Maybe you are thinking about teaching piano lessons.  Or maybe you have been teaching piano lessons and you need some empathy.  Either way, we all run into some difficult aspects of teaching piano.

The most difficult part of teaching piano also correlates with the success or failure of the student: getting the student to practice.  

I wish I could buy a magic wand that could enable the student to learn and progress without practicing.  Wouldn’t it be amazing if every week, the student came and learned, then went home, never touched the piano, but came back the next week that much more amazing than the week before?

Sounds absurd for piano, right?  This is the pattern in a lot of other extracurricular activities such as sports.  They aren’t expected to practice much at home because the learning takes place at the lesson.  Not the case with piano.  Most of the mastering of the piano takes place during the practices.

Obviously, practicing is vital to learning and playing the piano.  So how do we overcome this major obstacle in our studios of getting our students to practice?

Rethink your lessons

 

If the student is bored and has been for quite some time, it’s time to start thinking about the why behind that.  They aren’t motivated to practice if they hate it every time they sit down.  Naturally, piano lessons aren’t always going to be rosy.  There will be times when they get in a lull and need to just push through it.  Decide what the case is with your student.

Still, it is worth taking a look at if there are things you can do to adjust your lessons.  Are there ways to put the fire beneath them?  You could motivate them by inspiring them by listening to some amazing music.  Every time I attend or watch a beautiful performance, it makes me want to go home and practice more.

More often than not, a student needs a fresh piece of music that they are really wanting to learn.  It’s amazing what they will do to learn that piece of music.  Practice is no longer an issue!  This is probably the best way to motivate a student to practice.

Try to find as many ways to have the student be intrinsically motivated.  The student can convince them better than anyone else to practice.  Give them all the reasons possible to want to practice on their own.

As you adjust your lessons as needed, there are a few more tricks you could pull out that will really help in getting a student to practice.

 

Make a plan

 

With all of the other things to take up their time, the week can slip by and before they know it, the student is back to the lesson but they haven’t practiced.  Unless piano is intentionally put into the schedule, it may not make it in the schedule at all. They always seem to make it to most of the lessons, but they don’t practice.  Why can they make it to lessons but not to practice?

 

Set a time and a place.

Setting a specific time and a place makes practicing a priority.  If it is on the calendar, it is what is done when that time is at hand.  You don’t have to rethink through every time practice time is there whether or not you should practice right then.  The decision is already made, you have scheduled out that time, and that is what you do: practice.

Students who have school may want to schedule their practice before school in the morning.  The day has just begun and they have a fresh brain and are ready to put in a good practice.

Another strategy is to combine piano practice with a habit that is already in place.  When you brush your teeth, you practice.  Breaking up practice into twice a day is even more beneficial for practice.  A little bit, but more often, makes for the most efficient practicing.  Thus, instead of having to develop a new habit, you take one that is already there and piggy back on it.

 

Put an incentive in place.

 

I feel that you have to be careful with dangling bait before your students.  Take into consideration that some awards have to become bigger and bigger to keep a child motivated if all the motivation is extrinsic.  That is why I choose to have a “Thank You” basket.  I sincerely want to thank my students for practicing.  It makes my job SO much easier when they practice!  The greatest compliment a student can ever give me is to practice.  That’s why I totally want to fill my “Thank You” basket with things that my student will enjoy.

Every day the student keeps a Practice Journal I give them a thank you token.  Those tokens can be traded in for a gift out of my “Thank You” basket.  I like to pick things that the student will sincerely enjoy.  It is filled with things like their favorite drinks, favorite candy bars, a pack of gum, a cute bracelet, a fun toy such as a slinky or rubik’s cube, art supplies, or other knick knacks I keep my eyes out for.  I try and find things on as great of a sale as I can so that I can keep my box filled with good things.

When they do get to pick something out of the “Thank You” box, I actually have a “THANK YOU!” attached to everything in there.  So they can see how much I truly do appreciate their practicing.

 

Have a recital.

 

There is a definitely an incentive to practice more when you know there is a recital coming up.  The parents become more aware of the student’s practicing as well.  Having a performance will ramp up the practices practically without you even having to bat an eye.

 

Try a raffle recital.

I have to share this idea with you that I just love.  Every once in a while, I pull out my raffle recital trick.  I do this with all of my students.  It is a great way to get more practicing in for all of my students.  The other great thing about this is that it is completely spontaneous.  I can do it at anytime without any need for prepping.  That’s my favorite kind of recital.

I tell the kids that it is time for a recital, but this time we are going to have a recital at home.  They get to go home and see just how many people they can play their song for.  Every person that hears their song, signs this page: Performing for Others.  The rules are: it has to be a live performance. No recording.  They can skype people, if the parent is willing to sign for them.  All the performances need to be done by a certain due date.

If possible, it is fun to tell the students where they are at in comparison with each other so that a little friendly competition is underway.  When the due date is over, each signature becomes a point that the students can then raffle off for a desired set of gifts or privileges.

It is so fun to see how many times the kids performed their piece.  It is a low-key way to up practice times for the teachers and a highly motivating opportunity for them to practice.

 

A New Approach

 

Sometimes we just need to sit back and look at practicing with a new approach.  Our goal is to intentionally set up a studio that will lead the student to success and practicing is definitely a part of that!

Good luck to all you teachers out there with this challenging aspect of piano lessons!  Hats off to you for sticking it out!