N is still getting on well with his playing. I learned a lot over that conversation we had earlier this term. I am aiming to develop greater independence in pupils' learning over this year. Mind you, i've been aiming to do that in all the time i've been teaching!
So many new pupils come into their lesson having religiously ticked practice boxes and having got the parent to sign. But what have they actually done, and do the parents know what they need to do to support their children? Do we lay out the bones of how a practice session will run line by line. Or do we just tell them to 'practise'? I've gone on so much about long note warm ups this term to begin our lessons, that i'm finally finding pupils doing this when they start their lesson before i've even said hello. It's a minor success but we all need those.
I've been doing more than that too - writing in the record book the order of things to practise. And expecting the pupil to WRITE something themselves before the next lesson. It might be a short rhythm that the group can use for their warm up, or a composition to show they understand the piece we are working on, or just a written answer to 'what is your favourite piece?' or 'what are you still having trouble with?'. The latter is the most useful tool i've discovered this term. As i tell the pupils, if they already know what needs my attention, then we don't have to spend half the lesson working out where our energies can best be spent in the 20 minute lesson.
Anyone trying the same sort of thing?
