The piano pedagogy major is for students who desire to inspire students to love music while impacting their lives for God. Maranatha wants their pedagogy graduates to not just be excellent teachers and musicians, but to also be influential, innovative, entrepreneurial, and proactive leaders in the piano pedagogy field.

Maranatha’s pedagogy program is unique in that pedagogy majors have three years of paid teaching experience in our piano prep school before they graduate! While teaching in the prep school, pedagogy majors not only have the practical experience of teaching private lessons to various levels of students, they also learn how to successfully teach early childhood music and movement classes, coach piano ensembles, teach theory classes, prepare students for recitals and competitions, and plan special events.

In addition to earning their National Music Teacher Certification through the Music Teachers National Association, pedagogy majors also earn their Level 1 Early Childhood Music and Movement Certification through the national Early Childhood Music and Movement Association.

The pedagogy courses help students develop their critical thinking skills and apply music education research to teaching. Students learn to evaluate a wide array of pedagogical philosophies and methods as well as intelligently propose solutions for the current issues in the field. Additionally, Maranatha’s pedagogy program challenges the status-quo by specializing in successfully teaching piano to beginners from an innovative sound before sight approach.

Students also learn the business aspects of operating a professional studio. Students learn this by working in the piano prep school and by taking a senior capstone practicum course. Furthermore, the 128 credit program enables pedagogy students to easily add on a business minor or concentration, and students are strongly encouraged to do so.

For more information, please be sure to also check out the catalog, the prospective musicians section, the music handbook, and the performing groups.

Suggested Schedule

This is the suggested class list for the Piano Pedagogy major. You may also look over the details for our Music Education major.

Career Options:

• Private professional studio teacher: private, group, and early childhood music
• Conservatory music studio teacher
• Conservatory administrator
• Elementary music class instructor (music ed/piano ped track)
• Composer/arranger for pedagogical publishers
• Accompanist/soloist
• Graduate school

Piano Pedagogy Options at Maranatha:

• Music Major: Piano Pedagogy
• Music Education Major General Certification: Piano Pedagogy
• Music Minor: Piano Pedagogy
• Music Concentration: Piano Pedagogy
• Music Certificate: Piano Pedagogy (through the piano prep school)

Faculty Contact:

janet.tschida@mbbc.edu

Important Links

• Info for Prospective Students
• Performing Groups
• The Musician-Blog
• Music Media Channel
• Music Department Handbook