Ending the Summer Term on a Good 'Note'

This past Saturday, as a final summer activity, I took 5 of my available students to a local nursing home for a mini-recital. They each played between 2-4 pieces. We picked a variety of solo pieces, duets with the teacher, and even had two siblings play a round together! What fun!

After the performance, I played some music while the students made cards to hand out to the residents, thanking them for listening to the performance. I even got a card as well! ;)

This was our first trip as a studio, and I'm looking forward to making it a regular activity in the upcoming terms.

(the clearer pictures are thanks to a parent- my own pictures turned out rather dim and blurry as you can see at the end of this set of pictures)

The Great Music Race is Over!

The past 10 weeks have completely flown by. Summer is fast coming to a close and schools are starting back up here in Maryland in just one week!

My summer teaching term ended this past week, and I'm looking forward to a 2-week break from teaching before starting the fall term. While summer is always hit-or-miss with regards to consistency with my students, I was really happy to see the majority of my students show discipline and effort with practice over the summer term, as is shown by the distance many of them were able to travel on our studio racetrack. There were a few students who cut out mid-term, but those students who decided to participate in the contest and stuck it out to the end did a pretty good job staying consistent for the 8 weeks they took lessons over the term.

There are also quite a few flags decorating our racetrack, showing the memorization efforts put forth by my students as well. It was a great term, and while I'm looking forward to a break and vacation, my mind is already full of ideas for the fall practice contest!

Letting Go...Moving On

It's the middle of July, which means that I am starting to think about the fall term. I've already had several families inquire about fall lessons, so I've spent some time this week thinking about the fall calendar, picking a recital date, creating the registration form...and deciding to let some students go.

I've previously posted about my thoughts on letting students go and how this doesn't mean you've failed as a teacher. That realization has been so healing for me. I've come to discover that knowing when to let go is actually a sign of respect, both for the student and for yourself.

That being said, I made the decision this week to finally let go of a family whose respect toward my time and resources has been nonexistent. I'd been trying so hard to just make the best of it, but it only resulted in mounting stress from one term to the next. I've finally come to the decision that the best scenario for all parties involved is to let them go. As I made the decision, a HUGE weight felt like it had been lifted off my shoulders. There's something so freeing about realizing that as a teacher you have an option, you're not just stuck with what you get! There's no rule that says we as teachers have to put up with a lack of respect, and it's not being respectful of myself when I let other people treat me that way.

It's taken me awhile to embrace this mentality and feel comfortable with the idea, but now that I've accepted it my entire approach toward teaching has changed. I feel so much more positive about lessons! I'm really hoping that this decision will help foster a better perspective toward lessons as the fall term gets closer.

Have you ever had a family who showed little or no respect toward you as a teacher or as a person? Did you feel guilt over getting rid of them? What helped you to step up and decide to respect yourself and your rights as a teacher?

A Little Summer Metronome Project

Sometimes students can have a hard time grasping the concept of playing with a metronome. As someone who has played the piano for years playing (and staying) with the metronome seems easy, but for beginning students it can be hard enough to just try and coordinate their fingers!

That's why I came up with this simple metronome log that I'll be using with some of my students over the remainder of the summer. The concept is very simple. Each week they pick a favorite piece to review using the metronome. The piece is already semi-familiar, so we can really focus on helping them learn how to stay with the metronome.

  

 

What kind of ideas have you come up with for students who may have had some trouble learning how to effectively use the metronome? I'd love to hear your ideas!

5 Truths for Successful, Joyful Teaching

1. Being a successful teacher does NOT mean never losing a student: No matter whose choice it is (parent, teacher, student) to forgo lessons, this is not a sign of failure! Personalities don't always mesh, expectations may differ, other interests may take precedence...NO business has success 100% of the time. Why should I expect that of myself?
2. A change of approach doesn't equal failure or lack of competence in planning. How many of us stick with even our daily schedules!? Things crop up, plans change, the unexpected happens...As a teacher the key is to be flexible, creative and roll with the punches. Successful teachers keep an open perspective and are willing to be flexible.
3. A bad lesson should not be taken personally. How many times have I allowed my frustrations on a personal level impact the way I interact with others? Just because a student has an 'off' week doesn't mean that it's my fault! Successful teachers take both the good and the bad and see them for what they are.
4. I am a teacher, not a mother. My role is limited. My goal is to instruct. I can instruct until I am blue in the face, but there are certain things that, as a teacher, I have no control over. Successful teachers realize their limitations, but capitalize on what they CAN do.
5. Teaching should be about my love of music: It's easy to sometimes forget that initial motivation in the hectic stress of weekly lessons, but it's important to keep in mind the WHY. Otherwise, teaching becomes rote- not about ministering to others through music. Successful teachers ALWAYS keep the why in mind.

I tend to take myself WAY to seriously. Over-analysis is part of my personality. So is worrying. It can be so hard to just let things go instead of agonizing over what I should have done or should have said. I've been struggling with this a lot lately, and feeling pretty burnt out as a teacher. That's where this post comes from. God's been reminding me in little ways of the fact that I've been trying too hard to control my life and my studio and that I just need to let go and let Him have control.

I hope that this list is encouraging to other teachers out there who might be experiencing similar feelings of frustration. Please feel free to comment and add to my list!

The Race is On!

After 2 weeks of summer lessons, I thought I'd share a shot of our music racetrack. Unfortunately, the second week of summer was the week that almost half of my studio went on vacation, so a lot of the racecars are still down at the starting line, and the race is still missing a few students, but you can see that there are a few who have entered the race.

I've also had several students who have already shown the initiative to memorize some of their music, which is what the checkered flags in the middle of the racetrack are for.

We're off to a pretty good start, but I'm hoping that this week will see more cars up and in the race!

A Reason to Celebrate

I don't think there's any magic formula for teaching students how to practice. Wouldn't it be nice if that existed?! Or if students could somehow be programmed into becoming good practicers?

It's a constant struggle for me to impart good practice techniques and habits to my students and find ways to make sure that they sink in. And despite my best efforts, I feel like I'm often offering the same suggestions and advice over and over.

Once in a while, however, I find that some of what I've said has actually stuck! Those are the times I celebrate.

Yesterday, one of my students and I were discussing the need to make sure the details were part of the music; things like the dynamics and an idea of the mood and suggested speed.

That's when he turned to me and said:

"Yeah, I was practicing this week and I was really having a hard time with this piece. Then I looked at the tempo and realized that I was trying to play it too fast. I slowed it down and I thought it made a big difference. Then I was playing it this morning and I think it was one of the best times I'd ever played it."

There it was! From his own mouth, completely unsolicited by me! He'd taken the initiative at home to pay attention, and found out all on his own that those details do make a big difference! Definitely a moment to celebrate. I especially love it when my students make these kind of discoveries all on their own rather than through my constant nagging. 

Have you had any reasons to celebrate in your studio recently?