To quote Rick again (because I happen to agree)**chances are I build bookshelves with the same skill he plays guitar.....but I think learning to play it "right" is fun, and if you can budget a little time each day to practice technique (not just sing songs) you'll find it as rewarding as I have.***

It's usually easier to teach a beginner, regardless of age, than to have to undo bad habits and attitudes. Three basic objectives for all ages:
1) theory, ear-training and skill exercises
2) follow a "method book" for systematic skill advancement
3) do fun stuff: pop songs, write own songs, seasonal music, etc.

*** For theory, ear-training and exercises:
Separate the keys and root chord of each key into groups according to similarities. (I'm not sure how this translates to the guitar.) Teach a multikey approach from the beginning. Much of this can be done by "sound" and "feeling" without getting into theory. On the piano this is:
group I : C, F, G (all white keys on piano, 1 sharp, 1 flat)
group II : D, A, E (black note in middle for root chord)
group III: Db, Eb, Ab (white note in middle)
group IV: B, F#, Bb ??????? (I've forgotten!)

Anyway...become familiar with all keys.
Play the "Mary Had a Little Lamb" chords (I and V7) in all keys. Play "Mary Had a Little Lamb" in all keys. (not only does this teach hearing the chord changes, but on the piano the melody is all in the 5 finger position.
Play the Hanon exercise (like a scale but no thumb under-type stuff) in all keys. Vary the exercise for legato, staccato, phrasing, speed, etc.
Write your own song using the "Mary Had a Little Lamb" chords. Nursery rhymes fit nicely. Or write a Halloween song using minor chords...or a Chinese song using only black notes. Older students may prefer some of the 2 or 3-chord folk songs.
Then there are the "Saints Go Marching In" chords, I, IV, V7. This melody is also nice on the piano because it is mostly in the five-finger position.

***As far as a method book...find one that has songs appropriate for the student's age and interests.

***Fun stuff...whatever the student likes...current pop, commercials, Christmas songs, blues style, or Ray Charles style, or cowboy style, etc.

Motivation is different for every person. Some suggestions:

I like the idea of using tapes to play along with. Ensemble playing is probably better, but just not always possible.

Kids (of all ages) like to improvise. They can add a big chord, special ending, counter melody or harmony.

Some good singers can do a talking blues kind of song with minimal instrumental skills.

Use a practice book to write down assignments and check off practices. I always told my students that the hardest thing about practicing was going to the room where the piano was, and sitting down.

For young students:
Stickers seem to work real well with young children. Marvin Hamlisch says his Mom's cookies kept him practicing. Parental involvement seems to be very important for most kids. If Mom or Dad have a favorite song, the kid will work hard to learn it. Also, they love to prepare something special for Grandma's birthday.

For Adults:
An adult learns everything extremely fast the first year (or rather 6 mo or less). No matter what approach, they are like a sponge and progress rapidly thru the initial knowledge aquisition phase. But then...other life priorities seem to intefere when they hit their first plateau. There seems to be a very steep learning curve the first 6 mo or year, and then a plateau where the skill level has to catch up. Young kids usually have no choice but to stick it out. Teens and adults need a different kind of motivation to get thru this plateau. It seems the only ones that continue are the ones who somehow get involved in performing or in music-making as an active part of their lives. Sometimes just awareness of this plateau will keep an adult going. I like to talk about Jonathon Livingston Seagull for the joy of perfecting skills...or the baseball player perfecting his swing...or playing Mozart...any kind of game, like Rick said. Just push through this plateau of improving skills.

For right-brain folks:
"Feel" the hand positions when playing a song.
Imitate the teacher without having to read notes.
Memorize a song by just doing it over and over.
After a song is learned using your strength (right brain), go back and work on reading notes as you play a song you already know.

For left-brain folks:
Read the notes first in order to learn a song.
Play the song from memory concentrating on phrasing and expression.
Play with others or with tapes. This forces the left-brained person to KEEP GOING. Make sure the song is easy for them.
Memorize a song cognitively first by being able to start anywhere in the song and verbalize the notes or the key.

Oh well...gotta go...life calls. Thanks, Rick, for a nice distraction to an otherwise sh***y day.

Mary