$1.00 Hymns

M is off for the summer from piano lessons.  Her teacher is on vacation for a month, then we are on vacation for a month.  The teacher handles lessons in a business like manner.  For the summer you can buy 4 or 8 lessons.  I felt like there wasn't enough time to make good use of 4 lessons because of camps, and travel.  I love that the teacher handles her studio in such a businesslike manner.  It is a business and she provides a service for a clearly defined cost.  I hope M will pick up these business skills as well as the piano and pedagogy skills.  She's advanced enough that the teacher talks openly to her about how she will use these resources when she teaches piano.  The teacher understands the value of what she is teaching.  It's great.

So while M was off formal lessons I agreed to pay her $1.00 for each hymn she learned.  M is very motivated to earn money to get a Polaroid camera.  She's had this goal for a long time and done some extra work to earn money.  Today we looked at different options to get an idea for how close she was.  Ebay may be the answer. 

M asked if I would pay her for past hymns she had learned, as they are written, not simplified.  I told her that I would pay her for those 3-4 hymns when she reaches 10 new hymns.  We talked about carrots and motivation. 

Having M able to play hymns has been our main goal in having her play the piano.  I'm excited that she's reaching the skill level to be able to do that.  Her teacher said she is good enough to play hymns now and that learning simplified versions is actually frustrating because the muscle memory has to be re-learned.  I'm glad to have admonition to go forth and do the work!