(Re)Teaching in Control

Following up on my student who is very musically inclined, but who was getting very careless with basic things: he had a wonderful lesson today.  His father is picking up that he isn't practicing his actual lesson, which includes memorizing three songs for a syllabus exam next month.  I am very grateful for his intuitiveness as he is checking with his son to make sure he works on those songs as well as his own creations.  I could hear a huge difference today in the control he had playing them, and they're almost perfectly memorized.  I introduced some Czerny exercises, emphasizing the need for precise evenness with the 8th notes and carefully forming the phrases.  We also clapped some rhythms, showing his need for steadiness, then did a little sightreading to remind him the care he needs to take when figuring out a new piece.  I know things will not be fixed in one lesson, and I am facing challenges deciding what to assign him next.  I am also perplexed as to exactly how to proceed with him.  The Level 2 book he's starting seems so simplistic, but I don't want him to miss anything. I will spend some time later this spring experimenting with repertoire pieces that provide the right challenge.  We have an early summer studio recital in June, which will give him something to concentrate on.  He's done an excellent job with the Fearless Fortissimo series; would be fun to hear him choose a few to play together.  Again, I am grateful for involved parents.  Learning to communicate to them what this student needs will be an important part of his progress.  I also must remember that as the student needs to control his playing, I need to be in control of the lessons, and not allow him to stray too far from what must be mastered.