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Joined: Nov 2005
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OP
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Hi everyone,
I'm new here and glad to have found a site with so much participation.
I would appreciate opinions from other teachers, parents, students on the effectiveness of giving out prize incentives to students. Does it work for your students or kids taking lessons? What do you as teachers give out, if any, for prize-type incentives and what for? If you are a parent with children taking lessons, what is your opinion of them receiving prizes for practice and learning?
Over the years, I've tried giving out little prize incentives and had various systems for awarding prizes. My students have received little items ranging around $1 in value at the most for good practice, learning all the letter names of notes, being able to play the major scales, learning an entire piece well, doing theory worksheets, etc. This summer I even had them keep track of practice by way of marking tallies for each time they practiced an assigned item under the corresponding day of the week. Anyone who turned in a set amount of sheets for the summer with minimum required practice recorded received a "good practicer" certificate and a choice of cd or music book. They practiced like gangbusters all summer but this fall the system kind of went by the wayside and no one is filling them out much. So, I've changed my system for earning prizes again.
Although I give out prizes more just for fun and I think the kids like getting them for fun, I don't think they really work well as motivators. I have primarly used them to motivate practice, but I don't see practice improving even if it means getting a prize for a weeks worth of good practice or learning one section of a piece well, etc. I would kind of rather do away with giving prizes altogether. It's kind of hard to keep track of and takes a little time out of the lesson to mess with. It would be worth taking a few minutes out of the lesson to record and give out prizes if it worked but I don't see it being a very good motivator. I know as a parent myself, similar rewards don't really work at least long-term.
As a teacher, I would rather go to just giving out stickers at the most for a completed piece or a worksheet completed - that's all I ever got when taking lessons as a kid.
Sorry for being so lengthy. I'd appreciate any opinions on this topic.
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Joined: Apr 2005
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Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member
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What age range kids are you talking about? The teachers with whom my son has worked have never used prizes as incentives.
My son has always worked pretty hard because that's what was expected of him and he bought into the family expectation (not all kids do, I know). As he got better he began to see how the work was paying off and his natural competitive juices kicked in. No need for any other incentives.
One of his teachers holds small pizza parties for sub-groups of her students who are similar in their age/ability profile. The students play for each other and critique each other. Now THAT is an incentive!
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Joined: Nov 2005
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When I was learning we never got a prize... occasionally we would get a couple of jelly beans or something. Instead our teacher would tick off as much as he thought we had accomplished (if we only got half way through then we only got half a tick) and added a dot to show where he thought we would get up to by the next week. We worked hard to see the full tick or to get a better tick with less sections than the last song we learnt
"Work hard and strive to reach the power of bland"
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Joined: Nov 2005
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OP
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Thanks for the replies. The ages I've taught so far have primarly ranged between 7 and 15, almost all my students have started with me at age 7-9.
Yes, I wholeheartedly agree that playing for others via upcoming recitals or "master classes/group parties" is the biggest incentive for my students. Because of lack of finding locations to hold recitals and time constraints, I have only held one recital a year thus far, but I am changing that this year. I'm going to start having 2 recitals a year and quarterly "master classes" (will call them piano parties though). I think the piano parties will provide the same incentive of having to play for others without quite as much pressure as a recital. I also believe too and agree that seeing one's own progress unfold, etc. is reward in itself, maybe younger children like 4-6 would benefit more from prize incentives. Sometimes I wonder if prize incentives don't kind of "undermine" motivation from within a little or in a way is almost an insult. I asked a few of my students ages 10-15 once who had been with me since 7 what they thought of having little prizes. They implied that's not what motivates them, but they still enjoy getting them. I guess it's kind of more just something for fun. My biggest quam is taking time from the lesson to keep a record and dish out prizes. I've kind of gotten smarter over the years about this and keep it to a few minutes at the end of the lesson. By the way I'm having my first "piano party" next month. I am really excited about it. Perhaps I'll phase out the prize thing when the newness of my "latest" system wears off and tell the students I'm focusing the prize-thing more within the confines of the piano parties.
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Joined: Oct 2005
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I use stickers for little ones which they get for good work. When they have got 10 stickers they get a small reward or prize. The prize is a low value item such as nice stationary (mostly pencils, rubbers etc.) It's not the prize itself they like but the acknowledgement that they have worked hard. It is important that they don't get stickers every week and that they understand that they have to earn them. If a student comes and tells me they haven't had much time to practice and work has not been completed then no sticker. They seem to accept this. I used to give out vouchers for the local music store as rewards but this became quite expensive. The store would save the vouchers up and then contact me with a large bill!
The 'piano party' idea is brilliant. At the moment I enter pupils for music festivals and exams and I hold a large concert at xmas for all of them. After xmas I am starting some small group classes on a Saturday morning at a nearby church hall. This would be a good opportunity for certain kids to play for the group on a regular basis. It has always bothered me that learning piano can be very solitary and many piano students only ever play in their home with nobody to hear them. Other instrumentalists play in ensembles and perform regularly which is essential in developing musicianship.
Kids do seem to be motivated by different things. Some of them have a natural desire to do well and are eager to progress to the next grade and learn more challenging pieces. Others will work well under pressure and practice most when they know they have to get up and perform in front of others. Then there are the ones who need the prizes and lots of praise and encouragement from their parents and teachers. I'm happy as long as they are making progress.
Pianist and piano teacher.
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 475
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Chris H I have a question. Yesterday very qualified piano teacher located in the easten US called me. He knew that I had a piano studio and wanted to know if I needed another teacher, he had always wanted to move to Rocky Mountains, etc. we talked for a while. I was wondering how you grew your business with your wife, and what your advice to me would be for accepting an "employee". I have a large waiting list and could probably put him to work. Any recommendations and advice would be appreciated.
If you want you can PM me since this is off-topic. Thanks
"Those are my principles, and if you don't like them... well, I have others." Groucho Marx
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