Kids enjoy video games more than piano. Generally speaking, of course.
But...
You could argue they're practicing the same skills in video games. (Except they don't count in real life.)
They're solving problems. They're battling frustration. They're building their skills.
And based on my limited experience attempting to learn Minecraft, it is work. I mean, building a digital home in a virtual forest? Come on...That takes time and energy!
So what's the difference?
I believe it's the real-time metrics we're bombarded with when we play video games.
If you play any video game, you're getting feedback constantly.
There's no question about what you need to do. The objective is clear.
The game is telling you whether you're doing well or you're failing.
Every. Single. Second.
Kids don't experience this real-time feedback when they're alone at the piano. There are objectives in the lesson notebook. But new problems arise.
There are no screens, scores, or help buttons to make new objectives clear. It's left to the students to work those out for themselves.
Which has the potential to be exciting!
But it isn't our natural inclination, given that we're receiving instant feedback and direction from everywhere else.
Perhaps we can somehow borrow some of these elements of gamification and bring them to the practice room.
Even if only as a stepping stool to building our own system of objectives, strategies, and rewards in our practice.
