The first step to your student being able to evaluate and correct themselves is self-awareness. What are some tools to help cultivate self-awareness in your students?
- You could record them and play the recording back to them. This will exercise their critical listening.
- You could use a mirror. This will exercise real-time self awareness.
- You could videotape them. This will cultivate visual and aural critical evaluation.
Aside from these simple tools, there are a whole variety of techniques you could try. Your goal is to help them “see” themselves.
- For example, you can put your student in the role of a teacher. Trade spots with them. Play their song one note at a time, getting some notes wrong on purpose. Ask them to say “correct” or “incorrect” after each note. If it’s incorrect they need to correct you. Here’s the self-awareness part. Switch back with them but explain they are to now teach themselves, just like they taught you.
Have any of your own ideas to helping students become more self-aware?
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[...] 2. Record Them – Also great! You can record a student playing a polished repertoire piece or even practicing. It’s unbelievably helpful to record a student a few weeks in a row playing the same piece. They love hearing their improvements and it helps build self awareness. [...]