I desperately want piano parents to take an active and effective role in home practice routines. For this reason, I am on a perpetual search for creative ways to make their participation easy, encouraging and effective.
Finding the perfect solution to parent participation can be challenging. It has to be both easily manageable for busy parents and easily accessible for parents who do not have a strong musical foundation.
Today’s printable satisfies the aforementioned criteria – it is easy to simple to explain, easy for busy parents to implement and, most importantly, effective in encouraging regular piano practice.
Stickers For Parents – A “Practice-Saving” Printable.
The printable we’re sharing today is a set of Piano Parent Practice Stickers that you can print out and send home with the parents of your piano students. The stickers contain funny and encouraging statements that piano parents can use to acknowledge the positive and effective practice habits displayed by their children.
As parents listen to their child practice during the week, they choose a sticker and stick it to the top of the page of music their child played for them. That’s it! It’s simple, yet it gives parents a reason to be present during (at least part of) home practice in an encouraging and fun way.
Piano parents, especially those lacking a solid musical foundation, may not have the proper language and understanding to provide positive feedback during home practice sessions. Our practice stickers give them the ready-made advice they need to help out and be involved at home.
The Piano Parent Practice Stickers also happen to be a great way to monitor home practice… lots of stickers means your students are on a roll… but just one or two… and it might be time to connect with the parents to develop some different strategies.
To use the sticker set, simply print out the label sheet (Avery 5160 template) below and send it home. You can choose to set sticker goals (“Try to collect four labels per piece this week!”) or you can leave it up to individual families to set their own goals.
Print your Piano Parent Practice Labels here.
Why These Stickers Work To Improve Home Piano Practice
Our Piano Parent Practice Stickers give parents a very clear job with easy expectations for participation. And if they forget to participate, their children will be sure to remind them! The stickers also provide “on the page” encouragement to your piano students, reminding them of their parents’ appreciation of their musical efforts.
The bottom line? More piano practice will happen. And when more practice happens, greater progress occurs… resulting in piano lesson happiness and, ultimately, a healthier studio. What a wonderful cycle to encourage!
Inspire Piano Practice With Great Music!
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Judy says
July 28, 2016 at 4:14 amAndrea, that is brilliant! I love to implement simple ideas! The minute I try more in depth ideas, they are in danger of going belly-up!
Andrea says
July 28, 2016 at 8:38 amHi Judy – it’s true. This is foolproof. And the best part is the motivation to ask Mom or Dad to be a part of practice comes from *the child*… difficult to ignore! 🙂
Judy says
July 28, 2016 at 5:04 amAbsolutely Genius! Can hardly wait to print and begin giving out! I may redesign slightly so I can print them on some old, round stickers I have had on hand for several years! Thank you! Thank you!
Andrea says
July 28, 2016 at 8:39 amHi Judy – feel free to make it work for you 🙂 So glad you can use the idea!
Kimberly Wright says
July 28, 2016 at 5:28 amThank you so much!!! So helpful!
Andrea says
July 28, 2016 at 8:41 amYou’re welcome Kimberly! 🙂
Crystal Kerr says
July 28, 2016 at 5:45 amThank you very much for the awesome idea! I will definitely be using this when I start teaching in September!
Andrea says
July 28, 2016 at 8:41 amGreat! Yes – wanted to give teachers the month or so they need to prep all these things for the start of lessons 🙂 Enjoy your summer Crystal!
Jan says
July 28, 2016 at 7:29 amGreat idea! Love this! Thank you so much!
Jennifer Foxx says
July 28, 2016 at 9:08 amWhat a super fun idea! 🙂 And it goes perfectly with our “You’re a Star” program this year. Woot! Woot! Thank you!
Andrea says
July 28, 2016 at 1:49 pmYou’re welcome Jennifer!
Beth says
July 28, 2016 at 9:32 amThese are awesome! Positive encouragement with a little love thrown in. Definitely handing these out to all my parents this fall!
Tyra says
July 28, 2016 at 12:23 pmGreat idea! I have an international student in mind for this. English is still a struggle for parents. Would love to have these stickers in clean, easy-to-read print.
Andrea says
July 28, 2016 at 1:49 pmHi Tyra – feel free to use our “sayings” and your own label template to meet whatever needs you may have 🙂
Janie says
July 28, 2016 at 1:31 pmI. LOVE. THIS! Thank you so much for your sharing your creativity!
Andrea says
July 29, 2016 at 9:14 amGreat Janie! Thanks for reading our blog 🙂
Amelia says
July 28, 2016 at 2:37 pmI have a feeling these stickers are going to work really well 😉 Thank you for sharing this great idea and resource!
Ellen says
July 28, 2016 at 2:49 pmWhat a fantastic idea!!! I can’t wait to go to the office supply store (one of my favorite places) to buy the labels. I really appreciate these simple, easy-to-implement ideas. I’ve started using your post-it note review idea, and it’s a hit! https://www.teachpianotoday.com/2016/06/29/5-ways-piano-teachers-can-use-post-it-for-home-practice-success/ (We call it the weekly “Mystery Piece”.)
Andrea says
July 29, 2016 at 9:33 pmAn excuse to go to the office supply store – I love those too 😉 So glad that the post-it note idea is working for you too Ellen!
Swan says
July 28, 2016 at 3:27 pmLove this! I’m already dreaming up ideas this would work with! Thanks!
Barbara says
July 28, 2016 at 9:51 pmThis is wonderful guys! I need good ways of communicating with parents! While I am at home teaching their children, I always need better ways of communicating to parents. This is very helpful and I would definitely welcome other suggestions for parental communication.
Brian Jenkins says
July 29, 2016 at 4:43 pmGreat printable! I love how it’s a little sneaky. Kids love stickers and if the parents have to listen to their practice to give them out the kids will definitely hound their mom or dad to come listen.
Using them tomorrow!
Nancy Wang says
August 6, 2016 at 3:35 pmThis is a great idea! Thank you so much for your creativity.
Miriam Mweneake says
January 17, 2017 at 5:47 amGreat idea, Andrea – I will start to use them!
I’m wondering, though – what if the students don’t really play the piece will yet?! I would never want to demotivate students, but what if the parents really done feel the piece is played well yet?! Should there be stickers for constructive feedback too?
I’d welcome your thoughts on this one. Thanks!
Miriam Mweneake says
January 17, 2017 at 5:49 amGreat idea, Andrea – I will start to use them!
I’m wondering: Should there also be stickers for constructive feedback? I mean, what if the parents thinks the song really isn’t a “brilliant piece” yet and wants to encourage their child to improve?
Should there be “constructive feedback” stickers too?
I welcome your thoughts!