How to Completely Change your Students' Summer Practice Habits

We may still be in quarantine, but I'm thinking ahead to summer when, hopefully, we'll be able to see our friends and family and students face-to-face. It's at that time when I'll be kicking the practice incentives into high gear.

When I started teaching, I didn't have any trouble getting my students to practice over the summer. I'd give them an assignment, write a little practice log in their books, and they'd come back the next week with their work complete.

Then about 7 years ago, something changed and I started hearing excuses..."I didn't have time", "I was at camp all day", "We went away for the weekend"...instead of music.

So, over the past few summers, I've given my students fun and new ways to practice.

One of those activities is Summer of Music Bingo. I haven't done this particular program in a few years and I'm excited to be bringing it back!

How to Play:

To complete the challenge, students must get bingo - 5 in a row (vertical, horizontal, or diagonal). And of course I will add an optional challenge to finish the whole board by the end of summer!

Students color in the square when they've completed the activity and we go over the board together at every lesson to track their progress and answer questions. Once they achieve BINGO they are to take a picture of themselves with their BINGO board and send it to me!


The Reward:

It's up to you whether or not you want to give out prizes. Sometimes just letting the fun of finishing be the reward is just what kids need.

In years past, the student(s) with the most activities completed at the end of August would receive a surprise at their summer piano party (more on that later). Since I'm not sure whether or not we'll be able to have our summer performance parties, I'm doing rewards a little differently. This year, I'm doing a 3 part reward system.

1. Every activity students complete will earn them a sticker on their cards -- see this post for more about stickers.
2. Every student who completes Bingo will receive an Iwako Puzzle Eraser.
   
3. Every student who completes the entire board will get to pick a prize from the prize box.

Most of the activities can be completed within a day or two, but some of the activities will take them a few days or weeks to complete. My goal for this, as it is with all of my practice incentives, is to encourage consistency in my students practice habits.

Want your own copy of Summer of Music Bingo? Download the pdf here