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It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Oh wait….now that Christmas is over isn’t it the most STRESSFUL time of the year? The time when your piano students are supposed to be prepped and ready for spring competitions but they have completely forgotten their music over the holidays. I had a mini-panic attack when I scheduled my spring recital and realized we only have 8 WEEKS to prepare! It’s a little jarring to get a post-holiday wake up call like that.
In an effort to pump up my students for the spring, I came up with a plan to hold a “Piano Studio Olympics”. This experience involves three components.. CHALLENGE, ENCOURAGEMENT, and REWARD. The following is a short summary of each.
CHALLENGE
At first lesson in January, I gave each of my students a PIANO PRACTICE GOLD MEDAL CHALLENGE page. I instructed them to get a timer of some kind and set it for 30 minutes each day. Many of my students estimate their practice time and I want them to be aware of exactly how much they are practicing each day. Every time a student practices for 30 minutes, he or she can check off a box. THIS MUST BE DONE AT HOME. I also get a lot of students who fill in practice time during lessons which most definitely is not an accurate measurement. Students who fill in all of the brown boxes will get a bronze medal at the spring recital. Those who add the grey line will get silver and those who complete the entire page will get gold. I am hoping that this new form of measurement will heighten students’ awareness of how much time they are spending at that piano as well as help them to learn and memorize spring performance pieces.
ENCOURAGEMENT
To encourage students along the way, I have decided to share a story each week about an Olympic athlete who has overcome a challenge and done something awesome. During the first week, I shared the story of Kerri Strug who in 1996 led the women’s gymnastics team to gold-medal victory by landing her last vault on one foot after breaking her leg on her first attempt. Kerri’s story relates to us as piano players because she was willing to sacrifice something of herself for a larger reward. She endured a lot of pain and discomfort for lasting success and joy.
For the second week, we will talk about Michael Phelps and his claim to fame as the most decorated Olympian of all time. Phelps learned to overcome weaknesses and turn them into strengths using swimming as an outlet. He also surrounded himself with people who uplifted and inspired him to become better. In piano, each of us has different strengths and weaknesses. As we find the correct way to channel our attributes, we can find success and flourish.
Over the next four weeks, I will feature other athletes and display pictures in my studio. In our spring recital, these athletes will all be featured together on a display table, reminding my students of the ideas we have discussed.
In addition to discussing one athlete per week, I have invited guest speakers to come to our monthly group lesson and talk to the students about perseverance and how it relates to success.
ENRICHMENT
At one of our piano group lessons, I invited a guest speaker to come talk to the kids about overcoming adversity and succeeding at piano. She talked with my students about how piano has influenced her life for the better and the ways that she uses the gift of music in her daily life. My guest was a teenager in my neighborhood who also teaches piano. Students had a chance to ask questions and pick her brain about how music can help a person to be successful. It was great for them to talk with someone besides me – someone they can look up to in a different way.
To go along with our Michael Phelps week, I included a worksheet that we used during group lesson that includes 28 measures that must be filled in with 28 different rhythms. (because he earned 28 medals in his career!) Each section of four measures should be in a different time signature. This worksheet is effective because it starts with easy time signatures and moves into more difficult. Students of all abilities can work their way through it and stop when it gets too difficult. I allowed students to work together and share ideas. Worksheets are usually designed for the first 15 minutes of group lesson. (If you want access to this worksheet and the rest of my piano olympics resources absolutely free, please join our email list at the top of this post!)
REWARD
When recital day comes, I plan to have a medal ceremony. I found the perfect medals on Amazon, and will award one to each student who earns it. (These are not affiliate links, we just want to help other teachers out!) The theme for this recital is “Time To Shine”. For decorations, I am going to have a few clocks displayed, as well as lots Olympic paraphernalia, pf course!
As a gift for each student, I have a timer to keep track of piano practice in the future. I found just the right timers on Amazon, but you might be able to get them from Oriental Trading or a school supply store.
For treats at this recital we’re having Olympic colored candy rings (also available on Amazon) tied up in baggies. There will probably also be a “torch” of some kind on the table. When you got a theme you gotta run with it..am I right?
So that’s the plan. Nothing too crazy, just thinking outside of the box to give my students some extra motivation and to show them what great things they can accomplish if they just apply a little extra effort! Here’s to the coming Olympiad!!!
If you want all of the Piano Studio Olympic Challenge materials for FREE – just pop your email address into the form below and we’ll send them your way! And feel free to check our selection of piano sheet music for beginning to intermediate students for the perfect leveled approach to teaching and learning piano. Thanks for reading!
Abby Camberlango is a piano teacher in the Boise, ID area. Her extensive classical training, coupled with a degree in elementary education, have uniquely equipped her with the tools to help students of all ages and skill levels love music and thrive at playing the piano. In collaboration with her sister, she has created a system of leveled sheet music to help students progress at their own pace.
Measured Melodies 