Motivating students can be difficult sometimes. I find that a couple of things I do consistently in my studio help my student
s to stay motivated. (That means I don’t have to be a nag about practicing!)
To motivate students:
1. Be encouraging.
Students of all ages benefit from encouragement. Use a positive, uplifting tone to encourage students. Sometimes you might even have to fake it, but continual, positive encouragement will benefit your students.
2. Set small, specific goals with students.
Have you ever felt overwhelmed and just given up? Students feel the same way with learning new pieces. Set very small goals for students each week when tackling a new, challenging piece. While learning, polishing, or memorizing a piece, I always set small goals with students each week. Two months later they will be playing a piece that they thought impossible!
3. Troubleshoot.
It’s okay to tell students when there is a problem. Let students know that there is a problem, but also tell them how the two of you will fix it. I have a student right now who is struggling with tension in her wrists. It developed within the last year after a few years of playing. She is disappointed about it, but I’ve been very clear with her how I plan to fix it with her. It put her at ease almost immediately. Students need to know that problems can be solved.
4. Add color.
My students love all of the tools I use while teaching. I have stickers galore. I’m always finding ways to use stickers! I also use different colors when writing assignments and when making notes in their music. It adds variety week to week.
Here are some of my favorite tools:
5. SMILE!
Smile in every lesson with every student and see how it changes your relationship with students. They will feel good about themselves, and they will enjoy coming to their lessons!
Lauren teaches piano to students of all ages in New Orleans, LA. Teaching is her passion. She enjoys creating resources for her students and is the author of Ready for Theory®.
