Motivating Through Goals
How we motivate our students at the Conservatory
If I don’t have a performance goal, I don’t practice the piano. I never have. I have had many colleagues at schools and those I knew in the workplace over the years who have a completely different personality type; they seemed to be able to practice daily just for the love of it. Sadly, I am not one of them… I have always needed a goal to work towards, and the intensity of my practice has always been dictated by the proximity to the performance date, with most of the progress being made in the final week.
So that having said, why do I think my students are any different? That they can show up week after week for their lesson and I expect them to sustain the daily practice without an overarching goal? My 50 years of teaching has taught me that they can’t, especially given the number of competing activities these days.
In piano study the problem is magnified given the solitary nature of the pursuit. Students practice alone at home, then come alone to their private lesson with one teacher, then go home to practice alone. Contrast this with participation on sports teams where all practicing is done in a motivating group format, and we see why keeping students engaged in their private lessons can be challenging.
Many studies have shown that I am not alone. Children and adults alike commonly put out more consistent, focused effort when they are working towards something. Therefore, over the years I have developed a pedagogy philosophy which is centered on goals. My students are always working towards that next goal, whether it be getting a piece ready for the next performance, group class, or masterclass, or whether it’s a technical goal, or theory test goal. Below are some of the “events” which I have systematically instituted in my teaching for many years, and which are now a part of our Conservatory model.
Formal Performing Opportunities
We all enjoy the benefits of students working towards our traditional year-end recital in May (and also our December end-of-semester recital) where we celebrate all the achievements and progress of the previous year: successful competitions, music theory medals, UIL awards, All-Region Choir and Orchestra accomplishments. It’s a great event where we look back on the year in total and rejoice in how far the kids have come. Plus, at the May recitals, we all notice how tall the kids have gotten as well!
For me, however, having just one big year-end recital puts undue pressure on the kids – it’s an all-or-nothing event, and it’s stressful for the parents as well. Since our goal at the Conservatory is to introduce students to the joy of sharing their music with family and friends, having only one chance to do that creates an unfortunate “mega-tension” situation we want to avoid. How many adults say they quit lessons because of a negative experience at one of these year-end recitals when they were growing up?
Rather, at the Conservatory we provide many opportunities for our students to participate in numerous performing events throughout the year, all chosen for their varying level of formality or casualness. These events allow students to participate at their comfort level so that they build up their personal history of success playing in public and develop into confident performers.
Casual Performing Opportunities
We offer 2 Casual Recitals during the year: in the Fall, the Creative Animal Concert, and in the Spring, the “Anything Goes” Concert. While we still expect polished performances and good performance manners, these recitals are a wonderful opportunity for students to play for family and friends in a very relaxed setting. Everyone comes dressed as they are and I make it a point to wear jeans or shorts. One year a new family didn’t get the memo about the casual dress code and came in Sunday dress and I made them change into T-shirts. There are no programs (students get up and announce their own name and piece) and there is no program order (students raise their hand to play when they are ready). It’s been interesting to note how some kids really love to go first before their nerves kick in (student Ben comes to mind), most students want to be in the middle, and some need to wait to the end to be ready. We have had a couple over the years who decided not to play at all and that was absolutely fine! I can’t stress enough how important I think these casual performing opportunities are. Students actually need to “practice performing” and these low-stress events give them just that chance.
Anything Goes Concert
This event is held in the spring the weekend after Spring Break. It helps give a “jump start” to the final push towards the end of the semester. Whether kids go out of town or stay home for spring break, it provides a big incentive to crank up the regular practice again after a nice break.
This concert is especially enjoyable because truly “anything goes.” Some students need to try out competition repertoire for the upcoming Fort Worth Solo Contest, some kids want to play pop music, some play duets with their parents or family members, some play repertoire they’re working on. The wonderful variety all mixed up in one program is great fun.
Creative Animal Concert
As a fun replacement for a Halloween Concert I long ago thought up the fun Creative Animal Concert in October where everyone plays an animal piece and has to do something creative along with playing. It’s amazing that there are “animal-named” pieces even in the advanced piano repertoire! Students can dress up, draw a picture, write a poem, sing, act their animal out, etc. The spark of creativity which develops as students connect with the music from an inner sense of engagement is a most motivating goal for all students. It’s at the core of why we do what we do. During Covid years, students were encouraged to consider using the new technological possibilities to ignite that creative spark, and we were amazed as they figured out how to upload and display a larger-than-life eagle background behind them during their piece or have fluttering “buzzing bees” going back and forth across the zoom screen. Perhaps the most amazing example of creativity was from my student Frederic who edited together scenes from Tom and Jerry cartoons to tell the story of his simultaneous performance of Copland’s advanced “Cat and Mouse.” Have fun watching his performance here:
Repertoire Classes
This past year we have formalized our approach to our piano repertoire classes by offering them once each semester and dividing the kids into Young Beginner, Elementary, Intermediate, and Advanced level groups. What a win-win these classes provide. They give the kids a goal to work towards in preparing one piece, and they foster a sense of group camaraderie which counteracts the solitary nature of private piano study. Kids get to know each other, practice their listening skills, and learn how to offer constructive feedback on others’ playing. Plus, hearing a lot of other repertoire speeds their own learning and they often come to the next private lesson newly energized.
GROUP GOALS
Community Outreach Concert
Each year our students take their music to the community by playing in a recital at a nursing home. Last year, it was in February and all the students made Valentine’s Cards which they then passed out to the residents after the concert. It was delightful to watch the eyes of the residents light up as the kids brought them a card and chatted with them. They were touched that the students would take the time to share their music with them and it was a very heart-warming event.
Summer Flex Session Theme
Each summer, all our Summer Flex students work towards a group goal. Last summer we went “Around the World” as students learned a piece from a special country and then played in that group for our final recital. One summer our theme was “partner up” and everyone prepared an ensemble piece. In the summer of 2020, we celebrated Beethoven’s 250th birth year (1770) by having all Conservatory students learn a piece by him during the summer session which they then played in a Beethoven “Gala Birthday Concert” in September. I grouped my older students into complete sonatinas/sonatas and had them play for each other in joint zoom lessons to hear the whole “work.” Having a group project and spirit provided a meaningful sense of a common goal for the students. We ran two competitions as well to support the project (suggested by my Conservatory teachers!): we had a concert poster contest for who could design the best advertising flyer, and a contest of “10 fun facts” about Beethoven. Students then voted during the first week of the fall semester on the winners who received a gift certificate. Never underestimate the motivation of group fellowship in achieving a common goal!
Christmas Carol Contest
Kids love Christmas carols, and we capitalize on this by having a contest! Whoever learns 10 Christmas carols from November 1st until our December Open House gets a $5 Melt Ice Cream Gift Certificate! Becoming a fluent music reader is one of the key ingredients in motivating kids to stick with music study, and playing lots of familiar carols is a fun and successful way to become a better reader!
A COMPREHENSIVE GOAL
The Fort Worth Conservatory of Music is a Participating School in the Royal Conservatory of Music Certificate Program. As a premier music education institution, the RCM exemplifies our commitment to providing a comprehensive music education to all of our Conservatory students, turning them into literate musicians who can enjoy a lifetime of music making. The Conservatory is privileged to be an official testing center as well, and each June a highly-trained adjudicator from the College of Examiners is sent to hear our students play their comprehensive exam. This includes their three pieces, etudes, technique, ear training, and sightreading. I, myself, am a member of this distinguished group of examiners (350 in all!) and I can tell you that the training to become an adjudicator was rigorous and often humbling.
While my students don’t necessarily do an exam every year, I find that if I get them involved with the Program at some level we all quickly realize that there is a certain magic that happens. The spurt in growth from doing an exam is often greater than the sum of the parts! Likewise, my experience is that even for us long-time teachers it is tricky to keep all facets of our students’ development at the same level – some are naturally better readers, some have technical difficulties, some want to play by ear and “guess” at note names. Having a comprehensive exam goal where students and I myself are accountable for all areas such as repertoire, technique, ear, and sightreading provides the needed structure and motivation for superb progress!
With our wealth of performing opportunities at the Conservatory it is remarkably easy to “season” all of the pieces and etudes necessary for an RCM exam. Students can get one piece ready at the Animal Concert, another for the December recital, another for the final May recital. Pieces can be tried out in informal repertoire classes so students are then confident performers when everything is brought together for an RCM exam in June. It’s a beautiful system which gives kids the best chance of demonstrating growth and progress, and in the end it is this progress which is the great motivator!
We piano teachers are in a strategic position to make a profound difference in our students’ lives. The weekly interaction as we come alongside our precious students can reap rewards of personal and musical joy for a lifetime. I can’t think of anything more fulfilling I have experienced in my 50+ years of teaching than watching a student in my studio grow from a 2nd-grade beginner to a competent and thriving 12th grader ready to launch out on their own to college. It is the goals I have set before them that has made the difference in their motivation level and resulting progress. The only other ingredient needed has been YOU, the parent, encouraging them to participate in every event we offer here at the Conservatory.