End-of-year piano recitals rarely happen at the end of the year. Because teachers have to work around student schedules and venue availabilities, it is very likely that your final recitals take place two, three, or even four weeks before lessons finish.
When this happens, teachers are left with some awkward weeks before summer begins. Too often, home piano practice is abandoned.
This is a horrible time for kids to stop playing music.
As summer approaches, teachers are desperately trying to re-register students. If parents see a piano that is ignored daily, they may question another year of lessons.
So, naturally, your goal for the last few weeks of lessons is to motivate students to practice piano more than ever before.
To make this happen, you should finish your year with the Sticker Dots Piano Project: a low-prep activity that encourages daily practice as the end of the year approaches.
The Sticker Dots Piano Project
The Sticker Dots Piano Project has 3 main goals: 1. To keep kids practicing during the last few weeks of lessons, 2. To prepare kids for summer piano practice, and 3. To give piano teachers insight into their kids’ musical preferences.
While the word “project” makes this activity sound like a lot of work, setting it up is as simple as buying dot stickers from a store like Staples and then printing off the assignment at the bottom of today’s post.
How It Works
The Sticker Dots Piano Project encourages your students to review all of the piano pieces that they have learned this year.
As the end of the year approaches, give your piano students the printable at the end of this post and a pack of dot stickers that includes 2 yellow stickers, 2 blue stickers, 1 green sticker, and 1 red sticker.
Ask your students to play through all of the piano pieces that they have learned this year. This does not have to happen over a single week. Instead, give your students two to three weeks to work their way through their music.
As your students work through their music, they should place colored stickers on 6 different piano pieces according to the following criteria (note: the printable at the bottom of this post can be used to remind your students of the criteria):
- Yellow Stickers (2 stickers on 2 pieces): These pieces still need practice. I will perfect them over the summer.
- Green Sticker (1 sticker on 1 piece): This will be my summer performance piece. I will play it for family and friends.
- Blue Stickers (2 stickers on 2 pieces): Next year, I want my teacher to find me more music that sounds like this.
- Red Sticker (1 sticker on 1 piece): This was not my favorite piano piece.
When your piano students have completed this activity, take time to review their selections. The six pieces they have selected will set up their summer practice, give you insight into their learning and, hopefully, help you make decisions about the music they play in the future.
Click on the image below to download the Sticker Dots Piano Project printable.
Don’t Let Your Students Leave Without…
This summer, don’t let your piano students leave without a piano student workbook!
Two months off can wreak havoc on a student’s learning. While kids don’t have to be saddled with crazy amounts of music, this summer they should spend at least 10 minutes a day keeping their skills sharp.
Andrea And Trevor Dow’s Piano Student Workbooks provide your students with the short, focused exercises they need to ensure they don’t lose ground this summer.
From note printing to timed tests to technical exercises, we have something for all of your students.
Click on a cover or link below to find the perfect piano student workbook for your kids.
1. Andrea And Trevor Dow’s Timed Note Reading Tests For Piano
“I have personally taught over 10,000 individual lessons from beginners to advanced students and this single resource is a game-changer to help everyone quickly grasp the complexities of staff reading.” ~Amazon Review
2. Andrea And Trevor Dow’s Technical Exercises For Note Reading Success
“This book is a game-changer for piano teachers. It is not just full of technical exercises, but it has carefully sequenced note reading exercises designed to boost students’ confidence in music literacy. Self-motivating check-off pages and bonus activities throughout the book make this not only helpful for teachers but fun for students.” ~Amazon Review
I love this! Such an unique approach to review their pieces, and encourage practice!
So glad you’ll find it helpful! 🙂
Thank you for this! Great way to end the teaching year!
So thankful to find this resource! Thank you!