Hoffman Academy: Piano Lessons {A Review and Giveaway}

Hoffman Academy offers a piano program based on 60 video lessons taught by Joseph Hoffman. Our family has spent several weeks watching the videos. In addition, we received the Complete Materials for Lessons 1-60 download ($45) to review.

What's Included

The Complete Materials for Lessons 1-41 includes 64 student pages to reinforce the video lessons with sheet music, activity pages, and further explanations of lessons. There is an MP3 Piano Listening Album (33 tracks) that contains the songs students will be exposed to in the lessons. Additionally, there is a 5 page parents guide.

You can also find a Practice CD and DVD (3-disc set) of Lessons 1-45 in their online store.

How we used it
We started out by watching the video (YouTube accessed from the website) for each lesson. We found that our tablet made the perfect tool for watching the lessons. It was easy to move and easy to position by the piano. This video is for one of the girls' favorite lessons, Lesson 11 Chocolate...

The girls would play the pieces and then we'd work on things from the download: listening to the pieces or completing specific things from the activity pages. It would take us about 15-20 minutes per lesson and we completed about three a week. 

What We Liked
Mr. Hoffman's style of teaching is very enjoyable and the kids were always asking if they could do another lesson as soon as they completed one. 

Since each video component of a lesson was approximately 10 minutes (a few were more, a few were less), we could fit them in to just about anytime of the day. Some days they even watched them during lunch and then trotted over to play the piano after they were done listening.

I loved watching them get excited about a lesson, jump up and begin clapping out a rhythm or start playing an invisible piano or burst into laughter over the funny explanation about posture.

What the Girls have to say
Jo-Jo says she loves the song that Mr. Hoffman plays at the beginning of the lessons. "I like the Frog in the Middle (she bursts into singing it) and how he taught us Hot Cross Buns on the black keys."

Ceesa says that she likes that he always does funny games. "I like the heartbeat pattern and that we could guess. I liked how he always whispered rest and I like how he croaked with the frog in the middle."

What They Learned
"I learned a lot of songs...Chocolate and Hot Cross Buns," Ceesa said, "and I learned that we could download things from his website-He said that in every lesson." (Sorry I couldn't resist adding that part. She said it just as natural as could be.)

Jo-Jo learned lots of songs, too. 

Recommendation
We'd recommend the videos and download for piano beginners from ages 6-10. The girls have had more advanced lessons, so they were familiar with the skills being taught in the beginning. But they really enjoyed Mr. Hoffman's method of teaching. His stories and song choices were a delight for them.

And the videos are free, so there's just no reason not to give it a try!

Giveaway
The Hoffmans have generously offered the Complete Lessons 1-41 for you as a giveaway. Just sign up below to enter and be sure to read the contest rules!

Wishing you homeschool blessings,

 

Disclaimer
I received a free copy of this product in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations. 

The winner will be randomly picked by Rafflecopter and will be notified by Bethany from Little Homeschool Blessings via email and posted here. Entrants must be 18 years or older and reside within the United States. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook,Twitter, Pinterest or any other entity unless otherwise specified. Prize will be issued by Hoffman Acdemcy. By entering this giveaway you are also acknowledging that you have read and agree to all of the Rafflecopter terms & conditions. 

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