As the previous school year fades from memory and days begin to fill not with books and pencils, but with sunscreen and the shriek of cicadas, many students in private piano lessons say goodbye to their teachers in favor of… what, exactly? While camps and vacations can interfere with a few summer lessons here and there, boredom sets in quickly and the skills from last year begin to decay. Then August rolls around. Students find themselves at the bottom of a mountain they had summited merely months ago, but no memory of how they did it! From skill retention to schedule consistency — staying in music lessons over summer break just makes sense.
Consistency
Oftentimes when families pause lessons for the summer, their previous time slot isn’t reserved for when they return. It’s left open for anyone to swoop in from June to August, throwing next year’s plans and schedule completely out of whack. Additionally, a huge benefit of private music lessons is the relationship students get to build with their teacher, and stopping lessons for the summer puts that at risk. There’s no guarantee a slot will be available with your favorite teacher! Even more so, the month of August is then spent not just reviewing previously mastered skills, but building a connection with an entirely new teacher. The frustration that can build when students return could damage their relationship with their instrument, potentially forever.
Retention
Students lose anywhere from 30% to 40% of content knowledge during the summer with the majority of that loss happening in math (Briggs & Wellberg, 2022). Music uses skills across many subject areas including math. From counting rhythms to time signatures, intervals and scales – math is everywhere in music. Staying in their lesson during the summer means that students not only retain their musical knowledge, but continue to flex other skills that may suffer during the long break from school. Staying in lessons, sets students up for success!
Something To Do, Even at Home
If parents could count the number of times their child says, “I’m bored!” throughout summer break, that number would surely be in the thousands. When playing outside risks heat stroke, especially in the south, and experts recommend limiting screen time, playing an instrument is a standby that solves the summertime boredom issue on multiple fronts. There is always something to practice! Kids might find an old favorite to play, or a new song to discover on an instrument. This makes lessons the perfect summertime boredom buster.
Increased success
Since kids continue to work on their skills consistently through the summer, they won’t spend the month of August retraining on the basics or struggling to get back on track with practicing. This means that they not only keep their musical skills, but progress further and faster over time! Without that seasonal setback, students finish their method books faster than their peers and experience more success. When kids do well, they feel good!
So, are summer lessons worth it?
In short: YES! If not for simply keeping your lesson slot and teacher, than for helping your child truly get the most out of their lessons. Highland Music Studio even offers flexible scheduling and expanded makeup lesson options so traveling families don’t have to worry about the sunken cost of missing lessons. Give your young musician the best chance at success and keep them making music all summer long!
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References
Briggs, D. C., & Wellberg, S. (2022) Evidence of “Summer Learning Loss” on the i-Ready
Diagnostic Assessment. Boulder, CO: The Center for Assessment, Design, Research and
Evaluation (CADRE), University of Colorado Boulder.