Chrissy Ricker
  • Home
  • Publications
    • Piano collections
    • Pop & rock arrangements
    • Video game arrangements
    • Vocal music
    • Instrumental music
  • Search
    • Search my catalog!
  • About
  • Blog
  • Free Stuff
  • Contact

Saying "goodbye" -- tips for making your last lesson count!

5/23/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
The end of the school year is often a time for goodbyes. Perhaps you have a student who is taking an extended summer break? Or, maybe you have a student who is heading off to college? Sometimes students stop lessons for other reasons: transitioning to middle or high school, moving away, or just simply moving on to other interests.

Unfortunately, there comes a time in every teacher-student relationship when we must say "goodbye." If you are saying goodbye to one or more of your students this summer, read on for tips on how to make your last lesson count!

I think it is important to remember that just because students won't be coming for piano lessons each week, it doesn't mean that they can't continue to learn and grow as musicians. If we have equipped our students well, they will hopefully continue to play the piano for their own enjoyment and make music an important part of their lives forever.

I like to think of the last lesson as a celebration of all that each student has accomplished. Here are a few activities you might incorporate into this final lesson:


Create a repertoire list. 
The last lesson is a great opportunity to review the pieces that students have most enjoyed over the past year of lessons. Devote some time to reviewing your student's favorite pieces and write them down. Students will appreciate having this list to play from for their own enjoyment, and it can also be helpful to have on hand in case they work with another teacher in the future.

Review music theory concepts.
Your students just might be surprised to realize all of the musical concepts they have learned: reading notes and rhythms, playing scales and chords, improvising, playing easy tunes by ear...the list goes on! Younger students might enjoy playing a few games involving naming notes or clapping rhythms, or sight-reading an easy duet. More advanced students might improvise on a familiar chord progression or sight-read from a lead sheet. Reviewing these concepts can help solidify what students have learned, as well as help them see all that they have accomplished over the course of their piano lessons.


Choose a few fun new pieces that can be learned independently.
I always like to send students off with a couple of "easy wins" that they can play for their own enjoyment. I blogged HERE about some of my favorite free sheet music resources for students. You can also check out the free sheet music available on my website HERE. Have a couple of pieces prepared that your students can take with them and enjoy at their leisure.

Guide students towards resources for continued learning.
Do you have a local (or online) music store that you recommend? Or maybe there is a great YouTube channel or Spotify playlist ​that you know your students would like? Try to give your students a few ideas of places they can look for resources related to music that they might want to check out in the future. 

​Leave the door open.
Sometimes students find that they really miss piano lessons and want to come back--even if just for a lesson or two. If you can, leave the door open, or give your students the name of another teacher they might contact in case they decide to take up lessons again. Just because a student says "goodbye" for now doesn't mean that their musical journey has to end!

What do you think? What special activities do you do in a last lesson? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments!
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Chrissy Ricker is a pianist, teacher, and composer from North Carolina. These are her thoughts on teaching, composing, and all things music.


    Looking for teaching ideas related to a specific topic? Use the "search" feature or scroll down to see blog posts organized by category!

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016

    Categories

    All
    2 Minute Teaching Tips
    Active Listening
    Composer Focus
    Composition
    Duets
    Ear Training
    Easter
    Fall/Halloween
    Free Stuff
    Friday Funny
    Games
    Group Classes
    Holiday Music
    Lesson Planning
    Living Composers
    Memorization
    Music For One Hand
    Music History
    Musicianship Monthly
    NFMC Selections
    Online Lessons
    Patriotic Music
    Performing
    Pop Arrangements
    Practicing
    Professional Development
    Repertoire
    Rhythm
    Rote Teaching
    Saint Patrick's Day
    Sight Reading
    Summer
    Technique
    Technology
    Thanksgiving
    Theory
    Tips For Teens
    Transposition
    Travel Teaching
    Valentine's Day
    Wedding Music
    Young Beginners

    RSS Feed

    Subscribe to my monthly newsletter to stay informed about my latest publications and free teacher resources. Once you subscribe below, a fresh newsletter will be delivered to your inbox on the first of each month!

    *Your email will never be shared or used for any other purpose besides this once-monthly newsletter, and you may unsubscribe at any time by clicking "unsubscribe" at the bottom of your newsletter email or contacting me HERE through my website. 

Subscribe
 © ​Copyright 2023 Chrissy Ricker. All Rights Reserved.