In a recent Teach Piano Today Podcast we discussed our studio events calendar – and how having “mini events” throughout the year can be a real boost to both your own motivation and that of your piano students.
Another thing that is important to do as your year kicks off revolves around teaching your piano students how to set personal goals.
Goal Setting With Piano Kids
By teaching your piano students to set their own goals you are giving them a sense of responsibility over their own learning. Kids are so often told what to do, when and why… they’ll find it refreshing to take matters into their own hands!
I believe that having goals (in every aspect of your life) gives you a sense of purpose and directs your activities in an efficient way. If you have a reason for doing something you’re more likely to do it well. Same goes for kids in piano lessons. A year’s worth of lessons can seem like an eternity for young children; if they have mini-goals that they work to achieve throughout the year you help them find a sense of purpose in their learning.
Let the following guide you when directing your piano kids towards goals for the year.
1. Why Are You Taking Piano Lessons? Have you ever asked a student this question? Their answer may surprise you! I recently asked this of a student whom I had taught for over a year. She told me it was because she wanted to learn to play for her sister while her sister sang in church. I had no idea! Once I knew, her piano lessons took a new shape as we worked towards this desire she had kept to herself for so long. As this is a form of brainstorming, no answer is wrong. Take their response and consider it carefully; almost every answer can then become a framework for goal setting.
2. Direct your goal setting using these 3 categories and with their response from above in mind. Keep the time frame short; set new goals for each category every three months.
Category #1: Achievement Goals – What do you want to have accomplished by this particular date? Think in terms of piece completion, a particular point in their method book etc.
Category #2: Music for Good- What will you do with your music that will help others? Choose one goal that involves having your students use their music in some way to make the world a better place.
Cateogry #3: Creativity Goals – What will you do with your music that you have never done before? Think in terms of composing, recording, and collaborating with other instruments etc.
3. Don’t forget the “how”! Good goal setting means you also discuss the “how” of each goal. What steps or action needs to be taken to achieve each? Break them down into what exactly needs to happen (ie. To have “Jumpin’ Jazz Cat” ready to play at my school’s Talent Show I need to practice my C scale every day, I need to have the piece hands together by November 1st, and I need to have it memorized two weeks before the show.)
Celebrate… Big Time!
Keep a written record of these goals for each of your students and keep these goals in the forefront of your lesson planning. Every time one is achieved, blow the roof off your studio with celebration! So much satisfaction can come from reaching a desired goal. It’s a wonderful opportunity for you, as the piano teacher, to share in these moments that build self-esteem and self-image and strengthen a child’s connection with the piano.
Celebration doesn’t need to mean stickers or candy or medals… teaching your piano students to find gratification in the feeling of achieving something they’ve worked for is a life lesson that will extend well beyond your piano studio walls.
A Goal In Action
Many of my piano students set composition goals for their Creativity Goal. Many want to create music for loved ones or friends; some want to create a whole book of compositions! If you have students who want to learn to compose their own music you’ll want to check out our composing guide “The Curious Case of Muttzart and Ratmaninoff (Adventures in Composing)”. It’s the perfect way to introduce your piano kids to the freedom (and the how to) of composing.
I’m not creative – what fun/creative/interesting things do you do to “post/print” the student’s goals for them?
To the question #1 you might get answer ” Because my mom makes me”. What would you then? Milla
I the answer is “because my mom makes me” — one solution is to get mom involved in lessons and practice time. If mom is not a pianist, have the student teach mom to play the left hand of a piece or give them a duet and let the kid be the teacher. Let the student work with mom and prepare for an in-class performance for you.
I find I get this answer less often in group classes than in privates. The curriculum I use is called Harmony Road and parents are involved in lessons and at home. Kids and parents really love it.
When kids see mom or dad learning they are more likely to want to learn too. Parents set the learning environment for their kids. Even my early childhood curriculum (Kids’ MusicRound) sets up that dynamic. Makes it much easier on me!
Kitty >^..^<
Goals can come in many forms and shapes. There are short term and long term goals. Some ideas for goals are to have a student compose a piece in a certain style within a certain time frame. Another goal is to have a student perform on a YouTube video. Another goal may be to have a student perform at an old folks home.
Just another thought along the YouTube line-if students or parents are uncomfortable with being out there on public internet, Vimeo is a free video hosting site where you can upload a video and password protect it. That way you have to send both the link and the password to the family and friends you wish to see it. I’ve heard you can also make a private YouTube channel, but we’ve always used Vimeo.
Hi, do you have a cute printable for this activity? I just love your printables.