Music is for anyone!

"My child loves music, but she has Down Syndrome, do you think you can teach her piano?"

This conversation started as a result of teaching music lessons to a child who had Autism. After hearing of the music success of their friend who had Autism, this new conversation with this parent started. God had little by little prepared me to reach out to anyone who wanted to learn music. I had several students in the past who were labeled with ADD, and ADHD.

I don't look at labels, I look at willingness to learn.

"I have taught kids with other difficulties, so lets try it! We will start off with just a 15 minute lesson, and see how she does."

And so my first piano student with Down Syndrome came into my life. Little did I know how much I was getting into:

• into a lot of happiness,

• seeing a child's eyes light up each week she came for a lesson,

• rejoicing over every small win, every concept grasped,

• rewarding her at her 1st recital in front of her peers,

• laughing at her funny jokes,

• finding creative ways to teach,

• learning patience ( for the teacher, as well as the student ) since concepts were harder to learn.

  
  

  After a while, her younger sibling, also with Down Syndrome, started piano. This second child couldn't sit still as long, so we were constantly up and down with clapping music games, sitting on the floor playing a music flash card game, or using stickers placed on the fingers, to know which finger to play next ( 1, 2, 3, etc.). The above picture was taken when I used colored beads to have the child place in between the "2 black key groups, and 3 black key groups." This seemed to make more sense to their brain when finding which key to play. Also, picking up the small beads, and placing them in between the keys helped with fine motor skills. The heart shaped beads, or the "diamond" ones were always the favorites!

We didn't always follow the music lesson book, sometimes it was necessary to try another piece of music or speak a note rhyme several times that was fun to say.

I would sometimes work with the students on somethings else outside of our normal lesson. So, a few different lessons we rehearsed with them when they wanted to sing their Christmas song for school, we spent time going over the words, while I accompanied on the piano.

We found ways to help with rhythm: when it was hard to remember how fast to play the first several notes of "Silent Night", realizing that the student liked clothes and items that sparkled, I suggested, "Spark-a-ly boots". So the quarter note, 2 eighth notes, and another quarter note were easier to play when the association of words were linked to the notes. AND association of something that was well liked. :)

Within a few years, I had four students that played piano, and violin. They grew in their knowledge, and loved it.

Oh, and they all had Down Syndrome.

--Rebekah