Each Tuesday we bring you a quick Teaching Tactic that you can try in your teaching right away! Today’s idea is to cover your student’s hands while they are sight-reading. There are times when pianists definitely need to look at our hands. But sometimes students get in the habit of looking for every note, which is not necessary. Looking down constantly can hinder fluency while sight-reading. Students need to learn to trust their kinesthetic sense of the piano, so sight-reading is a good time to try this! I usually just grab a spare piano book and hold it up over their hands. Students are often impressed by how much they can play without looking at their hands. Blocking their view also disrupts the habit of constantly looking down, something that is usually subconscious. Try it with your students this week and see how it goes!
Author: Spring
Spring Seals, NCTM, teaches 60 piano students ranging from age 3 to 70 in Fort Worth, Texas. She also serves as the Director of Certification for TMTA. She is passionate about helping teachers become more effective in their studios through professional development, new resources, and fresh ideas.