Teaching guitar: help me get a lesson plan together.

[straticus]

A friend of mine has asked me if I would be interested in giving his kids guitar lessons. Giving guitar lessons is something I've been thinking about doing for some time now but I'm not sure were to start.

These kids are beginners. Can anyone recommend a book or something that would help and guide me in teaching?

Thanks.

[dkaplowitz]

How old are they? What's their experience with the guitar? Are they into it, or is it something their parents are making them do?

[Mark C]

There are tons of beginner books out there. I like methods that start with reading notes in 1st position one string at a time. I'll balance reading with learning songs based on simple open chords - I teach them to change chords every 4 beats, and they get three beats to move their fingers from chord to chord to start out. Then two beats, then one, then they have to strum all 4 beats of the measure.

[straticus]

How old are they? What's their experience with the guitar? Are they into it, or is it something their parents are making them do?

They're 12 (boy) and 10 (girl). Yeh, I think they really are into it. The boy has been messing around on his mothers guitar (the parents are in my band) for about a year and needs help. The girl is a beginner but wants to learn too as she's already an amazing singer for her age.