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What phrases you use in studio to give positive reinforcement?

I am using....

Excellent!
Bravo!
Very good!!
Good job!
Beautiful!! (for girls) and
Handsome!! (for boys)
****I have one boy that don't like to be handsome, he told me that being rich is more important than being handsome, so, for him, I use "Very rich!!" - Ha)
I like it!!!
Very nice!!
Super!!


I am running out of ideas here...

What do you use the most in your studio? Is there any phrases that is funny that you use that both you and your students like? do you mind share with us?

Thanks!!

"I liked the dynamics!"
"That was just right!"
"It made me want to dance."
"Was that the sound you were trying for?"
"Thanks for learning the notes correctly."
"I can tell you like this piece by the way you play it."
"I really enjoyed listening to your piece."

As a parent, I have read in many books that you should praise something specific, rather than make a blanket statement "that is great!"
I try to do that in my teaching, although it can be hard to pinpoint exactly what you want to praise. Sometimes we have to search for something positive to say, and it sounds something like:
"Thanks for working hard at home to learn the notes. Most of them are correct, so now let's go back and see what changes you need to make."

Yes, that is what I tend to do.

I also like to add that we teachers should always look for something to praise, even when the playing is obviously terrible. Give the student credit for even the smallest improvement.

Coming from a parent POV....

Please don't give generalized praise. It doesn't mean anything to a student who has a trophy from every sport they have tried because, if you show up you get a trophy.

Great list! I've also heard from my children's teachers:

"You've fixed all the things that we worked on during last lesson".
"All the details came out nicely".
"I see you in the music" (when the teacher liked the kid's own interpretation very much).
"I can tell you worked hard this week".

etc., etc.

I agree, be specific, and also praise the effort.

I'm in a minority maybe, but as a student (adult) I like the more general praise terms, because I know my teacher won't tell me something is good if it's not. Praise for specific things is nice too--except that sometimes I know it means there are other areas that still need work .

Ezpiano, don't the boys get to make beautiful music?

I'm with the majority, including as an adult student. Reasons off the top of my head for specific praise:
- It becomes guidance. You know what you did right.
- It doesn't seem like "empty praise".
- It shows the teacher was paying attention, noticed the effort you put in as a student. (and it's not empty praise)
- You may not know why it's good or what's good about it. If a specific thing is mentioned, then you know what to keep on doing.

Are the adjectives "beautiful" and "handsome" doled out for a student's physical appearance, or for a student's keyboard performance? I don't think I've ever yelled out "Very rich, not handsome!" as praise to a piano student. Perhaps I should try it.

I think kids want to be noticed. I do my best to notice something specific about each child when they enter the studio. I'll say with enthusiasm "I notice you had a haircut", "I notice you're wearing purple today" etc.

IMO it's important to let kids know that you notice something about them. I don't say "it looks great" or make any judgement about it. Just notice something (with enthusiasm).

Then regarding their playing I'll say what they did well, and what we can improve. On rare occasion a child's playing will move me to clap or honestly say "That was beautiful".

As a student, every now and then I get "Wow" which I quite like.

I laughed out loud the day I got, "Congratulations, your rhythm was as bad as your notes." Clearly, he knows me well enough to know how I would take this kind of feedback.

I am sorry, maybe I should be more specific...

These short phrases are used only when students are playing correctly as a positive reinforcement for them to keep going in what they are doing. So for example, when the soccer ball players are playing in the field, usually as audience, we said: "Go, go...!" right?

Then when they done playing, when your kid come to you, then you said to your kid: "Good job playing today, I like how fast you run in front of Joshua today and block him from scoring, it was excellent and I laugh out loud when I see that."

So, in piano lesson's case:
When my students are playing, especially reading a new piece for the first time, in order to build up their confidence, I celebrate every other notes and rhythm that they play correctly by saying those short phrases.

Then, when students done playing, then I will say things like
"I liked the dynamics!"
"That was just right!"
"It made me want to dance."
"Was that the sound you were trying for?"
"Thanks for learning the notes correctly."
"I can tell you like this piece by the way you play it."
"I really enjoyed listening to your piece."

Am I making sense here?

If a student is playing, a short "Yes" at spot that you think the student is doing well is probably sufficient You can have a dozen ways to say "yes".

If you really need variations, "Bingo" is another one.

I was warned off saying 'cool!' by a student who informed me it stands for 'constipated something old lady'. There was another 'o' word I forgot. Must ask her again...

Good job.
Nice work.

I do like simple, general praise. We can work out the specifics later. If a parent doesn't like that, they would need to find another teacher.

Yes. I like your approach and the clear distinction you are making between the immediate reinforcement and the specific praise.

I think that your body language may have a larger impact than the choice of words.

This is interesting-- researchers have tried analyzing how people perceive messages, and while the results have varied slightly, it always comes down to tone of voice and body language.

My teacher says this all the time! She follows it up by saying, "Please tell me it wasn't!"

Well done.
Lovely.


The "nice" family: Very nice, That's nice, Nice.

When things get a little rocky, but you want to encourage the student:

The "Fine" family: That's fine, You're fine, It's fine. Usually followed by "Keep going" or "Look ahead." Sometimes followed by "We'll talk about it later."

The "Okay" family is pretty much interchangeable with the "Fine" family.

"Steady" is another one for when things are starting to go awry.

I don't know how it would work for piano students, but one that has been successful with some of my kids with autism when they start to show frustration is "This is hard, but I know you can do it."

re. beautiful and handsome. General usage is to separate genders when referring to appearance, but beautiful music can be created by either boys or girls; I wouldn't ever use "handsome" to describe music.

I will usually say, "Good!" while they are playing and get through a rough spot which has obviously improved. Then I will at the end pinpoint that spot and congratulate them on what specifically they did well. I don't usually just give general praise, but sometimes do. With something that didn't go well at all, I usually just say, "OK, let's work on this passage..." I just don't feel the need to praise something that they obviously haven't worked on. They do have to earn a praise, more than just showing up to lessons with their books.

In the interests of completeness.

There is nothing as reinforcing as a quick hug for a small child, a touch on the shoulder for someone older, etc.

Of course, that can't be recommended. It is just too risky.

Also, especially when there is a complicated rhythm pattern or lots of syncopation, or if it's something the student had been having trouble with in terms of timing or tempo, something along the lines of "nailed it" could be good.

If you don't routinely clap after a piece, clapping can be fantastic praise when the student has played particularly well, or musically.