Discuss the role of the teacher in motivating pupils to practise It is of utmost importance that the teacher ensures that

their pupils are motivated to practice. Therefore, in this short essay I will briefly focus on two aspects of pupil motivation that can be encouraged by the teacher Intrinsic motivation (I.e. Nurturing a pupils natural love and enthusiasm) and Extrinsic (I.e. The importance of rewards, goals and challenges)

It is essential for a teacher to nurture a pupils intrinsic motivation to practice, and Joan Last argues that on the most basic level, this can begin with your personal qualities and natural demeanour; If the pupil is to enjoy learning, you must enjoy your lesson too.1 Of course, it would be ill-informed to generalise that every pupil would thrive and progress under a relaxed and approachable teacher. Rather, with regards to pupil motivation, the teacher must consider how the pupil-teacher relationship can be affected by their personality, and try to adjust accordingly. To cross reference this notion, Heinrich Neuhaus says, One is not a teacher; one is an inspirer,2 which inherently relates to motivation. Intrinsic motivation to practice can also be encouraged by choice of repertoire to be covered. My own experience has consistently shown that when a pupil likes playing a piece, they will naturally want to practice it more than if they are playing something which they cannot relate to. Therefore, whilst intrinsic motivation may appear unrelated to external contributing factors, I believe the teacher can encourage it. With regards to extrinsic motivation, there are more direct ways in which a teacher can aid motivation. Sidney Harrison comments that, The prospect of a goal to reach is very exciting for a child,3 which I agree with because for many pupils, the prospect of being rewarded and praised for doing well aids the feeling of fulfilment. Consequently, little things such as rewards and praise can make a big difference when it comes to practicing ostensibly monotonous scales or exercises. This idea of fulfilment can also be supported if the teacher demonstrates to the pupil how practice turns seemingly impossible feats into tangible musical enjoyment. This can be done by setting realistic yet subtle challenges which the pupil can use to track progression, which is supported by Peter Websters belief that, ..the less the [pupil] is aware that he is actually learning, the more they will engage with the activity on an inquisitive level, and therefore progress quicker.4 So, if the teacher is aware that a certain passage of difficult arpeggios can be tackled as smaller challenges to be overcome when practising, a pupil may feel extrinsically inspired once they have practiced a difficult passage to the point where they can play it with ease. To conclude, the teacher has a very important and multi-faceted role in encouraging the pupil to practice, and this can be done by promoting a balance of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation within the pupil. Word count: 503

1 2

The Young Pianist, page 7 The Art of piano playing, page 10 3 The Young Persons Guide to playing the piano, page 7 4 Creativity as creative thinking, page 88

Bibliography Harrison, Sidney. The Young Persons Guide to playing the piano Faber, London, 1966.

Heinrich, Neuhaus.

The Art of piano playing. Barrie and Jenkins, London, 1973.

Last, Joan.

The Young Pianist An approach for teachers and students. Oxford University Press, London, 1972.

Webster, Peter.

Creativity as creative thinking. From Teaching Music ed. Gary Spruce. Routledge, London, 1996.