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Robin Keehn, Washington

Hi Kylie,

I think that the short answer is when you get tired of having issues with your students. I was totally request based my first year and a half of teaching. Students came unprepared, hadn’t watched the video, didn’t have a playlist complete, sometimes watched the video ahead of me and didn’t pay on time. I’m not saying that was across my studio but it was pretty pervasive. It finally got to the point that it didn’t work for me. Every week I was dreading some class and every week I was being challenged by students. I finally got tired and started to grasp the concept of requirement.

A requirement isn’t anything negative. It is simply what needs to be in order to get something you want. For example, (from Neil), if I ask you to walk through the door but you cannot turn the knob, will it work? No, going through the door requires that you turn the knob. There is nothing mean or difficult about what the door requires, it simply requires turning the knob. You probably require that your child goes to school dressed. No emotions are tied to that require. It just is required (and you can think of many other things that are required to navigate life).

In my studio, with my students, I have a number of requirements. They are there because they make things work. I really want to love what I am doing and I don’t want weekly challenges (battles) with students. I don’t want to have to have repeated conversations about why they aren’t practicing or watching the student video. I don’t want to spend my time doing that, so I simply require (without emotion) things. I let people know at the FIS there are requirements. They include having a coach come and participate weekly, watching the video, paying via autopay (I have a large studio with music and dance), the two month minimum enrollment and withdrawals in writing, etc…

Once students are enrolled, in my Foundation Session I talk about the roles and goals. I let them know they will be required to keep a playlist, watch the video, practice most days of the week, not go ahead on the video, take notes exactly as I specify in class.

When we really get going, opportunities come up to expand on this. For instance, I had two adults in a shared lesson. When we got to Bishop Street Blues, I demonstrated it and then one of the students immediately sat down and played it. I said, “Oh, so you must have watched the video. Was there a reason why you did that?” She said, pointing to the other student, “Because I wanted to be ahead of her.” I said, “Well, you know you have put yourself at a disadvantage because you learned it incorrectly and it is what I am teaching today. You’ve put Marcy in an uncomfortable spot, as well. I want to know if you are coachable. As we agreed at the beginning, you are not to go ahead on the video. I want to know if you will agree to that. If you cannot, if you will not, it is no problem whatsoever. I just won’t be able to have you as a student.” I was very calm when I said this, no emotion because I have learned that requirements make my life happy and easy and I don’t want students who are not coachable. I am not attached to the outcome. She can stay if she is coachable, she will go if not. Either is fine.

So, Kylie, I am completely committed to my requirements. I am not emotional, I am not attached and I am 100% happy teaching every student I have because we have put all the tests and challenges behind and they are becoming amazing pianists and that is my goal. I don’t want to spend my time doing anything but teaching and that is exactly what I get to do! Let me know if you have questions or want to talk about it more.

Kylie S., Australia

Hi Joan – I appreciate your question, and as a parent of 4 young boys, it is so similar to consequences at home, and as a parent, do I “follow through”. If not, my consequences are useless  I hear your question – my thought is – I’d like a consequences for something like, not bringing your playlist or completing it properly, that didn’t end in “I cannot teach you anymore”, but was something a little less final, but a consequence that they felt nevertheless.

Sometimes I think this is where some fun incentives may be helpful for some students. Whether you believe in incentives or not is another thing, but they can add some fun to the studio, and kids are often very motivated by them. Great if helping them work their way through a valley or trying to remember something to do that they often forget (i.e. bringing a playlist).

Leeanne I.

I personally do not offer incentives to my students, I don’t want to set a precedent where they expect to be rewarded for doing what I require.  My requirements are clearly stated in my studio policies which are handed out at the FIS.

The first question I ask at every class is “How did your practice go this week and did you have any problems?” My students are very honest with me if they miss days of practice, as they do not get punished or rewarded by me either way. They know that the reward for their practice is being able to play better than if they don’t practice.

An example: I have a 6 year old student with no previous experience. At lesson no 4 she admitted that she had not practiced. She still could not play Dreams Come True hands together, and admitted she was a bit scared. We had the conversation with mum present that the real learning happens at home. I had my student make the special double high five promise (thanks Lyndel Kennedy!) that she would practice every day this week.

At lessons no. 5 she told me she had only practiced 2 days of the week. I told her I was very sad that she had broken her double high five promise. We had the conversation that it is something we have to do every day, like brushing our teeth, even when we don’t want to. We started Night Storm hands separate as she was struggling to play. We made another double high five promise that she would practice every day this week.

Lesson no. 6 – my student practiced every day this week and the difference was spectacular! It was like her tiny fingers had grown muscles in a week! The reward was for the student and mum seeing the difference doing the required practice made – big smiles and a feeling of victory all round.

Obviously, you will do what works for you in your studio. My students are very keen and I think they would be devastated if I told them I couldn’t teach them anymore. I was preparing to let this student go if she hadn’t practiced this week but having the ongoing conversations certainly helped.