For 30 minutes (maybe 45) each week, the piano education of your students rests firmly in your capable hands. After that, you must put your faith in your students’ memory and your written notes to carry the torch until you meet again.
But are your carefully crafted lesson notes being read? Or (and possibly more likely) do your lessons notes go ignored while your students play through their pieces start to finish so they can check another chore off their list?
If you connect with the latter, then we’re here to help. Keep reading as we outline 5 quirky ways to guarantee your lesson notes get read!
Who Can Resist Piano Lesson Notes That Look like This?
Before we get to the list, be forewarned; the following suggestions are a little goofy. But kids love goofy… and so do we!
1. Put it in the Mail
Write your lesson notes on a slip of paper. Have your piano students put them in an envelope and mail them to a friend or relative with instructions for the friend or relative to phone them and say, “Hey, did you remember to (insert lesson reminder here) this week?”.
2. A Secret Message
Write your piano lesson notes in white crayon on a white piece of paper. Do not tell your students what you are writing. Instruct them to paint over the piece of paper when they get home so that the message is revealed.
3. Who’s The Boss?
Write a particularly difficult reminder (something that is giving your students a hard time) in the center of a sheet of paper. Tell your students to bring the paper back to you next week, but that you want it returned in tiny ripped pieces. BUT… make sure your students know that they can only tear the paper into a million pieces when they have mastered their struggle (showed it who’s boss).
4. Parent Pocket Reminders
Write 3 homework notes onto 3 strips of paper. Instruct your piano students to carry the strips of paper in their pockets all week. Next, instruct your piano parents to randomly ask their children what they need to remember this week when practicing the piano. If your students are not carrying their reminders, Mom or Dad can make them do any chore they wish… on the spot!
5. Words of Encouragment
Have your piano students record the following message on their answering machine or cellphone: “Hello, I am currently working on (insert practice reminder here) please leave a message full of words of encouragement.”
Remember, It’s All in Good Fun
Piano lessons can be serious business. But we love to have a good time and we love it even more when our students have a good time. There are so many boring things (ie. lesson reminders) that can be funked up. If you’re looking to breathe some life into other formally “dry” topics, you may should check out our resources, Shhhh… Your Piano Teacher Thinks This Is Practice and Pssst… Your Piano Teacher Thinks This Is Theory.
Whitney H. says
These make me laugh! Thanks for the ideas. I love to write a little note hidden away on their lesson page that says, “When you read this, text Miss Whitney ‘Got It!’ to receive your treat at your next lesson!” I get excited texts from those kids over the next day or two!
Spring Seals says
Love your ideas! I’ve left secret messages hidden in their assignment page such as “If you read this, ask me for a treat at your lesson next week.” If they come back asking me for a treat, I know they read it! If not, they learn a lesson and I warn them that I may hide a message in it again in the future.
Cindy says
I once left a note, “Ask your piano teacher for a candy bar” for a young man who particularly likes chocolate to see if my student was even looking at his assignments. Not something I would do all of the time, but once in a while does get them looking.
Lyndell Gore says
A few years ago I wrote in one students homework diary to write out 10 times “Lyndell is the best piano teacher in the world!”
That week she happened to actually read my notes and came back with her lines all done. Only a slight alteration…
“Steph is the best student in the world!”
Cracked me up!!