Daily practicing is always the most difficult part of music lessons, as we’re sure many of you parents have already discovered! There always seems to be more fun things the student would rather be doing…that’s human nature. We teachers can attest from our own music study that daily practicing can be a struggle. Even non-musicians can attest to the difficulty of establishing discipline every time you promise yourself to start a new daily workout program.
Daily practice is of course vital to learning an instrument. Unlike cramming for a final exam, the skills developed one day are reinforced at the next session. However…daily practice requires discipline which can be very hard to acquire. At Charlotte Academy of Music, we want to help establish a partnership among the teacher, student, and parent to help the students develop that discipline.
It is normal and healthy for students to resist practicing from time to time. EVERY student will experience ups and downs. We ask that parents keep in mind that this is to be expected. The teacher is not the “Practice Police.” Our goal is to keep lessons as positive and work within what the child was able to accomplish that week. Your teacher will speak with you if they feel the student is not progressing and there is cause for concern.
Here are some other helpful tips for students 10 or younger:
1) Please do not expect the student to always be self-motivated to practice. Your child will need your help and guidance to do so.
2) Set up a routine for your child. Perhaps right after school and snack, or right after dinner. Try to tie practice time to a family event rather than a time and stick to it. (Example: right after homework or after dinner)
3) Be involved and encouraging! Try to spend some time listening to your child’s practice and checking that they are completing assignments. Positive reinforcement works so much better than negative. Praise when the student practices but try to avoid being negative when they don’t. Children like to do things that please their parents so being positive and encouraging help them feel better about doing it.
4) Please speak to your teacher about appropriate practice daily practice time. A beginner will usually do fine with 10-15 minutes 4-5 times per week.
Here are some other helpful tips for students older than 10:
1) These students are usually starting to have very full schedules. Please be realistic about practice time.
2) After looking at your family’s schedule, then set up a routine. If Mondays at 5 pm are good times to practice, then stick with it. Even older students may need help. Associating a certain time of day with the practice activity is best.
3) Turn off the television and minimize other distractions to help students make the most of their practice time.
4) Try to help the students think about their goals. If they really want to do well at the next performance or festival, then daily practice according to the teacher directions will help them reach that goal. We as adults easily make that connection between choice and consequence but students are still developing that skill.
Parents should stay in close contact with the teacher. If you are unsure of a particular assignment, email the teacher. The teacher will be eager to assist you in helping the child practice at home! We want to see our students succeed in music, because we love music, but also we know the valuable life skills that are learned along the journey.
Studying music is what we hope is a long-term relationship for your child and the instrument. As in any relationship, there are stages of growth and we as teachers are committed to helping the students work through the difficult periods. We are working at each lesson to develop our students to their highest potential. Effective teamwork among student, family, and teacher increases the students’ chances for success!
Over the years I have come across some excellent websites for even the youngest musicians. Some of these sites I have utilized with incentive programs to encourage students to develop their theory skills or sharper their music history knowledge. Whatever the student’s interest or needs may be, these sites are definitely worth a look…
Music is unique among the professions (along with the other performing arts) in that it can be a profession, a sideline, or a hobby. It is something you DO, which is very enjoyable. For many, that is the most enjoyable aspect – that by studying music you are developing a SKILL with which you can create something you and others enjoy. It is also fun and satisfying to know you are better now than you were just a few weeks ago.
