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Technique:

     Fist Flower.  Objective: to create muscle differentiation in hands. Procedure:  Relax both hands, then make a fist with one hand while the other remains relaxed.  The relaxed hand and fingers stay TOTALLY relaxed with no muscles moving.  Teacher holds fist hand closed and student tries to ope the fist while remaining relaxed with the other hand.  Daily practice of this helps student play hands together.  Gaye Rumsey-Riggs, OR

      After each hand has been learned, have student play Left Hand while singing the Right Hand part.  This could be performed at any level, even just a few measures. Marilyn Gronahan

      To teach the student to lift from the wrists, draw a ghost on their wrist while fingers are pointing upward.   As they raise their wrist the ghost “grows”.  This is a fun way to keep the student focused.                                      Cheryl Graham, TN

       Scale review: I give students a sheet that included all their scales.  They cut them out and put them in a brown paper bag.  To test themselves, they pull out one at a time and play it.  The can collect in one pile the well played ones and in the other the poorly played ones.  On the scale sheet I add some game-like instructions for more fun i.e.,  PLAY YOUR SCALE AGAIN WITH CLOSED EYES.  PLAY YOUR SCALE STACCATO ( for little ones they get  also a bunny picture). PLAY YOUR SCALE TENUTO ( bear picture). YOU ARE DOING GREAT, YOU DESERVE A TREAT! ( A SMARTY OR RAISINS)  and so on. Endless possibility....                                                                               Susan Pajor, ON

Theory:

    Teach all students to play Happy Birthday in different keys. Anonymous Submission

       When transposing, write the Clef, Key Signature, Time Signature and Bar lines first. This will allow students to ensure that they have enough room on the given staff to complete the transposition. Glory St. Germain, Author of Ultimate Music Theory books, CANADA

When writing music, students often mix up which comes first - the Key Signature or the Time Signature. Remind them that it is in alphabetical order: Clef, Key Signature and Time Signature.  Glory St. Germain, Author of Ultimate Music Theory books, CANADA

Rhythm:

     I wrote various 4-beat rhythms on little colored papers and hid the papers around the room before the students arrived.  When they came each student found one paper and sat in a row so that we could clap the rhythms to make a “song”. Allison Clough

      Have student always tap a difficult rhythm hands together before playing.  This will help with difficult pieces.                        Susan Brown , GA

     Mount cards with various rhythms on the studio door.  Students have to knock the rhythm correctly on the door to enter. Sally Ritchie, WI

Reading & Sight Reading:

     Set a timer for one minute.  Using flash cards say and play the notes.  Try to beat the previous week's score. Deb Meier, IL

Off the Bench Activities:

     I have a large exercise ball in my studio, which is very popular with students who have short attention spans or need to get the wiggles out during a lesson.  If I notice that they need a break, I suggest a "bounce break" for a minute or two, and it works wonders. Sometimes in order to make the most of lesson time they can bounce to a rhythm or I will ask them a question as they bounce, i.e. "What is the dominant in the key of C?" "Which tempo is faster: allegro or andante?"  Some like that challenge while others simply need a short brain rest for a free bounce or roll.     Karen Koch, IL

Groups & Games:

     I like to return after the summer break with  "Back to the Bench" parties at which everyone performs a piece they have learned previously, before moving to activity or game stations to review musical components of reading, taking dictation, improvising, or even composing. I mix ages with the older students acting as mentors to younger ones, which everyone seems to enjoy.  Anonymous Submission

      For beginning students I had a "Summer Fun" camp.  Some of the activities were using sticky dots to write music symbols on and placing them inside sea shells.  Students took turns to pick one and name and explain the symbol.  Also I had a baby swimming pool with plastic fish and sea creatures that had a magnet.  Students used a child's fishing pole to catch one and as they pulled it out they had to name music note, intervals, etc. on flash cards in order to keep the fish.  Snacks were Goldfish.    Barbara Gary, TX

Recitals & Studio Business:

Motivation:

     When assigning a new piece, set a timer for 1minute. Ask the student to point out as many musical “signposts” in the piece that he/she can find. Some possibilities are: treble clef, bass clef, grand staff, time signature with meaning of top and bottom numbers, fermata, any dynamic markings, DC al Fine, etc. If a student chooses to give a note a letter name, I allow one note on the treble clef and one on the bass clef. For the upper theory levels I do one or more of the following: finding and naming chords (written both harmonically and melodically), intervals, and chord progressions such as I V7 I. For every correct answer I give “music money” or credit them with extra minutes on their weekly practice chart. Ruth Snowman, IL

     Download free video game music from the internet to motivate repertoire.  Example:  Google “Final Fantasy video game music”.  If the arrangement is too easy, figure out chords to add. Anonymous 

     The ‘Eyes Up’ Club:  Every time the student plays a piece without looking down at the hands, a star is placed on his personal  Eyes Up chart.  10 start = 1 piano dollar to be spent at the end of the semester in a “goody” store with music games and prizes that are priced for purchase.          Janet Fitts, MO

     Students earn a sticker each week on their bulletin board sticker chart if they have met all requirements of a prepared lesson: 1. Bring all music, especially theory book 2. Complete theory assignment 3. Complete each assigned and/or shows improvement.                               Lavinia Livingston, CA

       My point reward system has been a great success over the years. Parents pay a $30 annual fee, which I use to purchase prizes ranging from $1-5. Students earn points each week by practicing, completing computer and theory assignments, performing for recitals or auditions, etc. At the end of each lesson, they have an opportunity to buy a prize with their points or save their points for later. This system works wonders in motivating my students to practice and pay attention during lessons. Some students even ask me for more homework so that they can earn even more points. Parents of transfer students have commented on a change in their children's behavior; they show more excitement and enthusiasm for piano lessons. Cristina Raslau, WI

Assignments and Practice Strategies: 

Roll dice to see how many times to repeat a difficult spot.    Debbie Moore, CA

We have a “AAA Board” for displaying pieces that can be performed by a student Anytime, Anywhere, for Anyone.  To retain AAA status for a piece, student must be able to play a memorized performance of the piece weeks or months later when asked.  Ruth Smith, IL

At a workshop by Betty Todd Smith titled "You Like to Practice? Why???", she introduced Mr Potato Head as a teaching aid.  Students start with an empty potato, then get to add a piece each time they successfully play the passage in question. So far, Mr. Potato Head has helped us practice tricky passages, drill our note names (for every 2 notes sutdents name, they get to add a piece), and drill interval recognition by hear (every 2 correct intervals they get to add a piece). Mr. Potato Head is also very handy in entertaining waiting siblings!  As described by Jennifer and shared here by Debbie Meier, IL