This is the first in a set of “Hearts and Clubs” activities that do not take up much valuable lesson time. I am posting this note identification printable in time for Valentine fun, but I made it generic enough so that it can be played all year long. The game board is just a starting place for all the different ways it can be used. Have fun coming up with new ideas!

There are 3 pages of flash cards included in this PDF document. If you wish, you can use your own flash cards. To keep from printing the flash cards, set your printer to print page one only.

Objective

• learn to identify notes on a grand staff  by sight
• quickly identify the notes on the grand staff
• use flash cards in a fun way

Ages

• Suitable for elementary and older piano students

Materials Needed

• Printed game board
• Note flash cards included in the download (or use your own), shuffled well
• Bingo chips

Directions

There are several ways to play this learning activity.

1. Individually: Put the flash cards you want the student to review in a stack face down. Using an hourglass sand timer, the student quickly draws a flash card and places a bingo chip on the corresponding note name. The object is to cover all the note names on the  game board before the hourglass runs out.  An alternate version is to use a stopwatch instead of a sand timer.

2. Two players, such as student and teacher or two students:  One player uses the hearts on the game board and the other uses the clubs. Players take turns drawing flash cards and covering the corresponding note names with chips on their game board. The first person who covers all their hearts or clubs wins.

3. In a group: Each player has a game board and bingo chips or you can put two students on each card. Students take turns drawing flash cards and covering the corresponding note names with bingo chips. Place discarded flash cards back in the deck or print extra if you have a large group. If the group has different levels, give the beginners the easier flash cards.

I have a new little student who just started lessons using the unique and very creative piano method book, My First Piano Adventures, by Nancy and Randall Faber. This wonderful series is has everything you need for young beginners, but I like to make extra material to go along with the book, just for fun or review.

My student was so excited when I asked her if she would like a Valentine’s song! When I checked out my resources, I could not find a Valentine’s piece that was easy enough, so I came up with a Valentine she can play.

If you like using this kind of material for young beginners, get a copy of My First Piano Adventures Book A and study it carefully!

If you are new to this blog, you might not know about the NoteBoys. These little guys are in a series of comics I draw to help students learn a little about music theory.

The NoteBoys think of themselves as actors who teach theory. BlueBoy is very confident and thinks he knows every thing. He’s the fearless leader of the group. RedBoy is the smart, hardworking one, but he is always foiled by BlueBoy. They remain pals anyway. GreenBoy knows a lot more than he thinks he does, but he doesn’t have confidence in himself.

Also appearing every now and then is MightyDot, and the famous PianoGirl.

My students love this series and can’t wait to see what the NoteBoys are up to next.

One teacher told me that she  put them all in a binder for students to read before or after lessons. I will often pull them out to explain things because we all know students remember better when they learn through humor. If you want to see the other NoteBoy comics, do a search on the right. The ones explaining chord inversions are very helpful.

I posted a version of this assignment sheet back in the fall. I liked it, but there was certainly room for improvement. I inadvertently inserted the wrong keyboard graphic and it was not big enough to write a full scale. Also, a friend told me that the type was printing too light to see the circle of 5ths and the keyboard. So I did an UN-extreme make-over and I like it better. I have been lax in sharing my new version, so here it is.

Here are a few suggestions on how to use this assignment sheet.

Next Event and Special Piece

I really believe students stay in piano longer if they are always learning a piece to play for an event that is either adjudicated or has an audience. I think that is the secret to why my students practice fairly well, even though they are extremely busy with outside activities. If parents know their child is going to be playing for an audience, they will make more of an effort to help their child practice. An upcoming even can be playing for an assisted living center for Valentines or St. Patrick’s Day. Or you can have  small recitals during the year. Once we went on Valentines in red colors, and the residents were so happy. They said everyone comes at Christmas and forgets them the rest of the year. Here’s a hint: they usually love upbeat music.

Deadline

Set deadlines for learning certain sections of their Next Event piece. Have a deadline for memorization of each section. Email the parent if they are not meeting their goals.

Circle of Fifths

I put the Circle of Fifths on the assignment sheet so students can gradually learn the order of key signatures. It only takes a few seconds to mention it every week and circle the scales they know. Show even the youngest children how to count up or down to find 5ths.

Scales, Chords, and Arpeggios

You can either circle the ones that are assigned, or ask the student to circle the ones they practice. Some of my students can’t remember what scales they have worked on, so this helps. At least I hope it does!

Let me know if you like the changes and if you have any more suggestions! You are welcome to post a link to your assignment sheet in the comments, if you want to share.

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Natalie at Music Matters has redesigned her website. It has a great new section with all kinds of links in the Community section. As I was writing this blog post, I  checked her blog to make sure I have her link correct, and I discovered she is having a give-away this week of a new scale book she has put together. So if you like contests, check it out!

1. Have a great policy sheet. Every music studio needs a policy sheet to avoid misunderstandings. If you don’t have one, start working on one now. If you already have one, take a look at it from a “new parent” perspective. Don’t try to avoid every potential problem in your policy. Keep it friendly and positive so it will not come across as harsh or punitive. One page is long enough. Remember, your policy reflects you and your studio.

2. Divide your teaching year into semesters, with an ending date for the year. For example, your registration sheet can show first semester from September x to January x and second semester from February x to June x. If you teach year round, make a schedule to show when your semesters begin and end so there is closure and a fresh start. Having semesters also gives parents an opportunity to pay a semester rate.

3. Plan your fall lesson schedule early. Start planning for the fall semester in the spring. Have a well-publicized deadline for the deposit for fall lessons, such as April 30. Be sure to state your policy for refunding the deposit, such as a month notice, in the event something happens.

4. Do not ask parents to choose new lessons times each fall semester. Let parents know that their time slot is theirs for the next year. If they want a new day or time, they can tell you when they give you the deposit in the spring. This is a great help for parents because they can schedule their children’s activities around piano lessons. If there is a conflict that comes up before school starts, you can make minor adjustments.

5. Set up the days and and hours when your studio is open. No one is on the job 24 hours a day. If you are a teacher who makes up missed lessons, state in your policy when your studio is open to accommodate them. Some teachers will make up a lesson any day or time and find themselves never having a free day. This is not fair to you or your family.

6. Consider ending the policy of rescheduling lessons that students miss. Instead, implement a policy with a swap list. Other alternatives are lessons on Google Video Chat or Skype, or one makeup week at the end of the semester or year. However, do not change the rules in the middle of the game. Send a letter to parents explaining changes with plenty of advance notice. As long as parents know your policy before they sign up and choose to take lessons with you fully aware of your policy, you have made your best effort to minimize future conflicts.

7. Do not violate copyright laws. It is against the law to photocopy piano music to avoid purchasing copies. Some teachers illegally and unknowingly photocopy music, thinking if they own it they can do whatever they wish with it. These are the same teachers who would never cheat on their taxes or shoplift from a store. But when you copy music for your students in place of buying the music without permission, it is the same as shoplifting.

8. Be true to yourself, and honest with others. Know what you can do and not do. If you don’t want to teach a certain way or a certain age, that’s fine! In fact, private teachers need to know their philosophy and objectives. Gently suggest to parents to look further if they are not a good fit for your studio.

9. Find a balance between the old and the new. It’s hard not to jump on the bandwagon of every new idea that you read about. This is especially true of teachers who love new ideas. Educational trends come and go, and then come back again. There are teachers who think every new idea is the best idea and dismiss anything else. Then there are the teachers who have not changed since they started teaching. Be open to new ideas, new music, and new methods. Will they realistically fit in with your teaching style? However, don’t dismiss legacy music and teaching ideas with real value.

10. Keep professional records. This includes records for income tax and student assignments. Record your mileage, starting January 1. Retain and store all your receipts in a designated place. Write down everything you give a student. Keep a record of what your students have covered in their books and music you have assigned. Then you will avoid the embarrassing scenario of your high school student telling you in a puzzled voice, “But I played Für Elise in the recital last year. Don’t you remember?”