The Value of Person-Centered Approach for Learning and Teaching in Piano lessons

The purpose of this document is to present and suggest a person-centered approach to teachers who are either currently teaching in one-on-one and group piano lesson or expecting to teach those different types of piano lesson effectively. All teachers face the distinctive challenge of how to communicate effectively with their students. For instructors of piano, there are at least two main areas in which effectiveness in sought:

1. In facilitating learning about music-its techniques and practice

2. In coaching the student to be a good performer

   I suggest a person-centered approach which was created by the highly respected American psychologist, Carl Rogers. Person-centered approach recognizes and trusts human potential, providing empathy, congruence and positive regard to facilitate change to achieve both successful learning and performing. In person-centered education, Rogers emphasized that the role of emotion is significant to make learning real in a student’s life. Therefore, Rogers urges that the education of the whole person should be accomplished through merging their feelings with their cognitive functions. However, it is not just affective (emotion-based) learning as it is often labeled. Rather, it requires the element of the student taking responsibility for his own learning. In this document I will explore how to become an effective facilitator for students in learning piano music and in acquiring necessary performance technique and skills needed to perform and how to communicate with students using a person- centered approach.