any ideas about music lessons?

[silverfrog]

dd1 is very musical.

she sings incredibly well, and can actually carry a tune . she is 5.1, and has been picking up tunes (mostly nursery rhymes, with a good spattering of show tunes for my sanity!)easily for years now.

we are thinking abut starting a more formal music structure for her, but don't know where to even start.

all we can come up with when looking is music therapy, which is not what we are after for dd1.

any ideas for ASD friendly music teachers in Surrey?

i have no idea about music teachers in surrey but is there a sn group you could phone and see if they have any contacts my ds did music therapy for over a yr with fantastic music teacher who also did out side work and this was through sn group

DS3 has music therapy at school, ds1 had music lessons but it didnt workout long term(did for 3 years) as he was simply not going topractice or grasp somequite basic concepts, his wrists aren;'t great either (was violin)

I'd ask atschool, ours has details of musicteacherswho willoften be finewith sn

was it specifically singing you wanted?

i would just start approaching mainstream kids music teachers, you know. after calling a few you will quite easily pick up a vibe as to what they offer, whether they have any experience of sn, and whether you feel it would be right for dd.

sometimes we get a bit hung up on sn, and actually some of the mainstream teachers do a nice sideline in sn that we don't know about!

(dd2 is starting a new ballet class tonight - to my surprise, they have already had a couple of children with cp go through the dance school )

if you are looking specifically for those with sn experience, contact the local special schools and ask who they use. i know a couple of the sn music guys who cover surrey - david jackson (tonewall etc) is one, and there is a company called drumrunners that run sn workshops (paul somebody - can't remember his surname but have it on file somewhere...)

sn dance classes, drama etc running just over the border in aldershot btw no idea where in surrey you are!

thanks all.

dd1 did music groups when she was younger, but groups don't work for her for a variety of reasons (we still do a couple of groups with her, to work on group stuff/turn taking etc, but it isn't right for music as it is too important ot her)

have asked a tschool, and they don't know of anyone

they do music therapy there, and have a lovely lady come in, but tbh, dd1 is beyond that (and of course, the same old group problems surface). they do a lot of work on joining in singing etc, which of course dd1 loves, but it isn't teaching her anyhitng new.

Peachy - I can see that dd1 would have issues with various instruments (and between us, dh & I can rustle up a few!) due to OT issues, which is why I wondered whether anyone knew a definite sn route, iyswim?

I don't want to just carry on as she is, as think she has a talent that should eb developed. I could teach her to pick out tunes on our piano, but it would be one-fingered stuff and don't think it's right to start her off wrong...

the groups in aldershot are v small...

we are looking for someone to start keyboard with dd2 (just 6). we don't live there any more though, so it won't help you, i'm afraid

try calling the west end centre in aldershot - they might know someone, barney and jo are v helpful

thanks, madwoman (how very bizarre that sounds! )

we are not a million miles form aldershot, so wil try giving them a ring and see what they say

in that case, ask them to give you the contact details for ann evans at pag.

(if you haven't got them already, that is )

and when you speak to her, ask to be added to their mailing list.

if you aren't already, that it.

google 'pagforspecialplay' - might be on there, too.

tickets will be on sale for the sn panto in aldershot soon - you don't want to miss that! highlight of the sn calendar at the princes hall

"I could teach her to pick out tunes on our piano, but it would be one-fingered stuff and don't think it's right to start her off wrong... "

Hmmm, couldn't you relax that a little Silver. I spend many a happy hour picking out tunes with DS2. He is going far on this approach at 4 and finds it extremely rewarding. We've been doing it for about five months and he is now using one finger of each and and also trying to use the middle finger as well - thumbs are hopeless still! Not surprising as he only figured out how to isolate the thumbs last Christmas!

Sitting at the piano with the child seems to me the next natural step beyond music groups. If she gets really interested she'll want to go faster and start using more fingers.

You could interview all the local piano teachers but if they come and meet DD1 and their approach seems unlikely to fit with her needs, might that not put her off? Maybe wait until her desire to play piano is more settled?

My Mum is a piano teacher and has taught several children with dyspraxia and one with mild CP. She actually was responsible for dx for that child as it had not been picked up before she started music lessons.
All these kids have had their issues but my Mum just works with them on their strengths - no pressure. She also said it is amazing how many nt children and adults have issues with fine motor co-ordination so is very used to dealing with difficulties.
If your dd is interested and musical it may be worth contacting a few teachers for advice?

I know what you are saying, linglette, and don't get me wrong, we have done a lot of that, but as a self-taught musician who then went on to have lessons I know just how hard it can be to unpick bad habits and re-learn the right way...

picking out tunes can only take oyu so far, and I do think, given the right support, dd1 could go further.

she has not, as such, expressed an interest in any particular instrument - we just happen to have a piano lying about, and playing that is a lot easier than trying to teach her the oboe or bagpipes

this is where dd1's ASD really comes into play. she willnot learn more form me - she is ok with me doing what we have been doing, but she will not let me do any more. she will also not do it herself - preferring to use me as a tool, as always, so it becomes self defeating.

her OT issues mean she is unlikely to just start using more fingers, especially not "correctly" (and please don't think I'm going all anal about proper playing, but honestly undoing those easily learnt bad habits is a real nightmare) which is why I was wondering about sn routes.

that's quite interesting, scottie, about motor co-ordination issues, thanks

tbh, as I said above, I am not sure the piano is the instrument for dd1, it jsut happens to be something we have used so far.

lots of food for thought - we have our ABA cons on standby to help give pointers to any teacher we do find (as in tips on how to engage/teach dd1), it's just a matter of finding someone who is not too daunted by the thought of teaching a severely language-delayed child quite an abstract thing...

I'm fascinated by this. Find a teacher you must!

• perhaps have a look at Suzuki? Suzuki uses the term "training" a lot......and talks about breaking everything down into small steps.... you never know you might strike gold.

• many music therapists will be competent performers themselves.... some may even have considered becoming a music teacher. Worth considering asking in music therapy circles? It could be a really interesting role for a music therapist to do some serious teaching.

I'm sure the right person is out there somewhere.

that's just it, linglette, it really is about finding the right person.

dd1's school as useless as a chocolate teapot. they are very about the idea that dd1 could learn tbh, and think, once again, that we are dleuding ourselves as to dd1's abiliites. their view (and that of many I have come across) is that if it is going ot be that hard to teach her (ie if she doesn't start paying sonatas by ear instinctively ) then why bother and just let her carry on singing things she picks up off the radio etc.

if that were the case, then I would also presumably be better off leaving her reciting books to herself, and staring out of windows as it is hard ot teach her anything...

will look into suzuki, thanks. it rings bells.

I think saintly mentioned something a while ago about music teaching methods (form the States, i think) - will have a dig around and see what I find.

ds1 is very musical, sings in tune, perfect pitch etc. When we discovered the perfect pitch, we found a private teacher for him, an old lady who does piano lessons in her home, bit of a traditionalist. He has been with her now for six months.

When we started, I had to guide his fingers on the keys, and we screamed a lot at each other. But he REALLY WANTED TO DO IT. So we kept going. Now, he plays both hands together and reads music (treble and bass clef).

I can't give you any advice about music teachers in Surrey, but do suggest that you persist and find a sympathetic teacher. It is so rewarding for all concerned. The teacher is so proud of him, ds1 is proud of himself, and he plays "concerts" to anyone who will listen.

I have had several problems finding music teachers for my kids as they often get very excitable etc. We found an excellent teacher for both of them and they love their music lessons, they go to the surrey sound of nusic and would honestly recommend them to anyone. Their website is www.thesurreysoundofmusic.co.uk. hope that helps someone!