it possible?

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Hulababy · 23/02/2009 20:34

Yes, it is possible to differentiate almost any subject and lesson.

As suggested before she could be playing some more challenging music to accompny the children who are learning the basic songs.

She could be encouraged to write her own music and play that, based aroud some similar theme from the lesson.

She could be asked to extend the music that is being played in some way.

scrooged · 23/02/2009 20:35

Yes, they can just give her something else to play or maybe another instrument, a Viola/cello??Drum kit?

It does sound like taster lessons so they can get their parents to pay for lessons.

Original poster

thedolly · 23/02/2009 20:36

for all those with DC's who are not being properly catered for educationally.

Hulababy - I like the idea of asking for a specific solution but isn't it a bit cheeky?

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