After teaching my first 3 lessons....

[pizno]

I am definitely in the process of trying to figure this all out.  I have just 3 students, and another starting this week.  I gave them each their 3rd lesson today.  One of them practices, is prepared, is proud of her work, is encouraged by her mother, and is smart.  The other two(sisters) seem to have a very laid back approach.  It's called not practicing.  So, what do you do?  With the younger one, I bent over backwards making sure she knew I wasn't mad at her, and just reviewed all the stuff we'd already done.  I gave her strokes and teased her about 'practicing when no one was looking'.  I realize this could backfire, as she will think it will all be fun and games even if she doesn't practice.  Her sister, who is 13, only practiced the hardest thing I gave her, a tiny bit.  I realized right away it was going to be hard for her, and we spent 20 minutes trying to get her to read the notes.  We went back to flash cards, and she actually did OK on them.  She didn't do any of the things that would have helped in with reading, familiarity at the keyboard, etc.....  How do all you teachers cope with this??

Pizno

[jpianoflorida]

welcome to the world of a piano teacher!  you do the best you can!   you can't make them practice, you can only encourage! parents must get involved to be sure they practice..then there's another story---the parents have to care if they practice or not.    Keep after them, always ask if they have practiced....I use an assignment sheet--they give it to me when they walk in...they have to record their practice time so if it is blank then i can say "did you not practice or just didn't fill in your times?"    Bottom line, try and try and try different things...if they never practice your only choice is to stop teaching them...personally i won't kick someone out for not practicing. As long as the parent knows what's going on, I make it their choice to discontinue lessons.

[hyrst]

Remind them that practicing makes all the difference in the wolrd to their progress - and let the parents know.  Ask them what facilities and plans they have for practicing.  Help the older students plan their practice for the week - what particular thing do they need to work on?  (Very often it is not what you want them to work on, but it all balances out in the end - and if they have chosen a realistic task themselves, they will be more motivated to achieve the goal.)  How many times should they play it, or until they have managed to do what?  Write out a table that they can tick off every day when they have completed the task.  Give stickers, merits, or some token when they have evidence of achieving the pratice goals (usually you can tell by their playing, unless you get parents to sign off the schedule as well).  The worst thing for motivation is to have no specific goal with practice - setting 15 minutes practice, or whatever, leaves them aimless and bored.  Set a target that they can know if they have achieved it. 

Once you have done all you can do in the lessons, and communicated the need to parents and students, you have to leave it to them.  Maybe they will 'grow' into it - as they start to find the music more satisfying.  Maybe thye never will and they will just quit one day - at the moment, you have no control over that and you need the students and the experience.  However frustrating it is, you can't do more than you can do - it is not your responsibility to 'make' them practice - they must choose to.  Your job is to do the best yo ucan with what they present to you during a lesson - especially at this point in time.  Besides, it has only been 3 lessons. 

Don't exhaust yourself worrying about things you don't have power over.  Be systematic in planning and rewarding practice - but don't put the energy into trying to make it happen when you can't!  They will still be learning from you.  But don't alter your communciation that you expect them to practice.  Reminders are good for us all - and sometimes they eventually sink in.

Good luck
Annah 

[sarahlein]

So, what do you do? ....How do all you teachers cope with this??

everyday lessons!!

[pizno]

Thanks for your responses!  In reading them, I realize that perhaps I haven't given enough guidance about practicing.  I spend a lot of time writing down what to practice, but not how to practice.  Yesterday I did tell my 13 year old to practice a small section 5 times until she got it perfectly, then move on.  I don't believe in giving a certain amount of time.  It worries me that these 2 students aren't practicing right from the beginning.  Also, they don't seem to look at their assignment notebook.  'Oh, I forgot that' seems like a silly excuse when it is written right there.
It's time for me to get stickers and a chart to record their daily work. 

Pizno

[jpianoflorida]

have the parents sign the assigment sheet!  then you can be sure they are involved...now, getting the parents to do that...hmnn...well, good luck! my good students do, and the others, well.....what can you do!

[penguinlover]

I have rewarded them according to their practice sheet.  You could give greater rewards for more practice time.  Lately, I have been working on pieces new to me.  Each week I play a section to my students so they can actually hear the difference each week that practice makes.  It keeps me accountable somewhat, and encourages them.  I actually do a little practice right before their eyes, so they see me practice.  I try to be at the piano practicing when they arrive so they get the idea.  It seems to have helped.  At least they know that even teachers have to practice.  I make mistakes  (not on purpose) but that shows them the necessity for practice.

[chocolatedog]

I just 'sacked' one of my pupils at the school where I teach part-time (well the Head of the Music department sacked her, actually, but I was very relieved!!!! ) She'd only turned up for one lesson out of 7, told me she was giving up and her mother had written to the school. Mother had done no such thing and wanted her to continue. The Music Dept secretary rang mother who said she wanted her daughter to continue, but she couldn't practise as they didn't have a piano but it didn't matter really, did it? So the secretary said yes it did as how was she going to be able to practise? Mother said, well I want piano to be fun for her and practising wasn't really fun now, was it........  (Good job I didn't speak to mother myself - I'd have probably said some very unprofessional things......!!!  )

[gonzalo]

I am definitely in the process of trying to figure this all out.  I have just 3 students, and another starting this week.  I gave them each their 3rd lesson today.  One of them practices, is prepared, is proud of her work, is encouraged by her mother, and is smart.  The other two(sisters) seem to have a very laid back approach.  It's called not practicing.  So, what do you do?  With the younger one, I bent over backwards making sure she knew I wasn't mad at her, and just reviewed all the stuff we'd already done.  I gave her strokes and teased her about 'practicing when no one was looking'.  I realize this could backfire, as she will think it will all be fun and games even if she doesn't practice.  Her sister, who is 13, only practiced the hardest thing I gave her, a tiny bit.  I realized right away it was going to be hard for her, and we spent 20 minutes trying to get her to read the notes.  We went back to flash cards, and she actually did OK on them.  She didn't do any of the things that would have helped in with reading, familiarity at the keyboard, etc.....  How do all you teachers cope with this??

Pizno

Here:

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2273.msg19432.html#msg19432
(what to do when a student has not practised)

Take care,
Gonzalo

[eastcountypiano]

It's only been 3 lessons but this happens times to times. Sometimes, students really don't have time to practice.  The parents are not involved or they had extra school work, or out of town visitors, the list goes on.  I let them know right up front that I know they haven't practiced, they need to know that you know they didn't practice .  I am very gentle and ask, "You are having trouble playing today, did you get a chance to practice?"  Of course they say no and then I ask why.  Not only does it give me an insight into how their parents are involved, it also lets me know more about the student.  It also lets them what I expect out of them.  We then practice what they should have practiced at home, I sit with them and watch them play so I can see if they are reading the notes, if maybe they didn't understand something the week before.  I go over HOW to practice.  AND I do not give them a sticker for that week.  I am always surprised how important stickers are to students up to the age of about 10. 

I had one boy that consistently did not practice.  He would start playing and then I would say, "You didn't practice much this week?"  He would give me a reluctant, "No."  He was older, this was becoming a habit and  I needed something more extreme.  Out loud I said, "Hmmm, I figured since you didn't practice at home, you will practice here, I want you to play the song 10 times in a row. "  He was shocked but began playing. As he played, I would clean up the studio.  The trick is to not sit there and watch them practice, but listen to them practice and let them know you are listening while doing something else.  Every now and then I would said, "7 more times to go."   Before he left, I said to him, "Remember practice at home, or we spend the lesson practicing here."  The following week, he proudly announced he had practiced. 

Also, don't forget sometimes not practicing can be a sign that the student is getting frustrated or bored.  You got to make sure they know their notes or they won't play.  Also, a great way to get them going is to let them play Old MacDonald or Twinkle Twinkle.  I guarantee they will come back the following week, knowing that song.

P.S.  While your doing the flash cards, do them once visually, then the next time, have the student look at the flash card and play the note.  Otherwise they will memorize the card but not where the note is located on the piano.

[pizno]

I am taking your ideas to heart.  I especially like the idea of practicing in front of them, sharing how I approach a new piece and what techniques I use.  I also like (I think from Penguinlover) the idea of making them practice right in front of me - in fact, this gives them ideas for practice on their own.  Also, I use a stop watch to see how fast they can find notes and intervals - this could get pretty darned annoying to them if they really don't improve from week to week.  I think what I will do next week with them is start with the thing I am pretty sure they didn't practice, to let them know that this is really important and I'm not going to let it go until they practice it!  I will also start them with flashcards - no getting off the hook with me.  All with a big smile and plenty of laughs, of course!
 
Piz

[penguinlover]

Yeah, I 'm big on fun, hugs, and encouragement (even when they haven't practiced).