Keep Your Students Playing: Summer Practice Ideas That Work

When we finally arrive at the end of the year, tired and ready for a well-deserved summer break, we’re left with the tantalizing question: “Will my students practice this summer?” And very often, we wonder how we can keep them motivated so they continue to progress.

After all…

“They’ve achieved so much this year”...“They’ve grown in leaps and bounds”... “They’re reading better”...“Their rhythms have improved”...“They’re more confident.” etc.

But you see, chances are that eighth-grader probably isn’t bringing his trumpet on vacation, and the fourth-grader you taught sixteenth notes might forget what she learned. Most students will—not spitefully—shove their instruments under their beds or into closets, and do what all kids should do…enjoy summer!

Yes, students should enjoy their summer, but that doesn’t mean music can’t be part of that enjoyment. The trick is finding what’s right for them and keeping them engaged.

Let’s face it: Some form of regression almost always occurs after long breaks. This is inevitable and true in other classrooms as well. While we know students will get rusty over the summer, reviewing the basics upon their return can be tedious and tiresome.

Here are some tips to help your students practice over their summer breaks. You can try all of these or just some, and it’s important to remember that some ideas may only work for some students.

Newsletter:

Do you create newsletters for your public school programs? At the elementary level, I create exciting and eye-catching orchestra newsletters each trimester for my parents. They contain concert dates, pictures, information regarding what students are learning, practice tips, etc. This is a great way to get parents’ attention, and I often write them a little something about encouraging their child to practice. You’d be surprised how much this helps!

*Tip: Make electronic versions of your newsletters with external links to printable music, MakeMusic Cloud exercises, Camps, funny memes, etc.

Summer Packets:

Put together packets of fun pieces for your students. Have them give you suggestions for which pieces they’d like to play. Make the pieces accessible to the level of your students. When I do this, I like to throw in some pieces that I’m thinking of having the students perform at their first concert when they return. You can even tell them to play through these pieces and see which ones they prefer.

Advertise Summer Music Camps and Ensembles:

Summer camps often offer an intensive music environment coupled with regular sports and camp activities. Some camps are weeks long, and others are just day camps. There are summer orchestra ensembles that meet for an hour of rehearsal a week and perform a culminating concert at the end (in fact, I was asked to guest conduct at a camp like this that was just for cellos).

The point is, it keeps students playing in a fun and “summery” musical environment.

*Side Note: Be sure to check your district’s advertising policy so you don’t accidentally overpromote one program over another. It’s also helpful to know which programs offer financial assistance so all students feel like they can participate.

Keep Your Instruments:

Tell students and parents to keep their instruments over the summer. Students are much more likely to pick up their instrument and practice it if they have it available.

Private Lessons:

Send some information out to parents about the benefits of getting their children private lessons. Some parents and students will be thrilled to try something like this, and a half-hour lesson once a week with a strong teacher can make a huge difference.

*Side Note: Again, check your district’s policy on this, and I would avoid recommending specific tutors in case the two aren’t a good match.

Also, avoid any conflicts of interest and NEVER teach your own students privately.

Summer Practice Challenge:

Are you a MakeMusic Cloud user? Prepare a fun (and ungraded) summer practice challenge using MakeMusic Cloud. Each week, challenge your students to a different piece of music they can practice and record on their own without the pressure of it being graded. At the start of the next school year, provide prizes or extra credit for those who logged the most hours, recorded the most pieces, or even shout out all the participants in a newsletter.

Download the MakeMusic Cloud Summer Music Practice Challenge here .

Communication:

Give your parents and students easy access to all the information above. You can do this in your newsletter (if you make one) or in an email. It’s helpful if this information is easily accessible in one place, so you can have clickable links that take them to music camps, summer ensembles, and even digital music.

*Side Note: If music is copyrighted, be sure to get the publisher’s permission before copying or creating digital versions of music.

I have had the most success talking to students and parents individually. You can encourage them to study privately or participate in a fun musical experience for the upcoming summer. As their teacher, you have the power to encourage and inspire your students to continue their progress independently.

It’s important to remember that many students simply may not have the time, desire, or financial capabilities to do such activities in the summer, and that’s okay. The point is to provide them with opportunities and hope they take advantage of them!

Good luck with end-of-the-year concerts and enjoy the remaining days of school!