Successful Ideas to Motivate More Enthusiastic Piano Practice: Part 1

November 23, 2020 Leslie Young

Off

One of the most frequent questions I have been asked by parents is how to increase piano practice; how to motivate students for daily practice of the piano assignment for the week. I’m sure there must be great ideas that other teachers have suggested, but here are some that I have found useful for parents to encourage daily piano practice, as well as some that I use to jump-start the tired/distracted/unmotivated student at the beginning of the lesson.

First, consider your own experiences with motivation. We all would like to be rewarded for our efforts, and the more immediate the reward – the better! Would you go to work at a company if you did not get a paycheck? You might if it was your own business you were creating or expanding. But, it takes experience and maturity to put forth effort with only an expectation of a rewarding positive result at a later time. The young piano student most likely has not acquired this trait yet because of a lack of experience.

Piano practice is not passive; it takes effort. It takes coordination between brain and hand. When the brain is learning something new, its neurons use electrical signals to send and receive information. Ever feel like your brain is hurting because you studied hard? Learning to play the piano is like learning foreign language. Piano practice takes lots of effort, even when it’s fun. This is where the extrinsic rewards system can be helpful.

INTRINSIC REWARDS VS. EXTRINSIC REWARDS

The amount of effort put into a task depends on the kind of reward expected:

Intrinsic rewards are those that come from internal feelings, like achievement, enjoyment, and accomplishment. One example is reading a book for pleasure. Playing the piano for pleasure comes with time and is a wonderful intrinsic reward.

Extrinsic rewards come from an outside source: money, vacation, free time, etc. Reading a book in order to pass a class would be an extrinsic activity.

Children are more inclined to seek extrinsic rewards because they haven’t had experiences sufficient to feel they have accomplished something just to feel good about it. Extrinsic rewards are best used in situations where basic skills are just beginning to be acquired or when initially the student doesn’t have a great interest in performing the assigned task. So a small reward immediately after a short task during the piano practice can be very stimulating for the learner.

IDEAS FOR EXTRINSIC REWARDS

I find that when I’m tired or hungry I can be very grumpy. The body has to be satisfied so that the brain can work! As a teacher, I have found the following helpful for all students, but particularly the younger ones during a lesson. Parents may find them useful, too, during daily piano practice even if they don’t play parts and just sing along.

1. Allow time for hand-washing, having a long drink, and recharging with a quick snack.

2. If needed, let the student chew gum or have a tiny food treat while playing. I don’t recommend hard candy or sizes that can become stuck in the throat. Small pretzel sticks, carrot stick pieces, or pickle slices can keep a student happy while playing the assignment. Food items should be cleared with parents first and best supplied by the parents.

3. Dissect a song into shorter parts. Give a tiny food treat after each part is played.

4. Teacher plays the song while singing any lyrics with the student.

5. Teacher and student create a duet by each playing a clef part and then switching to the other clef (with counting aloud).

6. Student then plays the entire piece with both hands.

7. A previously-learned song that is a student favorite could be used as a warm-up.

8. Start the lesson with the Theory Book assignment instead of saving it for after the Lesson Book.

9. Verbal praise is always appropriate, during and at the end!

A good source for this topic is the following website:

https://www.healthline.com/health/intrinsic-motivation

In Part 2 the next blog will cover the downside of extrinsic rewards in relation to piano practice; the development of intrinsic rewards; and the “paycheck” method that I’ve found useful for students aged around nine years and older.

Check out Part 2 here

What Would the First Lesson for a Young Student Look Like?

What Would the First Lesson for a 6 to Teen Look Like (video)?