It’s piano teaching game day, but unlike our usual games, “Who’s In Charge” is actually a piano teaching strategy. Its focus on piano lesson structure means it works best with our youngest students, and works particularly well for our more challenging students.
Structuring Piano Lessons For Your Sanity
“Who’s In Charge” is a visual calendar that outlines the various activities that take place in a piano lesson (finger warm-ups, scales, method book activities, games etc.). Having a visual representation of what they will be doing, and when they will be doing it, helps our youngest and most difficult students keep focused, goal-oriented, and calm.
But… like any piano lesson activity… the visual calendar also must be fun. That’s why, with this piano teaching strategy, we’re putting the students in charge of the piano lesson structure. They get to decide which activities get performed when. Obviously, you will need to set a few ground rules (ie. certain activities like finger warm-ups must come before method book activities), but beyond that, the daily structure is in your students’ hands.
Great For Our Challenging Piano Students
“Who’s In Charge” is a strategy that does not need to be used for every piano student. But for our youngest students and our most challenging students, the idea of having “ownership” over the piano lesson structure can be a very motivational tool.
To build the visual calendar, simply write activity names on strips of card stock, fix magnetic tape to the back, and stick them on a whiteboard. Piano students can then easily change the position of each activity card. If you’re not the crafty type, visit any teacher supply store and you’ll find some really sharp looking visual calendars that can be manipulated to represent piano lessons.
Give it a try, and I guarantee it will make your “challenging” piano students a lot less challenging!
Kristen says
Great idea! I use this strategy every now and then but had never thought about making it “visual” for them. I’ll have to give it a try.
Stacey says
Likewise–I’d never thought of making this idea visual! Great thoughts!
Kimberly Bennett says
Love this idea! Thanks!
Kelly Koch says
Just ran across this, and REALLY needed it this week. It seems like my Friday students run all over me…they are definitely running the show. I feel resentful and was starting to dread my Fridays! Thank you for this idea, going to make up my cards today and implement it this week. You guys rock.
Melinda says
I was wondering how I would use the visual freebie of the order of events at a lesson, and I think this is my answer. This is right along the lines with the “love and Logic” methodology. Give choice whenever possible, one public school teacher teaching a mini course on this mentioned that the choice doesn’t have to be big, it could be as simple as letting the kids do their math problems on the front sheet of their paper or on the back. Thanks for the inspiration!