Course Content - The Teaching LTCL

The following will be covered during the course. However, in addition we strongly recommend all students to take piano lessons from a teacher who is experienced in preparing students for Diplomas in performance. All PTC Tutors can offer such lessons, as required.

UNIT 1 | Written Submissions

a. Statement of personal teaching philosophy (500 words)
Write a reflective piece on your own personal teaching philosophy, against which you measure both your own achievement and that of your pupils. You should provide a rationale for your philosophy and reference any external influences that have impacted on it.

b. Case studies of teaching experience (5,000 words)
Provide written evidence of your own teaching practice. The case studies should cover three pupils or groups of pupils, at different stages of learning, that you have taught for at least three months before starting the case study. Total contact time should be not less than 20 hours.

c. Peer observation (1,500 words)
Observe another piano teacher at work and have that teacher observe you.

d. Original teaching resources (1,000 words)
You will design three original teaching resources, one for each of the case study pupils, or groups of pupils. For example, a practical exercise or game. Each resource will be accompanied by a short description indicating your rationale for developing it, its purpose, appropriate activities for using it and any suggestions for further development.

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Assessment objectives for Unit 1
By the end of the course, you should be able to satisfy the following assessment objectives:

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• A professional knowledge and understanding of a substantial range of effective teaching strategies which you can draw upon when handling complex and unpredictable situations

• Considerable personal research in the field, responding to issues arising from substantial experience and proposing original solutions that reflect a developing personal philosophy

• The ability to critically reflect on your own practice and that of others

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UNIT 2 | Practical Exam

a. Demonstration lesson (30 minutes)
You will give a 30 minute lesson with your own pupil (at least Grade 3 level). This will be supported by a lesson plan with clear statements of the desired outcomes. The lesson must be balanced and should typically show attention to the following areas: posture and body use, technique, musicianship, encouragement of pupils’ own self-evaluation skills, expression and imaginative engagement, etc.

b. Initiative test of teaching skills (10 minutes)
The examiner will give you one or more pieces of repertoire drawn from the current Trinity piano syllabus, drawn from different grade levels from the case study pupils. You have up to 1 minute to look through it, during which you may play sections if you wish, noting any areas of technical or musical interest. You will be asked to describe these to the examiner, and then you will proceed to outline a series of activities that you might use to work on these elements in the context of a lesson.

c. Viva voce (20 minutes)
The examiner will initiate a discussion with you focusing first upon issues arising from the demonstration lesson and the initiative test, inviting you to elaborate further on some issues and encouraging you to reflect upon ways in which you might approach things differently in different contexts. The discussion will include the materials submitted for Unit 1 and then broaden out to issues of piano teaching in general.

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Assessment objectives for Unit 2
By the end of the course you should be able to satisfy the following assessment objectives:

• Knowledge and understanding of musical concepts and piano techniques suitable for individual or small groups from beginners to advanced level

• Knowledge and understanding of effective teaching techniques, repertoire and activities applicable to a wide range of contexts

• Awareness of the teacher/pupil relationship, drawing on a high level of judgement in critical situations

• The ability to communicate and present ideas clearly, adapting materials and modes of delivery to suit individual learning needs and adapting quickly to the dynamic learning environment

• A thorough understanding of relevant legislation, professional values and own career development opportunities