“Evernote” App

For the new 2014 semester, I decided to try a different approach with my students’ practice assignment folders. I have always copied assignment sheets for the semester to write down detailed notes for every lesson, expecting students and parents to review these weekly notes for at-home practice. I take great detail in writing down and discussing with the student his or her goals for practicing each week. But, if only all students and parents read these notes! In many lessons, I end up telling students some of the same things as I told them in previous lesson. I was writing these details in the assignment folder, but the message was not being received by student (because they don’t read the notebook)!

So out with the old, and in with the new! I decided to try an app called “Evernote.” It works the same way as paper folders–every student has his or her digital notebook, and I can take notes for them in each lesson. At the end of each lesson, I can send the note to the parents via email or text. For middle and high school students with phones, I can send it directly to the student. If clients have an iPhone or iPad, they can download the app to the device, and the child’s notebook can be shared between the two parties. The app syncs with all devices it is used on, including Mac computers. I make checklists for each students, noting exactly what should be worked on each week. At home, the student or parent can mark off the list as each goal is reached. If the notebooks are shared, I can see their activity in the notebook during the week, and I have an idea of their at-home practicing. In each lesson, the student can pick out an emoji as a reward for a successful practice week. How fun is that!?

There are other features I am anxious to explore in the app, like attaching photos or videos to each note. Need to remind a student what a piece sounds like? Make a quick recording on your device and attach the video recording to the note. Need to show a student a fingering for a certain passage? Take a picture of his  or her hand on the keys with the correct fingering and attach the picture to the note.

I am using Evernote to help students with his or her at-home practicing, but I am finding that it is also helping my lesson preparation. I can easily review exactly what was worked on and discussed in the previous lesson, and be ready for those same skills as the initial focus in the next lesson. The possibilities for using this app in your piano studio seem endless! How could you use Evernote in your studio?

What You Learn in Piano Lessons

When I think of all of the reasons to enroll in piano lessons, what comes to my mind first and foremost are the many musical benefits that piano lessons can provide– learning songs to play on piano, learning to read music, performance skills, music theory and history, ear training development, and broadening your understanding of a variety of musical genres and styles.

These musical byproducts are wonderful things that come from taking piano lessons. However, there are also many wonderful non-musical results that can come from piano study. These non-musical benefits are not typically at the top of a teacher’s list of “why to take piano lessons.” But these benefits are very important to developing students and are actually quite necessary to playing an instrument!

Some of these non-musical benefits learned in piano lessons include:

• goal setting
• time management skills
• performing under pressure
• self-evaluative skills
• listening skills
• memorization
• delayed gratification
• fine muscle coordination
• ability to respond to criticism
• how to handle winning and losing
• problem solving

What are other music or non-musical benefits that you or your child have learned in piano lessons? Happy playing!