Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Teachers Forum How do you end a piano lesson?

Do you have a certain line you say to let the student know it is finished? Do you make them say or do anything? Do you just end it casually by letting them know that's all?

I usually just end up saying something like, "well, I guess that's all for today...see you next week." And maybe something like, "keep up the good work!"
But I still feel awkward. Especially annoying is the occasional student who can *tell* I'm wrapping up and they actually start getting up before I'm completely finished!

I had a teacher when i was younger who had her students bow at the end of the lesson, which I sort of agree Is a much better way to end it than I do now, but even then it struck me as odd..."bowing for what?!"

This will solve your problem:

http://www.amazon.com/Taylor-Digital-Minute-Second-Timer/dp/B0007NIIOU

That's far too abrupt. I want and like the option of being able to go a minute or two under or over the scheduled lesson. I don't want to feel like I have to stop mid sentence just because some device interrupted me.

ETA: plus, its not really like I feel like a have a "problem," I'm just curious what others do.

My teacher stands up, and re-caps what he wants me to do in the coming week. Standing up can also be an acceptable way to end a meeting.

Same. Then he always ends with "practice much!"

Give the student a garland of roses, or throw rotten vegetables at them, depending on how much they practiced.

I agree Red Rose, I feel really awkward sometimes at the end of the lesson. I usually give a clue that it's coming to an end like "ok play this bit through one more time and then that will do for today". Sometimes it really doesn't feel smooth though. Either the student had no idea it was anywhere near the end of the lesson and is startled, or with students I don't have a good rapport with an unnatural "goodbye" is exchanged and it feels abrupt and odd.

Mentioning something about practice or what's coming up (i.e. have a think about what your favourite christmas carol is and I'll try to find a version at your level) as you walk them to the door makes it a bit smoother. I'm really not good at this sort of thing though haha.

What makes it worse for me is I have the next people waiting in the room watching the whole awkward exchange. What i wouldn't give for a waiting room!

I have a digital clock in front of me. When it is three minutes to the end of lesson, I would pick an activities that I know is exactly three minutes (different one each time, could be flash card, two questions from theory book, or G Major scales etc....whatever seems appropriate for current lesson) and tell the students:

"Okay! Almost time to go home, here, finish this line then you are done."

In this way, students would know the lesson is going to end soon and it will not be too awkward.

The lesson just ends. I keep my eyes on the clock so that we're probably working on something short as the end draws near. Maybe one problem phrase or measure.

I'm not a believer that all lessons need a "close" in order to conclude. Most lessons end when I'm in the middle of something, to be continued next time. There's so much to do, I almost never end up with 5 minutes of "filler."

I do have one student who keeps on asking for water or "Can I go to the bathroom?" as closing time draws near.

One of my colleagues has a stack of vocabulary flashcards so that, in case they finish 3 minutes early, she can bust out the flashcards and start quizzing her student.

With a little planning, you fit it in the lesson time.

Having a large screen timer in front of you helps keep on schedule.

If I'm the student, I want the full time I paid for.

If I'm the next student, I want to start on time.

A lesson is followed by a week of practicing, so a student has to be clear on what she is to do before going home. Do you guys make room for that?

Yes. For me at least, as the lesson has been progressing, I've been writing in their notebook and explaining what they need to work on. I don't need to summarize or re-explain at the end.

I teach a lot of siblings, and I rarely otherwise have people scheduled back-to-back. In the case of siblings, it is great to have the flexibility to give or take a minute or two (and give or take it from the next sibling, if one needs it more than the other,) and in the case of everyone else, I am quite confident that I err in going *over* the lesson time - to the benefit of the student - more often than going under. No one has ever complained, or even as far as I know, even noticed, but if they were to complain, I would explain how it works out in their favor and would have no problem stopping the lesson midsentence at exactly the end if they were insistent. (But, I don't teach such inflexible people, so I can't imagine that ever happening...)

Bowing is a way to show respect to each other.

It seems more appropriate than having kids genuflect or kiss your ring.

Anyway, I end by saying it's time to take our bows. We each say our line "Thank you for teaching", "Thank you for learning". No one has a problem with it. I just tell kids at the first meeting that this is how we end lessons. With adults, I don't do this though.

I like it, I will steal it...hihi...

I do that during the lesson, not at the very end.

If the student is diligent and perceptive, the student will follow directions no matter when the directions are given.

If the student is lazy and featherbrained, the student will not follow directions no matter how many times the directions are repeated. The directions will be repeated at the next lesson, and the lesson after that, until the information/skill sinks into the student's impenetrable brain.

But wait - doesn't the teacher learn and the student teach as well?

Hi ezpiano,
I'm glad you like it. I stole it from a book...it was in a footnote about how a certain teacher conducted lessons.

Yes, there is some give and take that way. But still, the phrases remind each of us of the purpose of lessons: the teacher to teach and the student to learn.

It works for me anyway. Maybe not for everyone. Each teacher can be creative and end lessons as pleased. "Get jiggy with it!" as Will Smith has said.

Summarizing is important for the student to do. I have them summarize at the end of each segment of their lesson so I know they have understood what they will be doing with that part of the assignment each week.