Anybody Can Play PIANO 

INTRODUCTORY MARKETING MATERIALS!

When you speak with a director, leave a form that introduces both you and your program. If you do not speak with the director or talk with the person in charge of curriculum I would suggest that you NOT leave anything except a business card. You do not want decisions being made when you are not present to explain your program in detail.

CREATE THAT BUSINESS CARD
So, number one.....you need to create a business card if you do not already have one. I happen to use the vistaprint website, but there are many others - as well as local companies. My website is not uploading new images for some reason, but if I get it to work I will upload an image of my business card as a sample. I would suggest that your card has piano keys and your business name on the front in some form. All your information - like how to contact you - should be on the back. The front of the card needs to catch people's attention and be obvious that it is about piano lessons.

PROGRAM LISTING
Number two...you need a sheet that lists the type of programs you can do for the pre-school. Since I have had over 40 years experience in this field I would suggest that you use my Anybody Can Play Piano app in some form or other for your program. It really makes the job easier! Those little boys that are in my youtube videos have the app at home. I am in the processing of uploading the 7th lesson. They have actually had 10 lessons. They are understanding theory extremely quickly.

At this point the boys:
1. Having a way to play with correct, color coded fingering - and they are really trying to play correctly;
2. Understanding the keyboard geography, finding the groups of 2 and 3 black keys easily;
3. Recognizing and defining quarter notes.....half notes.....eighth notes......quarter rests;
4."Walking" along shoe prints and "beat boxes" with different types of notes for correct rhythm;
5. Understanding the concept of measures and able to glue the "measure pieces" into the proper place on a song "puzzle";
6. Understanding how the time signature works;
7. Knowing the names of the piano keys and understanding that keys which look the same have the same name so they can play their songs in the same pattern in different places when they are not using the app;
8. Drawing the key names;
9. Drawing quarter, half and eighth notes;
10. Knowing the finger numbers of the right hand;
11. Instantly recognizing what kind of note the arrow pointing to the keys on the TEACH ME part of the app represents and trying to play accordingly....even noticing when a rest occurs;
12. Having started using their left hands to play their songs;
13. Working on correct hand position;
14. Playing muscle memory games by suddenly putting right hand fingers 1, 2 and 3 on C, D and E....trying to "land" perfectly; and
15. Taking turns being the teacher using the note flashcards.

If the director has music experience you can mention that theory can be taught to young students in an interesting way even before they are reading notation. (By the way, these two young boys will be introduced to notation in the next month or so with several "game" activities.)

BACK TO YOUR PROGRAMS....

As I have metioned before there are many different programs you can do with a pre-school. I would list what you can do on your Introduction Form so the director or owner of the school can decide what they want for their school. And remember, you can also offer lessons for the "after schoolers". Again.....the list of types of programs you can offer....

1. PIANO LESSONS ONLY:
Have piano lessons just for the children whose parents pay an extra fee directly to you. In this case you bring in ALL that is necessary for the lessons. If you have chosen to use my app, you expect the parents to make the app available for use at home at the beginning or soon after. (Some schools say they will collect the fee for you, then pay you once a month. If they do this, make sure you know if they are going to take a percentage "for the use of their facility" before they pay you! You may have to make some adjustments to your fee.)

2. PIANO LESSONS ACROSS THE BOARD:
There are a couple options: the school can be in charge of having an app/keyboard available for the children to use on a daily basis as well as printing all the needed activity sheets. If they say they are going to do this, check to make sure each classroom has access during the day. If not, just teach the children in the classroom that has the app/keyboard. As soon as the director sees the progress the children are making, he/she will probably set up an app/keyboard for another classroom.

Also check with the children to make sure they are being given "practice time". In this case it is not necessary for parents to have an app/keyboard at home, but they will tend to do so....again when they see what their child has learned to do.

When you do this type of program, the school will pay you. You will have group activity time with all the kids, then spend a set amount of time (like 5 minutes) with one or two children individually at the keyboard. I would make all the activity sheets for the children, but the school may want to do this...again, make sure they don't say "Oh, I forgot to make those sheets for you..." when you walk through the door. And again, figure out what the financing would be if you make all activity sheets vs. the school making them for the lessons.

3. COMBINATION PROGRAM

You can do group lessons with the entire classroom, then spend a set amount of time with each child whose parent has paid an extra fee to you. Even if you have an "across the board" program, some parents may want you to spend more time with thier child.

On your Intro Sheet for the director, just briefly list the different programs you offer, then explain verbally in more detail. Know what your financial boundaries are for each type of program. For instance, if you do an Across the Board or Combination Program know what you charge the school if they make all the activity sheets, if they do not make the activity sheets, etc.

NEXT:

POSTER
Make a poster that the school can post in all classrooms and foyer about your program that is coming soon. Be sure to have an adorable photo (and make sure you have written permission from the parent to use it). You get these adorable photos by teaching a couple young children privately or working together with a school or "home pre-school" as preparation for your PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS or by just posing a child doing something you would be doing with the children in the school.

NEWSLETTER
If the school allows you to have some space in their monthly Newsletter to parents, make sure to have something for them every month. They can be about lots of different subjects that relate to your piano program. If you feel ambitious you may write a complete newsletter each month for parents.

When I did the program with the Baldwin dealers years ago I composed a monthly Newsletter for parents called Piano Notes (2 sides of a regular sheet of paper folded).

Here is an example of one of the short "articles" in Piano Notes:

"In one of our most recently started markets, the ACP teacher had a normal four-year-old class.
However, one very excited mother called her. Her four-year-old son had not particitpated in any other activities in the pre-school before the piano lessons were begun. Now he not only was doing well with piano, he had joined in all the other activities as well.
This child was a classic "observer". Piano lessons caused the flower to bloom!
Someday I'm going to call these people because I have been told that if one calls and gets a recording, that recording is a four-year-old's rendition of "Busy Buzzy Bumblebee" on the piano!
This is an example of the benefis of piano lessons that is obvious. Other examples are not so apparent. However, do notice differences, even subtle, that piano lessons make and give your child justified praise for the things he/she does."

ENOUGH IDEAS?

I hope I have given you enough ideas about that pre-school market so you feel confident about entering it. After writing these few articles for you I have decided to write a book about teaching piano to pre-schoolers. I have written so many manuals, newsletters, etc. over the years, and created so many activities and games that I decided it was time to put them all in one place.

HAVE A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE!

Have a great time with those young learners! They give you an awesome opportunity to be creative. Just keep thinking....if I were only three, how could someone explain or show this to me? Also remember that all the activity and game sheets shown in the youtube videos are available on my website free of charge...make all you wish!

And....feel free to message me on my Facebook Page:)