[UrbanSpice]

Hi, I just have a few questions. First of all, I wondering about what level would Flight of the Bumblebee be appropriate for. And what kind of techniques and maybe etudes would be helpful to get a student where he can master the piece successfully.

Also, I have an eleven student who's been taking lessons for a few years (with another teacher) but he is a terrible reader. I have been giving him note quizzes and timing him and also making him sight read. I've also given him a tip on memorizing and locating the C's in each staff and using that as a guide for finding other notes. I was wondering if anyone else had any other tips or ideas. We've been at it for a month but he hasn't gotten any better and he desperately wants to play Fur Elise, which is in his ability except for the fact that he can barely read. Anything, would be greatly appreciated. Maybe it's me and the fact that I never had any trouble reading music, but I think that a student with three or four years of piano shouldn't spend thirty minutes on the first nine (or eight) measures of Fur Elise. And this is hands seperately. (This is how the lessons usually go. We spend most of the time figuring out the notes, or I should say he does.) Also, tips or ways to see if maybe he has a learning disability would also be helpful. Thanks.

Also, what type of certification do you guys recommend for teachers, if any.