| Do you remember the movie, Groundhog Day? In this | | | | puts a huge limitation on what the teacher can |
| wonderful movie, TV weatherman Phil Connors (Bill | | | | accomplish. It is like insisting that a child only check out |
| Murray) relives the same day - Groundhog Day, over | | | | the same three books from the public library each |
| and over and over again. No matter what he does, he | | | | week. Like using the full library, allowing piano teachers |
| wakes up the next morning and it is once again | | | | to choose the full range of materials appropriate to a |
| Groundhog Day. This continues until he decides to learn | | | | student that are available avoids GDS and helps them |
| and grow. Only after he begins focusing his efforts on | | | | progress much faster. |
| helping others instead of concentrating on himself does | | | | Severe: A parent brings an older child to a new studio |
| he move forward and awaken to a new day. | | | | for lessons because they are not happy with their |
| Groundhog Day Syndrome (or GDS) is the term I use | | | | previous teacher. The parent insists that the new |
| for students who want to continue to play the same | | | | teacher use a specific music book that often isn't |
| song or the same few songs over and over instead | | | | appropriate for the child's skill level. At times, this |
| of moving forward and learning new skills and songs. | | | | happens because the parent really likes this music |
| While all students develop favorite songs that they | | | | book and is learning to play these pieces themselves; |
| love to play, others get stuck. For most students, this is | | | | other times it happens because the child has managed, |
| a temporary thing, and just represents a beautiful song | | | | with great difficulty, to learn one of the songs in the |
| that they have learned from memory. When these | | | | book. The song is impressive and the student played it |
| students sit down at a piano in a friend's house or at | | | | in their last recital, and they want to play it again in this |
| their grandparents, they play their favorite piece to | | | | year's recital. However, the student hasn't mastered |
| impress their friends and relatives. A lot of students, for | | | | more basic techniques and resists learning newer |
| example, learn to play Beethoven's Fur Elise, which is a | | | | material. This GDS can be a huge impediment to |
| wonderful song. They play it over and over, but they | | | | learning, as the child (and parent) can miss key skills |
| are also willing to move forward and play and enjoy | | | | and concepts needed to make true progress. |
| new pieces of music. A student who truly has GDS, | | | | "I would never do anything that stupid!" |
| however, will want to only continue to play their most | | | | Now you're probably thinking, "Well, I wouldn't do |
| favorite piece in the whole world, which they have | | | | anything like that!" Well the truth is, we all get stuck |
| worked very hard to learn to play! They will want to | | | | from time to time. We just can't see it ourselves |
| only keep playing it no matter how much other music is | | | | because GDS comes with myopia. Like the little |
| presented to them. | | | | groundhog tunneling its way through the ground but |
| There are three stages of GDS, which varies from | | | | running into a rock, we can focus so intently on a false |
| mild to severe. | | | | goal that we really don't get anywhere, but instead |
| Mild: A parent brings a music book to their child's piano | | | | only end up getting stuck and having the illusion of |
| teacher that contains the parent's or the child's favorite | | | | accomplishment. Sometimes we can imagine a finish |
| kind of music. They ask the teacher to use this book, | | | | line that really isn't there and end up wasting a lot of |
| which the parent also wants to learn to play. The | | | | time we could have used wisely. This is where piano |
| parent then supports the teacher in their child's lessons | | | | teachers can help, by focusing students on a daily, |
| and encourages their child to let the teacher use their | | | | step-by-step learning process that achieves consistent |
| experience and expertise to guide them on their | | | | long-term learning growth. In this way, children can |
| musical journey. Here the parent is just being human. | | | | make true music progress that will last them a lifetime |
| They are excited about piano and want to share this | | | | and enable them to share their gifts with their children |
| with their child as well as their favorite style of music. | | | | and grandchildren! |
| Most of us have a mild case GDS. Therefore this | | | | It is important for parents to remember that the real |
| stage is actually pretty close to normal. | | | | goal in piano (and life) is to learn something new every |
| Moderate: A parent brings a stack of music books to | | | | day! All you need to do is to help and support your |
| their child's piano teacher and insists that the teacher | | | | child build a strong foundation upon which to grow and |
| use these and only these materials. Sometimes this | | | | move ahead independently. The goal of the piano |
| happens because the parent doesn't want to | | | | teacher is to help children grow into a confident, |
| purchase new books. However, the books often aren't | | | | independent learner. |
| appropriate to the child's skills and abilities. This practice | | | | |
