“The new year means nothing if you’re still in love with your comfort zone”. I came across this quote the other day on Instagram and I LOVED it. It’s so true. Making resolutions and setting goals are pointless activities if you don’t truly believe that you have things to change.
But, it’s a difficult task for adults to dig deep and truly identify the changes that need to be made… so how can we expect children to do the same?
New Year’s Resolutions… Piano Kid Style
Because squeezing resolutions out of kids can be a task… it’s nice to balance goal setting with some warm fuzzy reflection on what is already going well. And, because kids also need a tangible and easy way of both reflecting on past accomplishments and setting future goals… you’re going to need our Goal Setting Game!
Step 1: Game Play
- Print and cut out the Goal Setting Game Card Set (we’ve included a blank set if you’d prefer to make your own)
- Place the cards face down on a flat surface in front of your piano student.
- Play a game of “memory” (turn two cards over at once until a match is found)
- Your student will be making two piles of matched cards; one for “I do this well already.” and one for “I want to work on this.”
- Once a match is found, ask your piano student to evaluate what’s on the card. Is this something he already does well, or is this something he acknowledges that he needs to work on? He places the matched cards in the appropriate pile.
- Have your student continue until all matches have been found and placed in either of the two piles.
Step 2: Self-Reflection and Goal Setting
Turn your attention to the “I do this well already” pile first. Discuss each card and acknowledge the strengths your piano student has chosen for himself, drawing on real examples to illustrate each one. For example “I always enjoy hearing the attention you pay to your dynamics. What piece do you remember as being one where you really paid close attention to this?”
Once you’ve completed the positive self-reflection part of this activity, it’s time to turn your attention to goal setting. Sort through the “I’d like to work on this” pile. Together, choose three of the cards that you think would be most beneficial. Discuss how the two of you will focus on these in the coming months.
Step 3: Now… Document It!
Goal setting is one thing, but holding yourself accountable for the goals you have made is even more powerful.
Have your piano student hold the three goal cards that you’ve chosen together and snap a quick photo. You can then print out the photos and display them in your studio or simply slip them into your student’s piano binder as a continued reminder of this coming term’s goals. It holds both of you accountable for the goals you’ve chosen.
Elaine says
My resolutions are:
– to continue the fun with composition activities, because kids love it (why did I never have a teacher who did this?)
– to try really hard to move parents away from measuring success only by the achievement of grade exams (I’m sure English parents compare notes on these in the playground!)
– to find performance opportunities at least once a month for my students, hopefully embracing your coffee shop gig idea!
Looking forward to reading everyone else’s… Happy New Year to you all!
Sarah says
Hi Elaine-I realise my reply is a year out of date but totally with you on the English parents comparing exam progress in the playground! Lol! I’m intrigued by the coffee shop gig comment-is there a link or can anyone give me some more information on this? Thanks Sarah
Patti says
I am preparing students for the Arizona music exams for the first time this year so there are many goals involved including theory and general knowlege
Karen Hunter says
I’d like to develop more of a relationship with my piano parents. I’m inviting my piano parents into the studio for fun and games (Valentine’s week) for some “I Love Piano” activities. In addition, I plan to have students play their “work-in-progress” recital pieces. Post-performance, I’ll have a chance to talk practice routine and practice goals with the parent, as well as the student. Looking forward to using your Memory Game as lessons resume in the new year! Thank you! Happy 2016!
Kelly Koch says
Karen, I know Teach Piano Today has some amazing Piano Parent ideas.
Abbigail McGhghy says
Two goals- (gotta keep it real and attainable!)
•gain two more students
• plan and implement a summer camp
Jennifer Groover says
My teaching resolutions:
1. Continue incorporating more composing activities into lessons
2. Make time for more off-the-bench activities
3. Create more group activities where students have opportunities to interact, share, and learn with each other; ex: summer music camp and Saturday learning sessions (1-2 per semester)
Love teach piano today and all of the awesome ideas y’all share!
Miriam says
My resolutions are:
-to make piano lessons more engaging for the boys in my studio
-to help them discover an even deeper love for piano and music through ‘family recitals’, games and engaging pieces
Looking forward to a new year – my second year of teaching. Thank you Andrea and Trevor for the practical and accessible tools. They are so very helpful and have helped me so much as I’ve been learning how to teach piano.
Noelle says
I would like to lesson plan better in the new year! That’s my piano resolution.
Karen says
I am looking forward to incorporating more history into my lessons, too and adding some groups classes to my teaching schedule.
Jane says
My resolutions:
– more improvising
– more composing
Your blogs and your materials have helped me a great deal. Wishing you and Trevor a wonderful 2016!
Jackie says
I’m going on mat leave in the spring so my goal is to have the students feeling secure and prepared for a new teacher. I also hope I can find said new teacher and have many of them return in 2017. Would love an article/advice on transitions like this.
Sharon Hale says
My goals:
-weekly lesson planning time keeping the year end goal for each student in mind
-consistent personal practice to keep myself enthused and growing (enthusiasm breeds enthusiasm!)
September says
I have two very different goals; the first is to have my students’ create a repertoire of pieces they can pull from and always have ready for performing. The other, while it may sound counterproductive ( I don’t think it will be though) is to budget my piano teaching time better so I am not pulling time away from my own family. I have noticed this past semester that I am doing this more and more and I believe there is a way to satisfy both responsibilities without taking time away from my children. Thanks for all you do to help with the resources I need to help me get the job done easier!
Joan says
My resolutions:
-More activities geared toward my special needs kiddos
(One size does not fit all!)
-Using your wonderful ideas more & more!
Thank you!
Ellen says
My new year’s resolution is to really focus on my student’s hand position and posture, and come up with some creative ways to make it fun for them instead of nagging. 🙂
Cassie says
I want to incorporate more ear training and improv activities into my lessons.
Julie says
I will set aside time to plan better each week for the lessons. I will try and help my students recognize and accomplish their goals each week, too!
Lisa says
My goal is to become more adept at using technology in my studio. I would like to do more research on aps to use, and record a cd of performances to give each student at year’s end.
Joslyn says
This year I want to incorporate more composing into my my teaching (looking forward to using “The Curious Case of Muttzart and Ratmaninoff”), as well as making lessons more fun and profitable through playing games more often!
Bethany says
I have a few goals for this year:
– Do a major note naming focus right away because I feel like that’s what holds my students back more than anything else
– Incorporate a chording month for learning pop songs, improvising techniques, and learning how to write basic pop music
– Plan for one reward-based incentive per semester
– Look into starting a composition summer camp of sorts
– Hopefully in the fall start my own studio (I go house to house currently)!
Bethany says
Forgot to add – more listening
Teresa says
I saw your comment about note reading. We are in the process of a 60 min. Note reading challenge. I got the idea on Susan Paradis piano blog. I have Level 1 broken into 3 sub levels so there is an A,B, and C. Level 1 students have to identify all notes from Bass C to Treble G is 60 seconds. Level A they get to have all bass clef flash cards together and treble flash cards together. Level B they have to have treble and bass cards mixed, Level C they have to say and play the note on the flashcard. We record how many cards they were able to go through on a large sticky note that has their name and can easily he moved once a level is mastered. Level 2 they have to recite Bass C to Treble High C. Level 3 they have to go from Low Bass G to High Treble G. Etc. it has been a fun way to see their progress on a poster.
Andrea says
Congrats Bethany your comment was randomly chosen as one of our two winner! I’ve just emailed you 🙂
Annaluise says
My goal is to continue inspiring fun and learning. To have a wonderful duet and ensemble recital this spring, as well as increase music history in lessons. Thank you for all you do and share! Happy New Year!
Sarah says
My goals are:
–more composing by students
–goal setting done at the first of the year
–more fun piano activities
–contract with student
–getting my voice studio up and running
Judy says
My goal is to seek ways to strengthen students’ knowledge of note names and location on staff and piano.
Tonya says
My goal is to do more improvising and composing with all of my students. Many of them improvised at our Winter Recital and it was fantastic. I want to see more of that!
Cindy says
My goal is to print out a similar letter as yours for an upbeat 2016 beginning, to be more positive and help my busy high school students find creative ways to fit in their practicing. It has been a rough fall for my students so I am going to try to do a lot of positive encouragement to help things improve.
Karen Warne says
LOVE this! This game solves the problem I’ve been stewing over during winter break! Students making a sensible “piano” goal, documenting it (with pictures!), and revisiting the goal all year! Yay! I’m so excited to do this next week when my students return!
Amy says
My big resolution is to be better at time management. I often have a difficult time incorporating all the elements I need in a lesson because I spend too much time on certain topics. So I would really like to work on that. ☺️
Melinda says
My goals are to start incorporating some rote learning, and to do more composing activities.
Alyssa says
My goals
-more ear training in lessons
-more focus on composition
MelissaB says
I am planning to incorporate more theory (I love it and my students hate it) in fun ways…including games on a more regular/weekly basis!
Brenda Slocum says
I want to offer 2 more performance activities between Jan. & June. Practice incentive….thinking that if the Christmas garland works so beautiful in December….why not in Spring in a different way. I also want to find two new ways to work on note identification.
JAHN Crews says
I guess I missed info re the Christmas Garland. Please share it with me.
thanks & have a great start for spring semester!
Jeannette says
K.I.S.S. Goals this year
discover and try new ways to motivate teenagers to practice.
Beth says
I have two resolutions: 1) to do more off-the-bench activities, and 2) to organize my files by levels and topics so that I will get more use out of them. Thanks Andrea and Trevor for getting me thinking!
Hope Noar says
My resolutions are:
To work harder at motivating my piano students to be excited about the piano and to bring out the best in each student. I will do this by teaching more exciting music, using lots of contests and incentives, teaching them many new things, staying on top of all new songs and concepts, and having a better understanding of their needs and wants. Flexibility is the key! I am also extending all lessons so that I can get everything done.
Cindy Coletti says
I want to incorporate composition in my studio this year. I want to use fun games and ideas to help my students understand this wonderful part of playing the piano. I don’t compose myself, but I know I need to start trying along with them. This is my goal.
(And thank you so much for all of your wonderful ideas!)
Karen says
Thanks for all the teaching tips and games. They are a big help! My goal for next year is to make sure I am teaching the concepts the student needs in an enjoyable way for them, and not allowing the curriculum to dictate what comes next.
Magdalena says
I need to be better prepared for each lesson, each student. One but big one for me 🙂
Gwen says
My goal for the new year is to listen more and talk less! I want to REALLY see and hear what my students are saying, delving deeper into what makes them tick, what motivates them, how they connect to music in their own unique way. Only then can I be more effective in how I teach!
Susan says
My biggest goal for my studio is to find/create more performance opportunities for my students. They love to learn through the games, composing, improvising, and playing but they are shy about sharing their talents with others. Thanks for all the wonderful motivational learning games and ideas as well as the awesome music you send each month!
Roshi says
I want to organise organise more regular group lessons
Advertise lessons in the community and extend my teaching to pre school students.
Sarah F says
My goal is to get some students (just moved and have to start from scratch)! I also want to organize my time better in lessons so we can improve, game, AND work on lesson material!
Heidi N says
My goal is to write more specific lesson plans for each of my students and provide a consistent incentive plan for keyboard skills progress.
Aslinn says
I was just sharing my piano teaching resolutions with my best friend last night! I have actually created goals for the next 3 years, things I want to incorporate into my Studio and teaching. Here are some goals for this year:
-‘Hook’ my students in their first lesson back after break (my goals is ALWAYS to have students smiling and even laughing when they leave lesson; and especially a first lesson after break!)
-Send a ‘welcome back’ letter to parents, outlining accomplishments they can look forward to from their kiddos this year
-Host a casual ‘Dynamic Duos’ event in the Spring (thanks for the idea!!)
-Host Piano Camp this summer! (I’m really excited about this and have already previewed it to parents, and plan to make a special instrument for my students to learn and present at Recital in the winter as a surprise to their families!)
-Finally host a Christmas Recital…I always have winter Recital, but this year we’ll have a Christmas/Seasonal Recital!
-Increase my student population by 6 students
So, those are some goals for this year. I also look forward to when I can subscribe monthly to Piano Club. Thank you for your constant inspiration and generosity. You really have blessed me.
Nancy says
My goal is to learn how to use the apps / software that let kids play along with backing tracks. I’m sure you guys have done a post or podcast about that, so I guess step #1 toward that goal would be to find it!
Thanks again for all you do 🙂
Lynnette says
1. Always have 3 pieces from memory
2. Practice daily
3. Keep my materials organized
These are things I need to work on too! 🙂
Beth T says
I’d like to resolve that I will be less critical of myself & to treat myself with the same kindness that I treat others – too easy to get burned out in this career.
Zelna van Zyl says
I want to spend some time on the bench myself and get my own technical fitness up a notch or two.
Kathleen Gault says
Haha, I read this first as ‘I want to spend some time at the beach…..’
Andrea says
…Don’t we all Kathleen! Freudian slip perhaps 🙂
Michele says
1. Make it through the next semester without the use of drugs or alcohol
2. Stay out of jail for assault on crazy parents
3. Try not to gnaw off my left arm and three right fingers while instructing emotional teenagers.
LOL…. I think these are reasonable goals aren’t they?
Of Course Im joking around but seriously your books and games coupled with the suggestions in the blog for current teaching practices keeps THIS teacher/mentor from being a certifiable crazy-person.
Emily says
1. Explore more method books and variations on teaching to be more well-rounded and able to approach different learning styles with more confidence
2. Help my students set manageable goals and achieve them
3. Ask the studio manager to update our policy so students must be renting or own an instrument at home in order to take more than the 3 free trial lessons (iPads are not acceptable instruments)
Coo Jarvis says
Manage my lesson prep time more effectively so I have more time to practice myself.
Incorporate more games and composition into my lessons.
Continue to study and improve my teaching.
Joyce Hawkins says
My goals for 2016: use the “square” for tuition. Use more games for our One-Minute Club Technique/Theory each lesson. Do bi-annual ensemble recitals (collaborative with flute/violin studios-4 hand 1 piano- 6 hands 1 piano – 4 or 8 hands 2 pianos). Currently I host one ensemble recital a year and it’s the most popular. Finally, do a better job of securing new students that are on my wait list, e.g. Invite to group lessons or recitals do they keep the vision of my studio. Give a piano goody bag to those wait listed students for the end of interview. Thanks to you for all your energy and creativity. I am an older teacher and want to stay fresh, energized, and competitive with a full and happily productive studio. Happy New Year to you.
Bonnie Monk Kraxberger says
I use both the Square and Paypal. Each of them offers the option to send out invoices, and it has greatly improved the chances of getting paid on time, if not early! Totally worth the fee %.