u/Lavender-sky19

I have been teaching a student for 4-5 years, who's a very casual player (family never really had practice schedules) and as of the last year pretty much stopped playing between lessons. She's quick to learn, polite, and will try things in lessons, but I've only seen a positive reaction to something once in the last year, that was playing 5ths along with a chord chart she knew while I sang lyrics or played melody. Her mom said she came out of her lesson smiling that day but it hasn't happened again since. Her parents want her to keep playing (ie taking lessons) but don't seem to have any interest in supporting home practice, saying she's "very unmotivated to play piano right now." (bit of an ego hit but her sister is doing great so I'm trying not to take it personally)

I've tried providing more challenge in case she was bored, giving her my favourite/exciting piece options that normally grab my early teen beginners' attention, and we've done some chording which she enjoyed if I sang along, but man, all the songs kids know these days have brutal lyrics that I do not want to sing out loud in a lesson or even have the chord/lyric charts up for!

What would you do? She gives me very little to go on, answers "I don't know" or "doesn't matter" to just about every question I prompt to try to figure out what she likes or doesn't like. I'm at a loss! Thanks for any suggestions.

This is the first student I've taught in my whole career where I just can't continue on. I told myself this past year I'd see how it went and it was bad. Sweet family and sweet kid but most lessons I have to give 150% just to get a slight response from him. I remind the family about practice every week and occasionally they've had good weeks. He's now resisting a new book I bought to interest him and reinforce skills, and we've been working on basic reading and playing skills for almost 3 years with barely any progression. I've set manageable practice goals, send more detailed notes than I usually do...the list goes on and on. And yet, somehow they always want to continue lessons.

I am very conflict avoidant and don't want to make this about the kid, but I can't bear another year of the energy suck for 30 minutes each week.

How would you go about talking to the family? I feel like if I talk to the kid it'll crush him. When we have a good lesson it can be really fun, but I'd say it's 1 out of 5-10 if that.

I run a small home studio and also teach at a music school, and I'm noticing a steady drop in students who are willing to play in year end recitals. I don't make it mandatory, which I know is part of the problem, and I also tend to end up with sweet but slightly nervous, capable students. But even my older, more advanced players are kind of "meh" about it and never really commit. I want them to feel proud of their accomplishments during the year and show them off a bit at a recital.

Any suggestions for how to increase performance willingness without making it mandatory, just implied? I'm a very anxious performer personally but push myself to play in front of people because I know it's so good for me mentally and I want to get over those nerves.