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).
Sandra says
Reading all the comments was a great way to reflect on the year that just passed. I think I am satisfied and pleased with my teaching methods and studio management. But the one area that needs attention is working to develop better sight reading skills for my intermediate students. They are all super performers, but they need to balance that with better sight reading skills. We do SR every lesson; but I think I need to assign more Quick Study pieces.
Amber McDowell says
I want to make piano lessons more fun, (maybe by incorporating more activities in the lesson) so my students want and look forward to practicing throughout the week.
Geri Miller says
I would like to do better at planning ahead for the entire semester. I would also like to get all of my games and fun activities “organized” so I can access and use them more easily. By the way, I belong to your Piano Book Club and used “How to Give Your Audience the Giggles” at my recital in May, and everyone loved it! Now I’ve got to figure out how we can have that much fun at my next recital! Thanks for all of your wonderful resources!
Julie says
I want to research/brainstorm better ways of engaging reluctant students…those who have decided piano lessons are boring or difficult and they don’t want to be there.
Ashley says
1. Have all my paperwork organized ahead of time because I teach in my student’s homes. So I have to bring everything with me that I might possibly need for that lesson. (My car looks like a music book library at times, as I just leave a collection of method books in there, in case I need one)
2. Be more consistent with the younger students when they’re learning to read note names. Don’t just brush over it and let them play by finger numbers in C position, just so they can get the song done.
3. Keep writing my Music Theory Worksheets over the summer. I have been writing my own, to make them very exciting and colourful and at the exact level of my students. And I’m slowly compiling everything into my own Studio Theory Book. 😀
Marilyn Brennan says
I want to start a technology lab. I also cannot figure out how to hook up midi and get it working. Googling for hours does not help.
Jennifer Foxx says
My goal this year is to simplify, and focus. So in turn I can accomplish more. Make sense? lol.
Angie says
I’m new to teaching piano, so at this point I’m teaching lesson by lesson. I’m eager to learn better teaching techniques though, and want to learn how to plan for teaching over a term rather than lesson by lesson. I’m finding your blog very helpful! Thanks!
Shirlee says
My goal this year is to help each student set a specific goal for their music and use part of each lesson preparing for that opportunity. Several of my students want to play for chapel or jazz band.
Elise says
I would like to find more ways to creatively teach to my “special needs” students.
Laura DeCesare says
I would like to remember to plan for each individual lesson and to follow through on the things I want to do in lessons. For example, actually using the Pattern Play book I bought instead of letting it get stepped on in the back of my car.
Carrie Barnard says
My goals are to update my studio policies and to get my supplementary materials organized.
Nalani says
As a newer teacher, I’m still figuring out how to say what I mean. I’m continually working on the right words, using the compliment and suggestion method after a student has played through their piece. Also, figuring out different ways to say the same thing, so that a student that doesn’t understand the first time, might get it the second or third time it’s said.
Melissa says
I would like to include more games during my lessons and I also intend on getting all my students in the same method book series. Being a fairly new teacher, I have wanted to try different method books to see what I like and what I don’t and not all of my students are using the same books. I have found my favorite method books and will move my students to them once they complete their current books.
Hope says
I will work harder to get the kids more excited and enthusiastic about their lessons and try to incorporate more theory and scales into their lessons in a creative way! And I will use lots of new and different music next year from composers who I meet online! My goal is to set myself apart from other piano teachers and be different and unique!
Aleta says
So MANY GREAT comments here!!!!! I would like to go back to the off-the-bench activities – doing theory at lessons takes up that ten minutes which used to be spent doing that! Or, coming up with a off-the-top-of-the-head something in the middle of a lesson – related to the piece we’re working on. Even just clapping a rhythm or naming a few notes could be a start! Thanks for helping me think aloud! LOVE all your resources and encouraging blogs!!! A daily reminder to do my best! Thanks!
Kristi Negri says
Next year I want to think more deliberately about how to know if my students really understands what I’m trying to explain to them in a lesson, or whether they just nodding their head, or making smart guesses. The temptation to “take yes for answer” and sweep ahead is sooo strong.
Simon Ireson says
As a teacher who used to specialise in teaching adults, but now teaches all ages, I would like to improve my communication skills with a younger audience. I find I am either too kind or too stern and find it difficult to strike the right balance. I think my younger students are more sturdy than I think but more experience is required.
Kristin says
I just held my first group lesson last week (I called it a “piano party”). I think we all had fun so I’d like to have a few during the school year if I can figure out how to work it into everyone’s schedule. I was thinking of doing it around holidays so I’d have an easy theme (Halloween, Christmas, etc.)
Colleen Branson says
My main goal this coming year (other than redoing my policy handout, a summer goal) is to improve my long range planning/individual planning for students so I don’t get “in a rut” part way through the year.
Colleen Branson says
I also want to change my studio setup so that the students are involved in more playing opportunities (outside of my two major recitals) within the studio and out in the community, for example having them play with me at seniors homes in our neighborhood.
Robyn says
More practice tracking and incentives for my students to do so on their own!
Sara says
Remembering to use all the wonderful supplementary repertoire that I’ve been collecting more often to help motivate my students, and help them enjoy playing even more!
Sara says
By the way, to avoid the mouldy tent, we set up our tent again when we are home to let it air out/dry out, and take it down on a hot dry day, because of course it’s never a hot dry day when you pack up, or else we leave early while it’s still wet with dew.
Helen says
I would like to improve my students reading skills. As well as gather new ideas for group activities.
Bettina Turner says
Make piano a more social activity for my students – create more opportunities for peer-to-peer interaction with duets, events, social media, even a parents only social.
Diana says
I want to to offer ideas and guidelines to students, that will help them be excited about playing the piano and eagerly come back for more!
Lori says
I am hoping to move into a newly decorated and renovated room dedicated to teaching. No more teaching in the living room!
Angie Tse says
In the new year, I’d like to have a ready toolkit of ideas, games, activities where I can quickly dip into to salvage lessons that were too challenging for ‘tired-and-disinterested’ pupils or ‘I’m-having-a-bad-day’ situations.
Julia T. says
I would like to have a long-term plan of what repertoire my students should learn by the time they graduate from high school. Of course, it may change, but at least I’ll have a goal to work towards and know how to prepare them for the next piece they’ll be learning.
MelaniE says
I’m finally moving my piano out of the living room and into it’s own room. I can’t wait to set up my new studio where I can better shelve and organize my music and even post teaching aids. I also plan to take lessons myself again to brush up my own skills.
Barbara says
I would like to do more technique with my beginners. I’d also like to get my students going on more sight reading challenges. Definitely revamping lesson plans for Fall!
Stormy says
I will continue to supplement lessons with more off-the-bench activities for my older students. I have a lot of activities for music readiness, but not so many for my preteens.
Bronwyn says
I would like to improve my students sight reading ability. Most of my students can read really well but I am not a good sight reader so this seems to be something I obviously don’t teach well. Time for a shake up!
Vicki says
I would like to incorporate asking the students what they feel they have worked on the most during the week, and why, as well ask questions more during their lesson to hopefully allow them interact more with me verbally as to what they need to work on.
Lantana Music Studio says
I want to do better at teaching technique to beginners. My own teacher didn’t do so well with me, so I’m still working at doing better myself!
Evelyn says
I plan to spend some of my vacation time correlating my games to concepts taught at each level.
Mandy says
Sharing resources with my piano families so that they can better help their student in the 147.5 hours they are off my piano bench every week 🙂
Miriam Higginson says
Keep my piano blog more current – at least 2 entries each month. Also get some kind of sight reading organized, and finally get my students going on composing (yes, I have Muttzart and Ratmaninoff!)
Karen Simmons says
I’m working on lesson plans to go with the curriculum that I use so that I don’t miss the concepts that each piece is trying to teach or reinforce.
Kristi Rigtrup says
I want to be better at improvising and playing from a lead sheet do that I can be confident in teaching my students how to play the popular songs they love so much, plus learn chords and progressions while they are at it!
Karen says
Finding the best balance I can in being a wife and Mom, and knowing how many students to accept (and not caving in to the pressure to take just one more!) especially during the school year.
Deb says
Work on practice incentives and sight reading and composition for some of my older students. Other activities for reinforcing learning note names for beginners.
Sheila says
Organize and implement sight reading on a methodical basis. Develop technique checklists by level. Investigate yearly themes developed and shared on teachers’ blogs.
Leslie says
Being specific in praise, praising the effort (“I like how you keep trying”; “I like the way you focused on dynamics and really nailed the crescendo”). Keeping an active, attractive, interactive and engaging Facebook page for my studio.
Jessica says
There are quite a few things I can improve on, being a relatively new teacher. One thing in particular would be improving my student’s metronome skills and their ability to keep a steady beat when rhythms are added in. Most of my students do this well, but I have a few students that struggle with staying with the metronome. Slow, fast, anywhere in between, for some reason they have a rough time feeling the beat, and so obviously their rhythms get a little crazy too. I’m not quite sure what to do to help this, but I’m thinking finding time during lessons to do more rhythm activities would be a good idea!
Lola Akwabi says
I love this site – it has been of tremendous help to me! I’d like to improve in the area of being a more effective teacher, and being able to motivate my students to love playing the piano and music in general, more 🙂
Chagné says
I want to prepare my students better for recitals
louise says
I would like to be better at making students buy their own material, and totally stop copying music for them. I would like to make lessons be exactly how long they are supposed to be, and not run over just because there is time to run longer. I would like to be able to relax more, and not try to cram so much into a lesson. and figure out how to deal with sensitive issues like students who need to bathe, students who need to go to the bathroom before they come to lessons, and students and parents who have so much perfume on them that it makes me sick! and I never want to see a student watching the clock again.
Shelley says
I would like to implement your ideas from “Shhh your piano teacher thinks this is practice”.