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Teaching Beginners...


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Posted

I've been teaching at-risk youth for several years through a program I started (www.musicmentorship.org). Most often, we only see a youth for one or two lessons, so we rarely get beyond teaching them a few chords, or catchy riffs from songs they like. The purpose is to give them a positive experience.

 

Now, I have a few private students that are kids of friends of ours. I didn't sell myself as a guitar instructor - they just asked me to start giving their kids lessons, so I agreed. I started off by teaching them open chords, how to read chord charts. We then moved on to strumming patterns. We are now working on the Minor Pentatonic scale, and 12-bar blues, but I also try to show them riffs from songs they like, to keep them interested.

 

My worry is that my private lessons are not leading them down a clear path to competant guitar playing. I'm not sure exactly what I should be teaching them, the sequence of things I should be showing them, and how long I should spend on one particular thing. They don't practice a whole lot, I've noticed, so I find that we have to keep revisiting things I've shown them.

 

So, I wonder if anyone can recommend some resources that lay out a clear week-by-week plan for teaching beginning guitarists. I've been relying on my instinct (from years of teaching at-risk youth), and feeding off of their interests, but I feel like I need some sort of guideline that can provide some structure.

 

Any assistenance/recommendations would be VERY helpful!

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Posted

Cool helping at risk kids!

I am not at risk(only those listening to my playing are), but i am a beginner(adult too). Sounds like very reasonable approach you were using so far.

Just a sugestion, but maybe talk to a school music instructor from their school and ask for some input on were to go. I know my kids took band in school and progressed at a fanastic pace.

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Posted

There should be emphasis on fun so you are doing right to show them stuff they like. If it was me I would encourage singing. Have then sing the basic major scale as a warm up and learn songs that they can sing to. That's what I would want to do. With the right mindsets, alot could be acomplished. Sorry for the non-guitarish answer.

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