| I've taught piano to lots of kids of all descriptions, but | | | | can hardly call it a disorder, except for the obvious, but |
| children with disabilities are the greatest beneficiaries of | | | | entirely understandable behavior problems. I'll say it |
| piano by number. The reason for this is that many of | | | | again: these kids are brilliant. They have unbelievable |
| these kids may not be able to read sheet music. Thus | | | | intellectual stamina, concentration and attention span. |
| piano by number is their only chance to enjoy playing | | | | But at a certain point they've had enough of one |
| music on the piano. | | | | particular activity, and are exhausted by their own |
| The result varies, of course, with the particular disability, | | | | strenuous efforts. They seem to have no idea how to |
| and the gravity of the disability is the major factor in | | | | pace themselves, but flame through problems, solving |
| how well the child is able to play piano by number. But | | | | them with alarming ease, and then flop back, |
| that's only from our, the adult, point of view. From the | | | | exhausted. |
| child's point of view, piano by number is easy and fun. | | | | For example, one boy, about 12, was so smart that he |
| It's a refreshing victory for many of these kids who | | | | learned to read sheet music with me in about 15 |
| have trouble with learning. | | | | minutes. Just understood everything I was saying, and |
| But, since each condition limits ability so specifically, we | | | | did it perfectly! How? His brain seemed wired for |
| should discuss the result according to each specific | | | | music! Piano by numbers was so simple for him that at |
| condition. Some of these conditions I have had direct | | | | his first lesson he learned all 12 major chords, a feat |
| experience with; others I refer to using emails and | | | | that takes top level normal kids months! |
| letters of people who have communicated to me the | | | | Kids, any kids, understand numbers readily. That's why I |
| success they've had using piano by number with their | | | | use numbers to get them started. I'd rather have a |
| special kids. | | | | child happily playing by number than quit completely in |
| I want to stress that I'm not a doctor: I'm a piano | | | | frustration due to conventional methods. I'm not against |
| teacher who was asked by parents of certain special | | | | the conventional methods, I just want kids to have the |
| kids, many of them home-schooled, to teach them | | | | chance to start a little more slowly. The benefits are |
| piano. I observed these kids closely, and would in fact | | | | enormous. |
| say that it was my experience with them that led me | | | | ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER |
| to develop the piano by number books. | | | | Most of the ADHD kids I teach are home-schooled, |
| Here's a list of the special kids we discuss here: | | | | and are a lovely bunch of kids. I expected more |
| DOWN'S SYNDROME | | | | distracted kids, but found instead that ADHD kids really |
| TOURETTE'S SYNDROME | | | | wanted to learn, but needed very careful and slow |
| ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER | | | | attention to prosper. For example, I'm always saying |
| DOWN'S SYNDROME | | | | that a teacher should never express disapproval, a |
| The kids I taught were all enthusiastic, but limited in their | | | | saying originally coined for normal kids. But it goes |
| apparent perceptions and attention span. They loved | | | | double for ADHD kids. Keep trying again and again, |
| the fact that they can play simple songs like Twinkle, | | | | and these kids will surprise you. They also have great |
| Twinkle right away, with little or no confusion. Numbers | | | | retention, that is, once you teach these children a |
| are that simple. I usually hammer home an easy song | | | | concept, they have got it down, and they don't forget |
| like Jingle Bells right away, to give them confidence, | | | | it. They are so proud of mastering something that they |
| coming back again and again until they feel | | | | etch it in their brain, one of their trophies! |
| comfortable. All of these kids responded | | | | My impression is that ADHD kids liked the simplicity of |
| enthusiastically to playing simple songs; there was no | | | | numbers, and only really wanted a chance to succeed |
| child who could not play at least a portion of a song | | | | and excel at something. And numbers is that |
| like Jingle Bells, much to their delight. Piano is not just | | | | "something" for a lot of these kids. The most important |
| for Paderewski or Billy Joel! | | | | element for them seemed to be each small victory in |
| They also enjoyed simple rhythm games, and the art | | | | understanding things in their own way; if I had to |
| of guessing whether a chord is happy or sad. | | | | encapsulate my experience, it would be to say, 'Find a |
| Regarding rhythm, I had two boys with Down's who | | | | way to get them to understand it on their own terms, |
| were excellent at rhythm. One of them even played | | | | not yours. |
| drums and various percussion instruments with such | | | | ADHD kids often made the jump to reading sheet |
| deadly accuracy, that I wondered if they could actually | | | | music. Many never really got beyond numbers and |
| be percussionists. They had the most developed | | | | playing chords. But that is more than most normal kids |
| sense of rhythm that I've seen in ANY child, normal or | | | | ever do. |
| special. | | | | The bottom line for me with kids and disabilities, and |
| The Down's kids were also very good at guessing | | | | piano by numbers, is that it is the only piano or music |
| whether a chord is sad or happy, a task that many | | | | method which allows these kids to enter the field of |
| normal kids have far more trouble with. My theory for | | | | play on an even level, and play music that is simple but |
| this, and I'm not a doctor, is that Down's kids are very | | | | satisfying. Normal methods are impossibly difficult, |
| open to the emotion that is so forthright in any chord. | | | | physically and mentally. Piano is for everyone, |
| They seem able to easily identify the chord's emotional | | | | absolutely everyone. |
| qualities and in doing so seem in touch, for a moment, | | | | Aside from the musical benefits, piano by number is a |
| with their own constantly shifting feelings. | | | | fabulous number game for kids of all ages and |
| For Down's kids, piano by number is a natural activity. | | | | descriptions. Many is the child that learns or solidifies |
| They want so much to learn things, but are so easily | | | | the relationships between numbers from a piano |
| defeated by failure. That's why piano by number is so | | | | keyboard: 3 is lower than 4, 2 is higher than 1. |
| good for them. They win at an activity right away, and | | | | The piano demonstrates these simple mathematical |
| somewhere inside they are proud of themselves. | | | | facts to kids of all descriptions better than any device I |
| TOURETTE'S SYNDROME | | | | know. |
| In my experience, Tourette's kids are so brilliant that I | | | | |