The summer sun has arrived… and that means it’s camping time. Well, actually, that means it’s time to drag out the tent and see if it has provided shelter for mold this winter.
I’m not going to lie, mold has found a home in our tents before… probably because Trevor and I are so exhausted after a camping trip that the gear gets tossed in the middle of the garage where it sits for a good little while before we move it to the crawlspace.
What can I say? We’ve added “unpack and organize immediately” to our ever-growing list of personal development tasks that we’ll get to… some day.
One Day We’ll Learn…
That unpacking at the end of a trip makes for easier packing when the next trip comes along. And while my end-of-camping routine needs work, one area that certainly doesn’t is my end-of-year piano teaching routine.
Time To Reflect
At the end of every school year I like to take some time to reflect on my piano teaching; what went well, what needs work, what needs to be completely abandoned. Even though I’m exhausted at the end of June, I resist the urge to hit the beach, and instead use the first few days to reflect and then prep and plan for my September start-up.
This allows me to hit the ground running when it’s time to welcome my piano students back to the studio after a summer break.
How Can You Improve?
This year I want to help you with your piano teaching reflections. Take a few minutes to look back on the past year and think of one thing that you would like to improve upon. Then, tell us what that “one thing” is in the comments below.
Trevor and I will use these statements to direct some excellent summer blog posts so that all readers of the Teach Piano Today blog can hit the ground running when September rolls around!
And Now For The Best Part
Every piano teacher who submits a comment will be entered to win a digital piano teaching resource of their choice from the Teach Piano Today store. I will choose 2 winners at random. You must submit your comment before midnight tonight (June 27, 2014).
I would like to find a constructive way to engage the parents of my students to better encourage their children to work harder and make piano more of a priority in their busy lives.
I’d like to do a better job of communicating with my parents: how their child is doing, performance opportunities, helpful and encouraging tips.
I’m going back to refresh and relearn the awesome piano pedagogy classes I took with Dr. Courtney Crappell. We covered topics such as motivation, lesson planning, curriculum development, pure technique, lesson flow, practice strategies, performance preparation, etc. etc.
I would like to advance my students’ sight reading skills.
These are all such great ideas, I feel overwhelmed thinking about how many of them I need to do! But I think I will start with planning many more off the bench ideas – I have 2 brothers who cannot sit for 5 minutes and focus – yet somehow, they are doing well. Help, more ideas please!
I’d like to improve on going to post dated payments instead of monthly invoicing….I find I am reminding/chasing certain clients on a regular basis…
Collaboration has been the key to my heart lately! I want my students to collaborate, not only with each other, but with other instrumentalists (drummers, bass players, etc). I’ve already started with my two students who are siblings. They’re learning Swan Lake as a duet. This will definitely encourage them to practice more (especially since one sibling will always try to do something better than the other lol)!
I would like to implement several of the printable games that you have posted on this site. I would also like to get my students playing in the community, maybe at a nursing home or assisted living residence.
Allow students the space to perform their pieces without babying them– so that they learn their own problem solving skills and the importance of being able to perform a piece all the way through without relying on my help to correct them. I.e. “what’s this note again?” “How do I play this?” During a practice exam this is really not the best!
I’m going to put walking every morning on my schedule so I have the pep and energy to devote all afternoon and evening. If something isn’t on the schedule it usually doesn’t get done. it may sound strange in the middle of all the technical and rhythm ideas, but I think piano teachers often don’t find the time for themselves that makes it easier to devote time and energy to students.
I would like to work on scales, theory, and dynamics more with the students.
I need to find ways to get parents more involved in practice time at home.
Curriculum: I want to better organize my supplemental activities (games, rhythm and/or theory activities and worksheets, technique exercises, etc.) to line up with the Levels/Units being studied.
Juggling teaching students this summer and planning ahead for the next year. It goes by so fast!!!!
I would like to dive into technology and use more web-based tools to market the studio and communicate – maybe even scheduling.
Also to purchase more lending library materials and vary incentive activities.
I would like to incorporate more “fun” ways to teach theory concepts. Also using more supplementary music to reinforce concepts. Thanks!
I will develop a website this year and teach my students real world music skills (i.e. how to be a collaborative musicians…loved the post on that!). I have been doing real world music skills in my summer lessons and the collaborative activities have gotten rave reviews already!
My goal is to finally build a website for my studio. I’d like to include resources for students and parents as well as provide an excellent marketing tool for my business.
In Germany, it is not unlikely that piano teachers don’t have a summer break. I continue my lessons throughout the year, therefore I only have some time to think about how to improve my piano lessons during my own vacation (usually 3 weeks in September). Last year, my plan was to place more emphasis on sight-reading skills and to spend at least a couple of minutes each lesson only on improving sight-reading skills. And looking back now, I’d say my student did a big step forward.
I’m very courious what comes to my mind during this year’s vacation …
I hope to create CD/MP3 recordings of duets/songs to play along with for the students to encourage them to practice at home. Piano is such a solo instrument, but I see such delight in them when we play duets during lessons. I think it will certainly make a difference in their practice time at home. (I hope this is legal; I’ll use PianoBookClub music to be sure). 🙂
Way to generate comments, guys! I could just say ‘Z, All of the Above’. I must say, it is heartening to hear so many other teachers having the same concerns and goals as I do. Seriously on the ‘(most)’ of the above. I have two on the top of my list. One, build a website and get my act together doing more parent outreach/followup. Two, better long-range planning AND ‘unpack camping gear’ after every lesson, and at the end of the year.
Now on to rereading all these comments and making my own new To Do list. Thanks!
I want to motivate students and have more excitement during lessons that they’ll pick up on. I want to break away from the routine, and do composing, more games, and remember each day to take joy in the journey and enjoy these great kids!
I’ve moved the piano from living room to another room to create a studio. I am working to get reorganized with teaching materials to have all at hand. My teaching goal for the coming year is to incorporate more improvisation and composition into the lessons as well as to stay on top of the needs of each student who are all a joy to work with.
The big goal this summer is to research Canadian copyright law. It can be frustrating finding pop/rock music for my beginners that is at their level, but am unsure exactly what the parameters are in creating materials for them to learn. I know many teachers create lead sheets either for their students or with their students. However, I would like to teach my students the basics of copyright law while doing these activities so they have a well-rounded view of the process.
Being perfect in every way, I don’t have to change a thing about my teaching ; ) But my parents need a lot of help! Most of them are clueless and musically illiterate. They think that carting their kids over to my house and picking them up is all that they have to do. I need to train them how to be perfect like me and to help their children more during their practice time. I’m even considering having a group session in the evening just for parents and charging just enough to keep them motivated.
I would like to improve my studio policy regarding makeup lessons and finances. Really struggled this past year with both of those.
Talk less.
Learn better ways to teach technique, as in the physical movements pianists use to produce sound.
I am going to have my students count off with the dynamics and articulation in the beginning of their piece.
I’d really like to organize the beginning technique lessons for students. That means taking all that needs to be taught in the early lessons ( firm fingers tips, legato playing, 5 finger scales, hand position, etc. ) and create a scope and sequence. Any ideas on this ?
I need to find a better accounting system before the fall hits and I go with the status quo … again!
I would like to improve my time management during 30 minute lessons and improve communication with parents.
Everyone has listed so many good ideas and thoughts- just about everything I was going to say was already mentioned. I’ve realized over time that I really need to be planning for the next semester so that I can really think things through and be able to effectively execute these things when the time comes. So as soon as the fall semester starts, I need to be planning for the January semester- so many ideas and what feels like so little time!
I need to find meaningful motivational goals for my students . I have a stock of stickers but what really motivates students past stickers? For kids really keen about playing – the music itself motivates. But the teenager years are more difficult. Do you all find this to be tricky, too?
I need to find ways to communicate more effectively with parents so that they have an idea of the “big picture” – not just this week’s practice assignment. I also want to find ways to get them more involved in supporting the practice process. I got a start on that this spring by doing individual “year in review” assessments for each child. It was a very positive/reflective experience for me, and the parents and kids were delighted. Hmmm. Also on the to-do list: figure out how to do this without it taking so much time!
Elizabeth, I hold a parent/teacher/conference every year, the last week of the school/teaching year. I learn so much at these sessions, and I find the parents really open up and share, and listen and learn too. I charge for this as a regular lesson (i.e. included in the annual tuition, paid monthly) and that way I feel fine about taking the entire 45 minutes.
I am thinking now about having a similar ‘once over lightly, how where are we going this year’ session in the fall, possibly in the form of a parent meeting.
Thanks, Kathy. I’ve been using paper “surveys” for the same purpose, and trying to squish a lesson and feedback into one tiny time slot, and it’s not working so well 🙂 I like your idea of using the last week of the year for this purpose – that would take a lot of the pressure off, and still allow some goal setting for the no-summer-lessons kids before they disappear for two months.
Elizabeth, our local MTA holds an ensemble festival on the first Saturday in June, so the timing works for my students to keep practicing until the very end of the teaching year, with conferences in the following week. It makes for a nice wrap-up and since 99% of my students participate in the ensemble festival, they finish the year with a sense of accomplishment — this is my students’ favorite program of the year by far.
I need to schedule in some extra prep time to make better use of all the great free resources you guys regularly share.
I’m organizing my “records” to better track what students need to know or improve on so that I can upgrade my weekly assignments and lab work to better fit their needs. I’m also looking at what type of assignments students prefer, such as iPad and computer work vs. theory worksheets, so that the are more likely to complete what is given.
I need to incorporate A LOT more technology into my lessons! I want my students doing more listening activities, using more learning apps and learning to notate in much cooler ways. I know that will kick up their piano lessons a notch.
I take time now to get all the paperwork updated from the year so I don’t have to do it at the end of summer. I plan out the theme for the year and all those tedious things and get them out of the way. That gives me more time to plan the fun things we’ll be doing next year.
I love all the ideas above. I need to learn how to ” publish” my students’ compositions on the computer or iPad now I’m just rewriting them. I would like to start group lessons on composers and on the instruments of the orchestra.
I want to say, Trevor and Andrea, thanks so much for your blog and suggestions. Enjoying the piano book club you created. And the games!! Yay! Esp. the composing game. All ages love that one!
I want to create a more predictable billing schedule instead of monthly, base on the # of lessons per month. I’m going to go with a flat rate per month this year. Same amount every month. Some of my parents already pay by the semester, which is great!
Above all, be more and more creative!!!!
There are so many good ideas on here! One of the things I need to work on is practicing at home – educating the parents on how much needs to be done with each student, making sure the students know what to practice, and having some kind of incentive to make sure the practicing gets done.
I turned our Year End Recital into 2 cheering sections: The children on one side with party noise makers, and the families on the other. They were to make sure each performer received as much noise as possible……each side trying to out-do the other. The result: AWESOME, FUN & EXCITING! Best Recital EVER after 31 years! My goal: get parents and families more involved in their children’s piano lessons at home and throughout the year. And make it a fun activity that EVERYONE gets excited about. Your blogs have been excellent so far, thanks!
Ooh, I love this idea.
What a GREAT idea!! Thanks for sharing this. I’m all for having more fun!
Do more lesson planning and use more creativity in each lesson.
Use more supplementary material to emphasize new and difficult concepts.
I’d like to help create more all-rounded pupils; not just note-readers who can play, but musicians, or people who enjoy music, and help others to with their playing! That or I should really get them to start on their exam pieces sooner to avoid cramming at the end..hehehe.
The biggest thing I don’t currently do that I am hoping to change is that I would like to improve my communication with my studio parents by emailing more about what is going on in lesson (instead of only emailing when they are late with the check!)
I want to communicate better throughout the year with the parents. Give them praise, tips for helping their child, just more appreciation and progress reports.
I want to make aural tests exciting and make more time for them in lessons.
I will incorporate more resources from Andrea in my lessons and provide Piano Explorer magazine for each family. A modest materials fee will cover the costs.
I would like to have my student work more on nmemorizing recital peices amd starting to work on recital or christmas music sooner.
I hope to improve as a teacher by devoting more time to my personal piano playing time in the next year.