Off Topic Teaching: How young is too young?

[DrKev]

Dear Abby,

I got an email today from somebody who wants me to teach guitar to her two kids, aged 5 and 7. I'm a little uncomfortable with the idea, for no other reason than it just seems too darned young. Can 7 y.o. hands even stretch across a half scale guitar? What are your teaching experiences with young kids?

Kev.

 

[GWDavis28]

Kev, my daughter just started playing violin, she's 8 and I have to say, that I thought the same thing, but it couldn't be farther from the truth. I think the younger they are the better off they are, they don't have any bad habits. Now I will say this, she hates to practice, so we have her practice for like 15 minutes a day, shorter time frame and more accepting for the age group.

In your case, the 5 year old might be tough, the 7 year old should be ok, the child is older, already in school and understands that homework/practicing is a part of life. You need to have the parents back you up and they have to be involved 100%.

Just my thoughts, Glenn |B)

 

[leftyguitarblue]

I tried giving lessons to an 8 year old and she was into for about 15 minutes each week and then distractions, mainly wanting to play with her barbie's kicked in. But for that 15 minutes it was good. It's up to the parents to maintain her practice time during the rest of the week and these particular parents didn't get her to practice at all, so it didn't last too long.

 

[Jack FFR1846]

It depends on the kid. My younger son started piano when he was 6 (convinced by the lesson place that piano was better at first than guitar) and then at 7 started guitar. I bought him a very good 3/4 acoustic guitar. He is at 2 years playing right now. They are best in group lessons and not pushed. He practices about 3 days a week for 15 minutes at a time. Even at that, as stuff got harder, he wanted to quit recently. He's started again and is happy with it now in private lessons concentrating on learning songs he likes. I'm also teaching him blues scales on the side. Oh.....and he would only go back if I started taking lessons with him.....which I am gladly doing.

Don't expect a kid that young to get very serious about it and try to be sure to add stuff in that he can really get into. My son only had 2 strings (b, e) for note playing and I had him playing the Back in Black riff.

 

[robelinda2]

Personally I dont like teaching kids under 7. Its just too hard for teacher and student. I always find it good to maybe teach the parents a bit of basic guitar so they can casually show ti to their kids until the kids are old enough to get the benefit from formal lessons.

 

[GWDavis28]

Personally I dont like teaching kids under 7. Its just too hard for teacher and student. I always find it good to maybe teach the parents a bit of basic guitar so they can casually show ti to their kids until the kids are old enough to get the benefit from formal lessons.

That's smart Rob.

Glenn |B)

 

[the24thfret]

I taught a two 8 and 9 yr old girls for some time last year and they differed considerably in their maturity. It was a total personality thing, not an age thing. With the experience though, I doubt I would really try to teach much younger. I can not imagine considering as young as 5 unless they were Mozart or something.

 

[fbecir]

Hello Kev

My daughter started guitar in the conservatory when she was 5 and half years old. My son started percussion when he was 6.
My daughter had a 1/8 guitar ... very small for me.
If the kids are motivated and patient, it works OK.

 

[D.K.]

I started with 8 on a full sized classic guitar - and it was absolutely right this way. Had students who were 7 and 8 and they handled the electric prety fine...

 

[DrKev]

I always find it good to maybe teach the parents a bit of basic guitar so they can casually show ti to their kids until the kids are old enough to get the benefit from formal lessons.

Excellent business move!

Anyway, thanks all for your comments. I was particularly waiting for Rob's response (though he's the only knucklehead who I know teaches regularly). But you've all helped me make my mind up. In fact, what you've all managed to do is clarify why I thought it wasn't something I wanted to do. I kinda new it but now I know how to say it!

You guys rock!

Kev.

 

[JP7Nomad]

I feel like the most important thing for kids is to have the parents involved. If the parent isn't reinforcing the idea of practice, they simply won't do it.

 

[tommyindelaware]

if it's the parent w/ all the drive and not the kid.......ya got a problem . if the kid is truely self driven to do it.....then have at it !!!!!!
(imho of course)

 

[JP7Nomad]

if it's the parent w/ all the drive and not the kid.......ya got a problem . if the kid is truely self driven to do it.....then have at it !!!!!!
(imho of course)

While I completely agree with you, I feel like kids at that age need a reminder every now and then.

 

[azazael]

It depends how motivated and eager the kid is.
I used to teach a 9 year old and sure he was picking it up very well but if something was too much work or practice he wouldnt bother.
His parents also had him enrolled in about 5 other activities.
Time he gets those out the way, homework, friends...

I found it a waste of my time.
He was more interested in the SCI-FI in my DVD collection at times.

 

[Jimmyb]

Personally I dont like teaching kids under 7. Its just too hard for teacher and student. I always find it good to maybe teach the parents a bit of basic guitar so they can casually show ti to their kids until the kids are old enough to get the benefit from formal lessons.

I think it's really important for the parents to be into playing the guitar. I bought my little one a uke last Christmas (which was pushing it a bit, as she was one at the time!!) but now, when she sees me playing, she grabs hers and joins in.

Sounds better than me as well....

Children tend to mimic their parents at early ages, so it's a sort of positive re-enforcement thing. Don't try and force them into it though.

 

[walleye]

i think you just hand them a small size guitar or eukelelei (how do you spell that?) and just watch them mess around with, and give them a bit of guidance here and there, but mainly just let them screw around. then its just a matter of luck whether they find themselves having fun or not, if they dont have fun then theres not much more you can do at that age i think

 

[Slingy]

Make it fun, don't push anything is my strategy for my 4 year old. Her guitar/keyboard/toy drums/microphone/shakers etc is all there for her to play with whenever she wants. The guitar is the least fun of all if you don't know how to do anything on it. Get them involved in music, listening to it, dancing, singing, playing, at this age it's all about teaching them to love music.

 

[DrGonzo5150]

if it's the parent w/ all the drive and not the kid.......ya got a problem . if the kid is truely self driven to do it.....then have at it !!!!!!
(imho of course)

+1

I've had a handful of students 7-10, where they really dug music and guitar it was easy!!! Where they were only half interested, Rob is spot on... Was just painful for all involved.

 

[Paul Warren]

We have taken them as young as 5, but normally 6 and up is when we have more luck with them. Most of my teachers only take 8 and up (where the success rate has been much higher), but we have one teacher who will take the youngest students and has good success with them. I think ages 5 to 7 are possible, but it's just tougher for them to stick with it overall. Around age 8 (for most) they just seem to be able to handle enough to move forward on more aspects of guitar playing and that obviously keeps their interest better.

Whether they are really young or even 12 and older, it's the attention span which is my main concern as to whether or not they are teachable. So many kids seem to have no attention span whatsoever. Honestly, the most difficult kids I've ever taught seem to be ones who are always watching TV and playing video games. The young ones who aren't as consumed with those activities seem to have better concentration and ability to focus on the task at hand. It's a generalization, but definitely noticeable.

 

[Astrofreq]

I have a girl student who is 7 and is GREAT about focusing. I had a 5 year old boy for a very short time because it was just clearly too young.

With kids that young, 30 minutes max for the lesson and only give them one thing to work on. Something easy.