Setting achievable goals

Some pupils will have far more opportunities to be involved in music than others, so the amount of input a music teacher will need to give in a specific area will vary.

It is vital that pupils are taught within a clear context, that you regularly discuss with them what are their ambitions, hopes and musical tastes are, as these may change radically over short periods of time. Pupils may not always want to go down a traditional route of repertoire and exams, especially if presented with several imaginative and creative alternatives. We should always be aware that the route is not as important as the learning taking place and the experiences encountered. There are many ways to get to a destination; the quickest route or our most comfortable route is not always the most fulfilling or life changing for the pupil. With a clear pathway to a collaborative end, it is much easier to decide on resources, activities, experiences, assessments etc. that will nurture and support a pupils learning, progress and motivation. It is also important to take into account the breadth of musical experiences a pupil is involved in and never to be blinkered by the instrument you teach. It might be that it is one of the tributaries to an entirely different instrumental or musical ambition. 

This article goes into more details about defining what a pupils short, medium and long term goals might be.  

You might want to take the next lesson with your pupils to ask them what they want to achieve in their lessons in the next month, term and year and see what they have in mind and how you can change your lesson planning to help them achieve their goals.