Yes, very agree to kcarol.
The teacher may want to spend more time on your son's basic technique and other training (aural, sight reading) than just practising the 3 exam songs just for the abrsm exam..
As my daughter's teacher always said, a child who is really up to the standard of grading in the ABRSM exam, he/she should get high marks in all 4 parts of the exam, i.e. the 3 pieces, scales, sight-reading and aural. Not only know how to play the 3 songs well.
I have even know a friend of mine, whose daughter is now grade 7 at the age of 9.5. She is very well-known in her school because of her qualifications got in the ABRSM exam.. But in fact , her marks in grade 7 was just 103.....failed in the sight reading and aural parts.
She is always invited to play in the school music performance, but every time she can only play the exam songs, most funniest thing is if you give her any other pieces, she cannot play it at all !
Do you think she is qualified to be a Grade 7 pianist ???
Yes, before I was pushing the teacher to jump to a highter grade in a short time. But now after understanding what is the best to my girl and to build up her interest and basic foundations in music. I will not give her any pressure or let her progress gradually.
In my case, my daughter likes violin a lot and she can now practise on her own, doing her music theory homework. The teacher said she is progressing quite fast and up to his satisfaction. This is what I am grateful to see!
It's absolutely true. My daughter is exactly the case you mentioned. Compared to other children, she learns slowly, but thoroughly. And now she knows how to enjoy music. The teacher will give her different pieces of music to play and she enjoys the ones she likes and will play them well.