Keyboard Studies Planner™ (KSP)
What is KSP?
Keyboard Studies Planner™ is designed to save time at the lesson and facilitate organized practice by meeting the practical needs of both instructor and student.
Precious lesson time is saved when using the "most-common" reminders checklist on each of the 48 assignment pages and the step-by-step tips found on the How To Speedpractice sheet. Page design also allows for easy assigning and marking of completed homework assignments.
The instructor can efficiently track goals on a comprehensive annual planning page, a technique chart, and a repertoire list. These visual incentives generate renewed motivation and confidence for the student. They also assist the instructor in assessing quickly at a glance a student's progress in preparing for performances and evaluations.
Keyboard Studies Planner™ provides a simple grading system for each assignment page and a balanced progress report card at the end of each notebook. The unique vertical three-hole spiral binding is sturdy enough to stand alone or allows students to keep the assignment notebook in their three-ring binder together with other important music papers.
It is the author's hope that Keyboard Studies Planner™ will promote excellence in practice habits which will, in turn, advance keyboard learning toward a lifetime of music-making.
Endorsements and Testimonials for the Keyboard Studies Planner
I give Belansky's Keyboard Studies Planner my highest recommendation. It is well organized, highly practical, and relevant to today's piano student.—Dr. Martha Baker-Jordan, author of Practical Piano Pedagogy
I highly recommend the Keyboard Studies Planner for any teacher who is looking for a complete yet flexible approach to organized piano practice. The KSPs save teachers the work of setting up assignment pages. It saves parents the work of making homemake tracking systems. High schoolers have used this book for better organizing and practice accountability.—Donna Hornick Weber, Professor Emeritus, Fullerton College, California
I really love these books. Most people are very impressed with them. With so much to keep track, if I have a book where most of the information is, that's helpful. I especially like the Technique Progress Chart. The Practice Chart works well for very serious students to keep track. I like the ample size of the assignment pages, especially for advanced students. The Annual Planning Page I find parents are more impressed with it than the kids. The books give the message that I am serious about what I do, that I am a professional.—V. Millar
Most helpful are the assignment page format, the excellent practice tips, and the fingering chart.—I. Brown
The KSP is very detailed but adaptable to each student.—C. Paugh
The size and shape of the book gives enough space to write all assignments and messages. I have noticed
that this book has helped my students to organize their practicing better.—P. Loikkanen
I love the Technique Chart organization. The space provided for writing assignments seems to be just
right.—Phillips
I like the How to Speedpractice page, the Weekly Practice Chart with boxes, and how there is a lot of space for assignments.—M.M. (a parent)
I like the way the KSP is organized; the format is very similar to the way I organize lessons.—A.Van Nest
Tips on Using the Keyboard Studies Planner
We had a practice contest in the studio. The boxes made it easier to write practice times down, although I did find it necessary to make a place for TOTAL. I used the Annual Planning Page for National Guild selections, although I had to go back and forth between that and the Repertoire List in the back of the book.—A. Phillips
For National Guild, I number the lines under Repertoire Pieces from the Annual Planning Page and fill in the titles as students decide which pieces. Use the Books and Materials section from the Annual Planning Page as a check list to make sure all items are brought to the lesson. Have students list how much time they spend on theory to help assess how difficult or easy it was for them. Use the daily practice charts on the assignment pages differently each year depending on a student's need.—M.A. Jack
Highlight from the Reminders Checklist box items which need most attention each week. My students write down the practice times every week and parents sign each week where indicated.—P. Loikkanen
For younger students, I start them on the Faber practice book for one year and "graduate" them to the older students' book (KSP). I usually use two pages at one lesson; I like to have space between different things students are working on. I When a student is finished with a book, I have the student bring it to lesson for six months to doublecheck any past comments or assignments needing follow-up.—V. Millar
To save lesson time, students come to lesson with music i the order as presented on the weekly goal page. For young students, ask them to mark their practice time by coloring in the boxes for each day's work. Students can memorize practice hint steps as a project, then practice applying the steps when learning their music. Students have a guide for writing their ow assignments when teachers are on vacation or when they miss a lesson. Students with learning disabilities have used weekly goal page format to help them focus on detailed instructions. More than one page can be used for a weekly assignment which requires a lot of detail instruction. Extra weekly goal pages (if any) at year-end can be torn out and used as needed when students forget their books, etc.—A.Y. Belansky