What Motivates My Students and Makes My
Studio Unique
Presentation at TMTA Convention—June 19, 2016
Debra Hadfield, NCTM
If
you want YOUR studio to be unique, use YOUR ideas. When I encounter a common
challenge with some of my students, I think, how could I fix this? When I get
an idea, sometimes I ask some of my students—with great enthusiasm—if they
think it will work. Then we try it. Because I ask the students for input, they
become part of the plan.
I
will share with you six ideas that have worked well for me.
First idea: I want both parents and students
to know, that although the entire family will be involved in studio activities,
the lessons are about the STUDENTS. So prior to the first lesson, I tell the
parents that I know this will be a challenge, but please, let the STUDENTS
answer ALL questions, unless I directly ask the parents.
Second idea: I stress organization, so
at the first lesson, the child receives a box—not for storing EVERYTHING, but only
for what pertains to their music instruction currently. I buy the boxes at The
Container Store and sew a grosgrain belt ribbon to the box for a handle.
Third idea: I put a calendar up of the entire year, where it is seen as you walk into my home, even though the Studio Calendar is on my website and each parent has a printed copy. Parents take pictures of this calendar with their phones.
Fourth idea: During the summer, even though my students go on vacations, they find time to get ready for our Fabulous Fall Showcases, which are casual recitals, held the first week of October so everyone has time, even after school starts, to participate. In May, at the last lesson, I give students a handout with all the activities they can do to earn points towards gold, silver, or bronze neck medals that they may receive at the Showcases. Activities for points include nd friends what they have
accomplished; they then play one of their memorized festival pieces. To prepare
students to speak loudly and clearly, we practice my favorite tongue twister,
very loudly, enunciating clearly. I have races with the students, and so far,
I’m the best! “A skunk sat on a country
stump. The stump said the skunk stunk, the skunk said the stump stunk. Who
stunk?” While practicing their individual
speeches, students speak slowly so everyone will understand.
Fifth idea: This activity to motivate
students to practice worked better than I ever expected. As you walk in the
door of my home studio, a tall bear carved from a tree greets you. I hung a sign on his neck: Practice—make a
winter wonderland! In the entrance, above a long wall shelf, I hung a white
snowflake, and set a white snowman on the shelf. He was naked and cold—and
featureless—no eyes, no hat. On the shelf, I set a row of Olafs that I
purchased at a great discount after Christmas and five Svens—the reindeer from
the movie Frozen. This was a six-week program. The first three weeks, each week
a student practiced five hours, they could bring a small item to be glued on
the snowflake. The next three weeks they could dress the snowman. I provided
the items for the snowman. The five students practicing the most hours received
a Sven, and everyone practicing five hours or more a week received an Olaf.
Even my students in high school eagerly participated. The names of the winners
were framed and set next to the fully-dressed snowman.
Sixth idea: This one REALLY worked! I
was frustrated that so many of my students were not counting correctly or
clearly, or staying with a metronome. I told one young student, “What I need is
a Super-Duper Contraption that you could enter and come out as a Robot-Counting
Piano Player. Maybe I’ll build one. If I built one, would you be willing to
step into it?” My student said, “Yes!”, so I built the world’s first Super-Duper
Contraption for Creating Robot Counting Piano Players, and introduced it at my
studio piano camps this month. For piano camp, the students come one hour a day
for three days, by grade level. I thought I’d use it with kindergarteners
through fourth graders, but EVERYONE in the older grades wanted to try it. And
it WORKED—with every student!— which says more about the good, cooperative
nature of my students, than about this invention. Before students took turns in
the machine, we participated in rhythm activities appropriate for their various
grade levels—but that would be another presentation. Sherry Frush told me she
has the courage to demonstrate the contraption, so Sherry, first you choose
whether you will count eighths or sixteenths—half notes and quarter notes are
not an option for a teacher.
Now,
while Sherry is letting the contraption do its work, let’s practice what Sherry
is expected to do when she steps out. With my students, I used a metronome, but you are teachers and can keep a
steady beat. Remember, the goal is to count loudly, like robots.
Sherry,
let’s see if the machine has done its job. (Sherry counts and claps loudly,
like a robot.)
Closing: When I was twenty years old, a
speaker at a conference said something that has had a tremendous impact on my
life. Let me close with this: “If you have an idea, and you believe in it,
don’t let ANYONE tell you it can’t be done. If it can’t be done, you’ll find
out soon enough, and if it CAN be done, you’ll find a way to do it!
