Successful playlist management
Found in: Practicing & Playlists
Kym N., California
If your students are successful in managing their playlists, what do you think you have done to facilitate that?
I have had lots of conversations with some students and parents but the conversations don’t seem to work. I understand it is mostly the parents’ job to help the kids to manage their home practice. But nowadays, the parents (especially working moms) are extremely busy and they are under high pressure. Some parents can’t make their kids practice. Some parents want the kids to learn to take responsibilities with home practice and it seldom works. There are many struggles and discouragement to the parents when their kids can’t keep up with the playlists and assignments. Some of the parents expressed to me that it’s too hard for them and these comments are from parents who I consider as good parents.
When you make it a requirement, it means you will dismiss those students who can’t keep up with your requirements or put other things, like sports, at a higher priority than piano. In this case, I will have to “fire” a lot of students.
Leeanne I., Australia
I have started doing full playlist reviews every eight weeks. Once the full review is finished, I give the student and parent a copy of the playlist with the ratings (I use 1, 2, or 3). Then I write a comment, sign it off, and hand it to them. If there is something the student needs to work more on, I ask the parent to make sure the student does it at home. I type up my own playlists for each student and add to them each week after class.
I also discuss with the parent how they will have these battles with their kids over lots of things, not just piano. It will also happen with homework, cleaning their room, etc. I tell the student it is our (mine and the parent’s) job to nag them to practice when they don’t want to and they will thank us when they are older. It needs to be a team effort: you, the parent, and the student. Also, the battle is not about ‘piano practice’, it’s the child not wanting to be told what to do.
Kym N., California
How many weeks (range) does review normally take? I think it probably depends on how many levels and how many students, right? You won’t move on with the Foundation until it’s all done but you will still teach other streams during the playlist review weeks, right?
Leeanne I., Australia
I do my first full review after I teach Chester in Level 1, as this is when Neil first talks about managing the playlist in the TTM. The first review is usually done in one lesson. I tell my students while are doing a full review, we will only do one new thing a week. It may be Foundation, Accompaniment, Improvisation, Reading, or whatever. I’m finding it also gives both the students and I a mental break from all the new material we do.
After the full review is finished, we both feel refreshed and ready to move on. It takes as long as it takes, but I wouldn’t let it drag on too long. You may choose to only hear enough of a song to know the student knows how to play it. I’m also including Accompaniment, Reading Rhythm, Arrangements, and Improv at the moment.