piano lesson grace

Sometimes when I teach piano lessons, I like to blow my students' minds.  Not with anything even remotely related to music, but rather one of the most amazing concepts that we can teach our children: grace.

After each lesson my students earn a score somewhere between 1-5.  The highest they can score is a 5.  There is a number of criteria they have to meet to get this score (but I am pretty lenient, too lenient I'm sure). 

Students must practice during the week, do their Theory homework, mark down their practices in the assignment book, practice, have a good attitude during their half hour lesson, remember to bring their assignment book to the lesson, and practice!  (This whole practicing thing can be tough for some of these kiddos - approximately 20 minutes, 5 days during the week - parents are supposed to sign the assignment book confirming their child's practices but I don't hinge a child's score on the parents' responsibility.)  

If a student remembers to do all these things and they get a 5, they get to pick out a reward (typically a piece of candy).  This is a pretty big motivator for most of my students.  It might be a pack of smarties or a sucker or a cute pencil, but the kids think it's great!  

However.

If a student does not achieve this score and they get a score of 4 or lower, there is no reward (insert sad face here).  I have made students cry by giving them a 4. Awful, mean, terrible teacher!  But, they remember and usually improve by the next lesson!  A little sugar deprivation goes a long way!

Every once in a while I feel a little prodding from God to show a student grace.  At the end of the lesson I will tell them what they did wrong, and then ask if they know what grace is.  Many do not yet understand the concept so I explain: grace is undeserved favor, or in kid's talk it is getting something you don't deserve.  You don't deserve a reward, but today I will give you one simply to show you grace.  The look on their face is a combination of disbelief, relief, and excitement.  

I think grace is often missing in this world, even among believers.  And yet our desire is to exemplify Jesus.  He was the walking, talking example of grace.  He hung out with the people who needed grace the most!  

Sometimes I think we are so busy judging other people that we forget just how much we need grace ourselves. You know, the whole "speck in your eye vs the plank in mine!"

I don't have a catchy ending to this one, but if it's all right with my "piano parents," I'm gonna keep teaching these awesome kiddos about grace because we all need to experience it once in a while - especially me, because as it turns out, I'm not perfect.

KC