# Reward system for learning?



## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

So I'm going to start giving lessons to my 10 year old grand daughter. She does want to learn guitar. But sometimes when it comes to commitment and putting work in to something she can be a little hard to motivate. I was somewhat the same. 
I started playing guitar at the age if 12. I took a little over a year of lessons. In that year I barely touched the guitar except for the night of my lesson. In spite of my parents hounding me to practice I just wasn't motivated. They took me out of lessons and I couldn't put the guitar down.
So I'm wondering if its a good idea to put a reward system in place, initially. Have certain levels that she gets to and I would reward her with cash or some sort of gift (guitar related, pink strap, capo, etc). At least in the beginning until she sees what she can do and gets motivated by her own possibilities.
When my son was a young hockey player starting out I used to pay him a buck a goal (even though experts recommended against it) and he turned out to be a pretty good hockey player. 
So I'm just wondering if some kind of reward system is a good idea? Looking for opinions from all, and hopefully from some guitar teachers.


----------



## JBFairthorne (Oct 11, 2014)

I’m not generally one for a structured reward system. Sure a little something here and there but not bribery. 

If you DO want to consider a reward then I would suggest something musically related. A better guitar or whatever. If that type of reward isn’t motivational to her then perhaps music isn’t her thing anyhow.


----------



## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

JBFairthorne said:


> I’m not generally one for a structured reward system. Sure a little something here and there but not bribery.
> 
> If you DO want to consider a reward then I would suggest something musically related. A better guitar or whatever. If that type of reward isn’t motivational to her then perhaps music isn’t her thing anyhow.


She'd have to achieve a lot for a better guitar. I was thinking something like that after 3-4 years and I'd be confident she'd make this a life long thing. Right now her starter guitar is a Taylor GS mini Mahogany that I bought her new from Folkway. I was thinking after a few years I'd reward her with something in the range of a Taylor 310. After that if she wants something better she's on her own.


----------



## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

Yup. That's a nice enough guitar that it should require considerable accomplishment for an upgrade. I told my daughter (years ago) that I would buy her the pink Squier strat she saw in Cosmo if she finished book one of the Hal Leonard course. She didn't get very far, and to be fair, she was pretty busy with other things - she now has her Grade 7 piano, for example. She was recently asked to play bass in a youth band at our church (because the organizer knew that I owned one), so I've made the same offer - finish book one and she can have a bass of her own. This time I think I might get to go shopping.

If I were to offer rewards, I think that I would offer "experience" rewards (eg. trip to the zoo) rather than stuff.

My students work hardest leading up to a the local music festival. A performance on the horizon is a great motivator. If you can find a local kid-friendly open mic, see if you can get her to commit to performing a certain song by a certain date. Applause is an amazing reward.


----------



## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

bw66 said:


> If I were to offer rewards, I think that I would offer "experience" rewards (eg. trip to the zoo) rather than stuff.


Thats an excellent idea. But I'd rather try and keep it music related. So maybe a concert or something music related if possible.


----------



## Budda (May 29, 2007)

If she doesnt want to learn guitar, what is it she wants to learn instead?


----------



## CathodeRay (Jan 12, 2018)

I had a student age 11 a few years ago.
I took kind of a 'montessori' approach.
Found out what songs he listened to and loved, transcribed them for guitar.
As a consequence, he had to learn tab, etc. to get the reward: being able to play the music he loved.
This worked really well, as it brought up all sorts of conversation & lessons naturally - from keys to ear training to timing to rhythms.

The reason I tackled it this way was my experience with my first teacher as a kid.
First ever lesson - he took out 'Isn't It A Pity', a tune I'd never even heard of at the time.
The 'lesson' was basically - here's this complex tune you've never seen, can't sing, but I like - learn all the chords & come back next week and play it.
Worst teacher ever, if you could call him that; deflating & demotivating; I never wanted to do that to someone. 

So yeah, just let the kid choose the music, then listen to them and what they want to learn - and build lessons around that; that would be my take on it. 
Money reward, I wouldn't do it, the reward is satisfaction and participation in the process.


----------



## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

Budda said:


> If she doesnt want to learn guitar, what is it she wants to learn instead?


She definitely has an interest in music. She loves to sing and has a great voice. Always singing with her karaoke machine. I'm not saying she won't be motivated but like a lot of kids sometimes it can be hard for them to put in that boring practice time and work that it takes to accomplish an instrument. I could be totally wrong. I only asked this question as this is a preliminary thought I had on the chance that I experience some motivational problems with her. It will take her doing the work. But its also going to be work on my side to be a good mentor and teacher.


----------



## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)

guitarman2 said:


> I took a little over a year of lessons. In that year I barely touched the guitar except for the night of my lesson. In spite of my parents hounding me to practice *I just wasn't motivated*. They took me out of lessons and I couldn't put the guitar down.


Let her develop on her own, if she wants.
She'll come back to you when she's ready.
There are probably more important things in her life at the moment.
Discovering that boys aren't that icky after all, for example.


----------



## Distortion (Sep 16, 2015)

Yes teach her the songs she likes. That's what sank me as a kid. I wanted to play the Beatles and the teacher wanted to teach me music reading and sparkling stela (twinkle twinkle little star) out of the Mel Bay book.. Hours on the couch but I bombed in the end. She has got to want to play or forget about it.


----------



## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)

Distortion said:


> sparkling stela (twinkle twinkle little star) out of the Mel Bay book


Ha! That's how I started too.
Gave up after 2weeks.
Picked up again a year later after my cousin taught me some songs (proud Mary, rising sun etc).


----------



## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Learning E, F and G didn't do much for me. Goofing around and discovering that part of the James Bond theme music is 3 consecutive notes definitely reeled me in much more.


----------



## Distortion (Sep 16, 2015)

laristotle said:


> Ha! That's how I started too.
> Gave up after 2weeks.
> Picked up again a year later after my cousin taught me some songs (proud Mary, rising sun etc).


 I think I made it to week 5. Still got the book .He stamped dates after each lesson in the book. I was ten also. Hand me down sears guitar. Good times


----------



## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

Reward her.............................with praise that is sincere. That is worth more than money or gifts.


----------



## JBFairthorne (Oct 11, 2014)

Whatever happened to knowledge being it’s own reward?


----------



## Hammerhands (Dec 19, 2016)

There are a few cheap accomplishments you can bury in with the longer goals.

The inclusion of Moby Dick in that first guitar book hooked me, and catching my guitar teacher using barre chords. What was that you were playing? They sure make Stray Cat Strut easier to play.

After you get through the very basics you can spend couple of years on the usage of the minor pentatonics. They allow you to solo on anything with a little knowledge. That is very fun.

I had an idea the other day that peek-a-boo is so delightful for babies because they are getting massive doses of cheap drugs. Every time both their eyes focus together, boom one hit, recognize a face, boom another hit, connect the mouth to a sound, wham.


----------

