How many times do you finish teaching lessons, only to sit down to plan for next week – and you have forgotten what each student is working on?! I am always looking for ways to work smarter, not harder. Being a mom and having many different things going on requires that I am efficient with my time. When it comes to planning for piano lessons, I use a simple template to help me organize my thoughts.
The template shows three things:
- What the student is currently working on
- What concepts I am introducing
- What we need to work on next week
WHAT THE STUDENT IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON
I use this space during the lesson to jot down concepts/skills that the student is currently working to master: note names, a specific technique (two-note trills, octave jumps, correct hand position, wrist rotation), a specific chord progression, or even the page number of the method book they are in for reference later.
WHAT CONCEPTS I AM INTRODUCING
It is helpful to have a record of when I have introduced a concept, so that if a student has difficulty over several weeks mastering it, I can look back and see when they began working on it. I also jot this down during the lesson.
Related…If I know when the concept has been introduced, then I can see how we have tackled learning it in the “currently working on” notes. Maybe it is time to change my approach and try a new way of looking at the concept.
WHAT WE NEED TO WORK ON NEXT WEEK
The best time for me to plan what we need to do next time is during today’s lesson. It takes only a few seconds to jot down what our focus needs to be, or what book/piece we need to start on next time. I can also write down “end lesson early” or “email parent” if there is an issue that needs to be addressed.
—
By consciously taking a few seconds during each lesson to jot down notes, I make it easier for me to track progress, identify where students are getting stuck, and get a head start on next week’s lessons. When I am finished teaching for the day, or when I have space later in the week to sit down and consider what I need to prep for next week’s lessons, I have a reference point from which to draw ideas. Or, if my notes are clear and to the point, often nothing else is needed planning-wise, and I can move on with other tasks!