Piano Practice Incentive - Strive for Five in February!

Piano Practice Incentive

Progress in piano lessons starts and soars with consistent practice.  For this month I'm encouraging students to track their practice on the Strive for Five Post it Note. 

Fun Ways to Get Piano Students Practicing Smarter, Not Harder

To kick off the new year in my piano studio our January group lesson will be centered around effective practice. I've planned some fun activities centered around goal-oriented practice including this adaptation of the Sorry Sliders Game that I've also been using for notereading review.

How to Maximize Learning in Music Lessons

The time at music lessons just seems to fly by each week because time flies when you are having fun!   Following are some ideas and links to resources I shared at the UVMTA Workshop: Spicing up Music Lessons-Using Creative Activities to Maximize Learning  At the end of the post is a youtube video recording of the entire workshop.

7 Principles to Make the Most of Music Lesson Minutes

Powerful Playful Piano Practice Kits

Inspired by this Colourful keys blog post on practice kits I compiled practice kits with a few modifications as a gift for my piano students and it has definitely made practicing sessions with my own children more fun.  The mood cards were definitely a big hit and I love how some students are eager to repeat their songs multiple times in lessons so they can experiment with different moods.
Contents of Practice Pouch
Zootopia Cards (Dollar Tree)
Post-it Notes
Dice
Mood Cards
Candy Pieces
Dry Erase Marker/Eraser
Score Card


As this Ted-ed video suggests, the most effective practice begins with slow repetitions with focused precision to accuracy.  As students practice multiple repetitions while gradually increasing speed the music solidifies under their fingertips.  I was especially inspired by the results of mental practice experiment that suggests the power that practice away from the piano can have.

The various games suggested like "Beat the Dealer" and "Three in A Row" motivate students to really focus on the task at hand while encouraging slow precise practice rather than inefficiently just plodding sloppily over and over through a piece they are trying to learn.

Quest for Virtues Monthly Quotes

I created 12 posters as studio decor to go along with the monthly Piano Quest for Virtues Themes in my Studio last year.  My blog posts have been a bit sparse this year with the stress of relocating,  but I'm excited for fresh start in my Rexburg Piano Studio and an added bonus is I can utilize this program again soon with all new students.  

As I was growing up I like how my dad loved to post inspiring quotes

Will Pay for Practice

This is one of the newest additions to my studio that I found at the local thrift store.  Students earn quarters at their lessons by coming prepared to  pass off 3 songs or keyboard skill levels .  It has been a great motivation for all but the one "jellybean hater" in my studio.  The biggest challenge is keeping the machine stocked!

T.E.A.M. - Collaborative Piano Fun

Our piano quest for virtues this month focuses on cooperation.  The lab setup of my studio makes the perfect setting for students to work together on duets as students come in pairs to lessons.  Fortunately most are sibling pairs who can extend their duet practice time at home to prepare for their upcoming group lesson duet performances.

I love this creative duet by a sibling pair.



I appreciate the synergy that group piano activities provide and love how teamwork can enhance learning.  I typically start each lesson with a fun game or activity.  Sometimes I have to adapt it to meet the varied levels of students.  For example,

Summer Piano Quest Candy Jar Challenge

To kick off summer piano lessons, I am having a summer candy jar challenge in my studio.  As students master skills and pieces they earn the opportunity to enter guesses for the candy jar of their choice filled with different candies.  In addition, everyone who completes the game within a month gets to pick a prize from the prize box.  The skills to advance one square on the game board for each piano challenge they complete are listed below.  Students choose a small sticker and write their accomplishments in the blanks as they work their way through the musical periods.  I chose to keep the tasks quite general so they are adaptable for my preschooler up to my teenage students.

·         Master 1 page repertoire (Notes, Expression, Rhythm, Fingering)

·         Complete Notes in the Fast Lane in 1 minute or less

·         100% Terms & Signs Quiz

·         Clap & Count Rhythm Challenge Sheet Accurately

·         Pass off keyboard skills in a new key

·         Master a Music Ace game during piano lab

·         Sightread 20 consecutive measures without errors

Practice Incentives & Group Piano Parties

Ideally every student would be perfectly motivated to practice consistently for the sheer joy of making music and the intrinsic satisfaction that comes from mastering challenging tasks.  But real life is not this picture perfect.  I use a variety of short term and long term practice incentives throughout their years of music study to recognize and track progress and reward accomplishments.  Some students respond well to checklists, others love positive peer recognition and competition, while some will soar to great heights for a coveted prize basket item or treat.  Following are some of the incentive programs I have enjoyed using with my students to help guide their success in a fun way.

• Piano Olympics 
• Piano Point Challenge
• Pianimation Mission Music
• Pianimation This is Your Brain on Music
• Pianimation Musikopoly
• Monster Candy Guessing Jar
• Piano Ice Cream/Pancake Party
• Mining for Goals
• Practice Tune-up Skills
• Mountains to Climb
• All Star Scales (Students move around the bases as they pass off Scales)
• Piano Quest for Virtues

Thoughtful Preparation in Piano Practice

 This month in my studio "Quest for Virtues" our focus is on thoughtfully preparing before playing pieces or technical exercises.

 

Its not easy for many students to resist the temptation to just jump into a new piece without first preparing mentally.  So each week during lab or lesson time I am challenging them to some preparation tasks that can hopefully pave the way for them to become more fluent at technical skills, sightreading, efficient practice and portraying their pieces more artistically and accurately.

•    Before playing scales, identify the sharps or flats in the key, draw the scale and key signature on the staff and identify the correct fingering for each hand.
•  Analyze a piece by identifying chords (I, IV, V, etc.), phrase endings (wrist float-offs), form, dynamics (color) and the climax of the piece. (See Hand Over the Pencil)
• Imagine your piece is telling a story.  Divide it into sections and add labels that reflect characteristics of each section of the music. (See Practice Strategies)
•   Follow the steps for mental preparation before sightreading a piece (See Developing Super Sightreaders)
  o   Identify key and music symbols 
  o    Look for patterns in rhythm and melody 
  o    Audiate (hear it in your head) the melody of the music before playing 
  o    Ghost play challenging spots.
      

Although thoughtful preparation requires discipline, it saves so much time in the long run as practice becomes more productive and efficient.

Related Post:

Persistence: a Quest for Virtues Month 1

Persistence: Kicking off the Piano Quest for Virtues

 I enjoy the reflective process of setting new years resolutions as the new year begins.  My studio theme for the new year is "A Quest for Virtues"
 

 Each student has a music quest board to chart their progress as they complete tasks related to the monthly virtue.

The four goals for the month that emphasize focused practice on challenging spots in music or a focus on technique include:

• Advance up a level in the 1 minute club challenge by naming and playing all notes on the grand staff in 1 minute or less.
•   Practice festival keyboard skills each day you practice.  Pass off in 1 key with accurate tempo, rhythm, fingering technique and notes.   
•  Achieve 2 goals set by your teacher in Tonic Tutor.
• Complete practice assignments for 20 days this month.

 

Related Posts:
 Quest for Virtues