RCM exams: Are they the "Right Choice for Me" exams?
By: Kelley Wong
As a piano teacher, parents (especially parents of new students) often ask me whether I teach the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) curriculum. My answer is: "Yes, I certainly do". A common follow-up question is: "Do your students take RCM exams?". My answer to that is always: "It depends".
Being a RCM Certified Advanced Specialist in Piano, I have many years of experience in teaching the Conservatory's curriculum from beginner to performance levels diplomas. I believe the RCM curriculum provides a thorough, engaging, well-rounded, yet modern musical education. I, however, also don't believe it to be the right learning modality for everyone. What I always consider (for students), and ask my students to consider, is whether the exams are the "right choice for me".
RCM exams are a structured and graded approach to learning piano, but this isn't always the most effective method in delivering, and evaluating, piano education. Students who thrive on structure, are eager to learn from an examiner's feedback, and excited to see the completion of each level (i.e. extrinsically motivated) would do well with RCM exams. Students who are not motivated by extrinsic achievement markers, or those who simply learn differently, hate RCM exams. Recognizing this is a key element that guides me on how, best, to teach my different students.
I always like to discuss with students, and parents, what their musical goals are, what they enjoy, and what (and how) they would like to learn piano. Having this understanding usually assists me in knowing whether RCM exams would be a good avenue to help develop a student's music education. I am also mindful that musical interests and goals change -- just because a student isn't interested in RCM exams at a particular time, doesn't mean that they wouldn't be interested later -- so having periodic discussion around this is useful.
Rather than subjecting students to a one-glove-fits-all approach to piano education, I like to tailor my teaching to my students' needs. This may mean drawing some elements from the RCM's curriculum for lessons, it may mean comprehensively going through the graded levels but not taking the exams, or it may mean building a curriculum that has nothing to do with RCM resources. At the end of the day, all students and parents should consider whether RCM exams are the "Right Choice for Me" exams, with the understanding that there are a multitude of alternatives that would create an equally rich, encompassing, and enjoyable experience in piano education. This would be a good start to encouraging a student's success in enjoying, as well as excelling, in learning the piano.
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By: Kelley Wong
As a piano teacher, parents (especially parents of new students) often ask me whether I teach the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) curriculum. My answer is: "Yes, I certainly do". A common follow-up question is: "Do your students take RCM exams?". My answer to that is always: "It depends".
Being a RCM Certified Advanced Specialist in Piano, I have many years of experience in teaching the Conservatory's curriculum from beginner to performance levels diplomas. I believe the RCM curriculum provides a thorough, engaging, well-rounded, yet modern musical education. I, however, also don't believe it to be the right learning modality for everyone. What I always consider (for students), and ask my students to consider, is whether the exams are the "right choice for me".
RCM exams are a structured and graded approach to learning piano, but this isn't always the most effective method in delivering, and evaluating, piano education. Students who thrive on structure, are eager to learn from an examiner's feedback, and excited to see the completion of each level (i.e. extrinsically motivated) would do well with RCM exams. Students who are not motivated by extrinsic achievement markers, or those who simply learn differently, hate RCM exams. Recognizing this is a key element that guides me on how, best, to teach my different students.
I always like to discuss with students, and parents, what their musical goals are, what they enjoy, and what (and how) they would like to learn piano. Having this understanding usually assists me in knowing whether RCM exams would be a good avenue to help develop a student's music education. I am also mindful that musical interests and goals change -- just because a student isn't interested in RCM exams at a particular time, doesn't mean that they wouldn't be interested later -- so having periodic discussion around this is useful.
Rather than subjecting students to a one-glove-fits-all approach to piano education, I like to tailor my teaching to my students' needs. This may mean drawing some elements from the RCM's curriculum for lessons, it may mean comprehensively going through the graded levels but not taking the exams, or it may mean building a curriculum that has nothing to do with RCM resources. At the end of the day, all students and parents should consider whether RCM exams are the "Right Choice for Me" exams, with the understanding that there are a multitude of alternatives that would create an equally rich, encompassing, and enjoyable experience in piano education. This would be a good start to encouraging a student's success in enjoying, as well as excelling, in learning the piano.
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