Music Teachers Blog

Time put into lesson notes is well worth it for yourself, for students, and if the students are kids, for their parents as well.  Lesson notes are added when you reconcile a lesson; while you’re doing it, you can check off the box to have the notes emailed to the student.  For tips on reconciling see this post.

One great benefit of lesson notes for students is that they are read on emails (if you checked the box), at a quiet time away from the lesson, when the student can think over what you say and remember pointers from their lesson to good effect.

For yourself, you’ll gain the benefit of viewing the lesson notes from the last time you saw each student when you use the Daily Summary Report, which you can view, print out, or have emailed to you each day.  This is invaluable for tuning you into each student as you see them.  My own preference is to print the Daily Summmary report (see earlier post for more info on this) and use that sheet as a place to make notes about the current lesson.  You can use codes to speed the process:  for example, circle or underline relevant comments from the previous lesson to show that these items were reviewed, along with a comment about it, or use initials or code words to help you write new lesson notes.

Below are 4 types of comments, and examples of each, that I think are worth including in your lesson notes:

1. Start by pointing out something they did well. This highlights progress they’ve made.  Our ultimate goal always is to get better, so your first lesson note can point this up.  You can couple your comment with a suggestion of how they can keep making progress.  Examples:
“[name of music] is coming along well, especially first part.  Try to nail down 2d phrase.”
“Timing much better on [music].  Focus on intonation – watch your half steps.”
“Nice work on the trouble spots from last time.  Keep first fingertip away from bowstick.”

2. An exercise or comments on something you asked them to do. Remind them of a few pointers as to how to do the exercise or how to think about practicing – something to help them during the week.  Examples:
“Review Reading Exercise #2, remember not to look away from page!”
“Do thumb exercise, but don’t let the other fingers help.”
“G scale, two notes in a bow, remember how we practiced the shifting.”
“Sit away from back of chair, both feet on floor.”

3. An assignment for next time or a comment on what they can expect or look forward to. Examples:
“Start [name of music], up to letter A.”
“New:  Reading ex. #3.”
“Make a medley of 3 of your tunes for next time.  We’ll start a new tune next lesson.”

4. Sometimes you might add a comment to a parent, or a comment about another lesson, or just a special note. Examples:
“Nice to see you again!”
“Duncan had a great lesson today, good focus.”
“Remember makeup lesson next Tuesday, reminder will be emailed.”
“A recording of this can be downloaded from the File Area.”

Keep comments brief, both so that people actually read the notes, and so that you don’t bog yourself down with too many details and too much writing.  You can’t recreate the lesson in the notes, but a few reminders can bring the lesson better to mind for the student – and for yourself the next time you see that student.

Many students have commented to me how much they appreciate receiving the lesson notes by email, or viewing them online.  Not only does this keep students more on track, but it also pays for your time in doing it.  If lesson notes help you keep just one more student than you otherwise would have had, they are earning you a significant sum–just multiply out that student’s lesson fees for a month or a year to see how much.

If the student is a child, the lesson notes are very helpful for the parents to review.  If one parent accompanies the student at lessons, the notes also clue in the other parent as to what’s going on.  They stay more involved and can help the student at home.

Posted in Studio Management, Using Music Teacher's Helper |

About the Author

Ed Pearlman has focused on performing, teaching, and judging fiddle music for over 30 years, offering performances and workshops throughout the USA and in Canada and Scotland. His original training was with members of the Chicago and Boston Symphonies, and he played with orchestras and chamber groups at Yale and in Boston. He currently teaches privately at two music schools affiliated with music stores in Maine. Ed directed the Boston Scottish Fiddle Club in monthly workshops for 18 years, directed major concerts and festivals, and recorded 2 solo CDs and several with a fiddle orchestra and top soloists. In addition to Scottish and Cape Breton fiddle styles, Ed plays other Celtic, American, and Canadian fiddle music, classical and some jazz, klez and Hungarian. Ed created and for 11 years ran a CD distribution company to bring music to the USA from Scotland, Atlantic Canada, Ireland, Brittany and Wales. He's the music columnist for Scottish Life magazine.