Back to School Top 10 List This idea is from teacher blogger, Tracee Orman. Have the students write a top ten list of why they are happy to be back in school. Orman says some of the reasons she gets are hysterical. Here is our favorite top 5 list from one of her students 5. Instead of “Happy Meals” we get Mystery Meals! Welcome Back to School Teach!, School House with Flag in Apple Frame card. Personalize any greeting card for no additional cost! Cards are shipped the Next Business Day. Welcome Messages: A warm welcome message works like a charm in any situation, be it the recruitment of a new employee or having returning ones back, or meeting friends after a long time! Welcome messages are also appreciated in more formal settings like welcoming a guest or customer. Here are inspirational back-to-school quotes to kick off a new school year, from funny quotes for teachers and parents to first day sayings for students.
While I love (love, love love!) the holidays, they tend to be a music momentum killer right smack dab in the middle of the school year.
Returning to lessons after a two week break usually means that I have to really hustle to get my students and their families all fired up again at a typically dreary time of year. Fortunately I have a secret weapon that works wonders…
Welcome Back To School Teach To Be Happy Messages
Magic Words To Start Piano Families Off Right
In today’s post I’m sharing my “Welcome Back To Lessons” letter that I use to get the motivational ball rolling in the new year. But it’s not just some letter I sat down and wrote out all willy-nilly… it is carefully crafted to do exactly what I want it to do…
…keep kids in piano lessons!
Busy Kids = Happy Mom provides some questions you can answer about your Happy Buddy for you to give to the teacher as a way to ease the transition into that new relationship. Click Image for Idea And, finally, print this happy little sheet from HERE and have your teacher fill it out to give you a better idea of how to bless him/her throughout.
Gallery grabber qed 1.1 for mac x. Whenever I send out communications to my piano parents, I keep the following in mind: kids quit piano lessons because…
- They lose interest.
- Their parents don’t see the value of music enough to “make it work”
- They are too busy.
- They don’t practice.
…And then I use my communications to ensure that these four points won’t rear their ugly heads in the minds of my piano parents and their children.
I encourage you to read the letter below (copy whatever you like for your own use) and pay attention to how I use a run-of-the-mill communication (i.e. the “Welcome Back Letter”) to address the four bullet points above to help maintain a healthy studio that keeps students coming back year after year after year.
Retain Piano Students With This “Welcome Back” Letter
Hello Everyone and Happy New Year!
After a wonderfully refreshing holiday, it is absolutely delightful to have your children back in my studio again!
I wanted to take the time before we launch into the new year to thank each and every one of you for your efforts this past fall. Being a “piano parent” is a big commitment, and I feel so fortunate to be connected with families who see the immense value of music. Learning to play piano can be a life-changing experience and I’m humbled that you have chosen me to be a part of this exciting gift that you continue to give your children.
I’ve spent some of my holiday time planning an exciting second term of lessons and I thought I’d give you a “sneak peek” of just some of what’s to come! This term your children can look forward to:
- Exciting practice incentives, including the very silly “I Mustache You To Practice” Event.
- Our spring ensemble recital – full of duets, trios, audience participation and other fun!
- Our annual CD recording project complete with mini photo-shoots for the CD cover art.
- The amazing piano theory games that have been added to our loaning library.
- The return of our Mail-A-Motive composing activity.
I also wanted to reach out to you to let you know that I very much understand the life of a piano parent. Please know that, while I spend most of my time motivating and assisting your children, I’m also here to support you as well! Working as a parent/child/teacher triangle is the optimal way to ensure your children’s success and enjoyment.
You are always welcome to ask for advice on making home practice work, for updates on your children’s progress or for any other musical assistance you may need.
We’re kicking off the new term of lessons with a practice event designed to get your children excited and motivated right off the bat. Please watch for information coming home next week. I’m always so appreciative of your assistance in these fun events!
Seeing your children grow, improve and learn to love music is truly the most rewarding part of my job. This past term I saw confidence, progress, creativity, pride, feelings of success and major accomplishments on a weekly basis. These are powerful memories your children are making, and these are invaluable skills that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. What a gift to your children… what a gift to yourselves to experience … and what a gift for me to be a part of!
See you in the studio,
Andrea
More Articles To Help You In The New Year
If you’re looking for more great ways to start 2016 off on the right foot, here are our Top posts from 2018!
I found my life’s calling when I became a teacher. Finally, I thought, a job I could see doing for the rest of my life.
And pretty much as soon as I found my calling, I lost my f*king marbles.
I’ve always been a super productive, perfectionist, ambitious, go-getter and stepping into a new career wasn’t going to change that fact.
My plan was to be the best teacher ever in the history of the universe.
Even if I had to do ridiculous things to get there.
My first year I worked the first 72 days of school straight. No weekends, no evenings, no friends, no exercise, no fun. I was in it to win it, friends.
Work, work, work. You name it, I did it: lesson and unit planning, curriculum and classroom management trainings after school and on the weekends, seating charts, weekly progress reports, calls home and community building activities.
I limped to the finish line that year with the promise I’d do better the next year. Teaching would get easier with time I told myself.
Welcome Back To School Teach To Be Happy Wishes
Turns out my second year, was harder than the first. I had an exceptionally challenging class, and I again told myself teaching would get easier when I had more experience under my belt.
Ragdoll laser dodge&& try the games online. Ragdoll Laser Dodge Game You need to upgrade your Flash Player in order to play this game.
By the end of my third year, I was exhausted from teaching and some personal grief, and if I’m being totally honest, completely unhinged. Mentally and physically exhausted, I knew something had to really change if I was going to stay in this profession.
A couple more years passed pretty much the same way. I was doing the same thing and expecting a different result: working too much, too hard and promising to do better “next year” and each year I just got more and more exhausted.
The worst part? It was affecting my ability to be a good teacher. Resentment was building and I was becoming less flexible and fun, both inside and out of the classroom.
But let’s be honest, not much changed because I didn’t know where to start. Knowing something needs to change and actually making real changes are two very different things.
Time and experience were not going to be the only thing to help me stay healthy, happy and sane in the classroom. That much I figured out.
Midyear, my principal called me into his office to basically stage an intervention. He asked me if i was happy being a teacher.
Keep in mind, this guy thought I kicked ass in the classroom. He knew I excelled at all the teacher work, but he wanted to know if I’d be happier doing something else because he didn’t see a single ounce of joy in my face.
*GULP*
<cue tears>
I cried. Totally ugly cried. Because, the answer was no. I wasn’t happy being a teacher. A.l.i.a.swatermelon gaming. I couldn’t see myself doing anything else for a living because I still felt I was called to be a teacher. But I wasn’t happy doing things the way they were being done.
Something had to change.
It wasn’t pretty.
I was embarrassed because apparently I wasn’t the best teacher in the universe after all.
Then I got mad.
And then I got real.
Real immature.
If “they” weren’t going to appreciate all the time and effort I was putting into my classroom, then I just wasn’t going to any more. I’d show them…
So instead of spending every free moment of my life working, I started going to yoga class in the afternoon. I started cooking dinner and making sure I had good leftovers for lunch. I started making plans with friends for fun.
That’s when it all clicked.
When I was happier in my life outside the classroom, life in the classroom was happier.My patience grew, my appreciation for my students grew, my resentment disappeared and we ALL did better.
Let me repeat that last part: My students did better at school when I took better care of myself.
Maya Angelou is famous for saying “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”
Teaching is a marathon and requires some serious training. And not that kind they cover in your credential program.
Enter: The Healthy, Happy Sane Teacher.
What’s your secret to being a happy classroom teacher?
Image Source: Drawing Digital Print Mixed Media Illustration Print … by CocktailZoo on Etsy