Google Drive and Docs for Music Lesson Journals

If you’re like me, in a traditional lesson you or your student write in a physical notebook to spell out the assignment and items of focus for the practice period before the next lesson.  With an online lesson, you won’t have this physical notebook.  I recommend using Google Docs.  

Google docs are a great tool for keeping a running notebook for your students.  The historical record of your notes, assessment of the lesson and outline of practice goals is always available for reference and progress tracking, and the student can add their practice log and notes to the doc, creating a running journal.  

• It’s free.
• The student can’t lose this notebook and it can’t be eaten by the dog--it’s always there in the “cloud” on Google Drive.
• You can templatize a notebook format for use with all of your students.
• There are many creative ways to use Google docs.  Here’s a resource page for educators: http://www.google.com/educators/p_docs.html
• If you don’t have a Google account, sign up here: www.google.com. 
  

Basics of Google Docs

1. Select Drive at the top of your Google menu:

2. Create>Document

This will make an untitled document that you can name by student and time period (e.g. July 2012) or initiative (Solo and Ensemble Preparation) in the document list:

3. You can create a folder (Create>Folder) for each of your students and keep their running document or a series of documents in the folder.

4. Share the document with your student: the blue Share button at the top right of the page allows you to enter a student or student’s parent email address to share the document.  Only you and those with whom you share the document will see it.    

5. The student can keep a simple practice journal by adding notes with with the Comment feature (similar to Microsoft Word).  

• Drag over a section of text and right-click or select Insert>Comment from the menu.  This will create a comment attached to the text in the document--a specific assignment for example.  The student can add to the comment daily with successive “Reply” entries.  

Google Drive contains free tools that facilitate communication and collaboration between lessons.  You may find many creative ways to use the different tools beyond the docs.  

Have some cool things you’ve done with Google Drive?  Please share and add your comments below!

     

Pianist, recording artist, educator and entrepreneur—Philip Amalong is VP of Community and Content for the ZOEN (Zenph Online Education Network).