Three Ways to Keep Students Engaged Over the Summer

If you think about it, it’s not hard to relate to what happens to school students over the summer.

First, there is the relief from the everyday stress they have been dealing with and, whether they realize it or not, they have been carrying that stress for the whole school year – and their parents carry it, too. So now that school is out, they are ready for fun and anything but organized study. This can pose a problem for music lesson businesses, so here are a few thoughts to keep students engaged over the summer.

Hot Fun in the Summertime

We are wise to take a page from Sly and the Family Stone’s book.

In the summer, if it ain’t fun, music students are not interested. And in truth, why should they be? Think about it – let’s take student #1: a clarinet student whose teacher is unhappy with them because they didn’t practice their scales enough this week, so in the music lesson the teacher is terse and impatient. That same student, of course, has their friends texting them from the pool asking why they aren’t there joining in on the fun.

Compare that experience to a guitar student performing Van Halen’s “Panama” at a music store show, where he can invite all his friends, and after the show he’s a hero because he’s done such a good job… Which student stays in lessons, and which one quits and probably won’t come back in the fall?

Then there’s dad, who drives his son to lessons after he’s had a long drive home in rush hour. At one music store, he sits and browses his phone or looks at his watch and remembers the events of the day that frustrated him. Or at another music store, you could have a different scenario that goes something like this: In the morning, dad puts his banjo in the car next to his daughter’s guitar. That evening after they both take lessons, they join in a bluegrass jam together. She musters the courage to sing, and proudly he joins her with harmony.

You see, if we make it what it should be – fun – then the chance of student retention is greater. The student and the parent stay engaged, both in music and in family. I promise you, fun is contagious and more and more students show will show up… just because it’s fun. So thanks for the tip, Sly!

If Sly’s advice doesn’t excite you, then let’s consider what Edgar Winter suggests and – Give it Everything You Got.

Here is a personal approach I use to engage students in the summer – keep in mind my ultimate goal is to have students succeed both in learning themselves and learning music. Whenever I see a struggling student or, just as importantly, an amazing student with great potential, I often offer to work with him or her gratis for a short while, to see if I can advance or improve their cause.

Many teachers shy away from this approach because you give some of your time away for free, but most teachers have some open times in the summer. Although I also believe that we are pros and should always receive proper compensation, for me it’s akin to letting a your child take out dad’s Porsche on a sunny Sunday. Once they have driven the Porsche, they have a different perspective on what driving is all about. We should never lose sight of the truth that a music store should be a magical place filled with surprises, and what better surprise can you give a family or student than personal interest and a few extra lessons as a “thank you” for being a good customer?

It’s better to sing the Beatles than Eddie Cochran

While everyone loves the classic Cochran tune “Summertime Blues,” in business it’s best to think like The Beatles and get your staff to sing “Here Comes the Sun.”

The idea here is a simple one: Make sure every conversation that comes from behind your counter revolves around one idea. “Now that you have some extra time…”

With advanced students, talk about going back to school in the fall “noticeably better.” Have them look up the term “woodshed.”

Have your curious students intern. And with Dad or Mom, have them revisit and fix the default statement, “I played when I was younger, but quit because…”

Suggest to a parent, now that it’s summer, the younger sibling may want to try the piano, because you have noticed she sits at it every week while her brother is in lessons.

To keep your teachers engaged in the slower season, have them try some new approaches as well. Don’t let the inconsistencies of the season dictate the outcome. Instead, take advantage of the lost format and think like a bop player from the ‘30s: IMPROVISE.

In Closing

The summer season presents a different canvas for a music retailer, so you have to think about it with a different mindset. Lesson programs can take quite a beating with turnover, students graduating and going off to college, et cetera.

It is a time to roll up your sleeves and break the back of complacency and routine. This process is demanding, so don’t forget to also join in some summer fun. Go to a concert, take your earbuds and music device on a hike, get outside in nature… because the demanding fall season is right around the corner.