Getting your child to practice

Getting Your Child To Practice . . .
• Get an assigned number of repetitions for each practice spot in a piece from your teacher; students are typically more willing to do things for their teacher. In my studio the Magic Number is 5 correct, thoughtful repetitions in a row.
• Know when to suspend a practice session and walk away. Never argue with your child; walk away and try again later.
• Give your child choices?not about whether to practice, the time, or place?but anything else that might help them feel like they have some control of their practice.
• Offer specific, genuine praise.
• Create a story that goes along with each song.
Practice at the same time every day.
• Mornings are typically when everybody feels fresh and focused.
• If your child doesn't do well in the morning, give them a snack and a few minutes to relax and practice right after school.
• Give your child a 5 minute warning before the practice session.
• Practice left until just before bed is a battle waiting to happen.
Create a successful practice environment.
• Practice in the same place every day.
• Remove visual and noise distractions, such as pets, siblings, television. If you choose not to answer the phone during a practice session, you are sending the message to your child that the session is important to you.
• Make sure the room is well lit.
• Keep the temperature around 70 degrees. A place that is too warm or stuffy will make you both sleepy and slow. A place that is too cold will cause fingers to hurt.
• Make sure the room smells nice. Studies have shown that an aromatic stimulus will enhance attentions levels, memory and cognitive learning. Pleasant smells such as cinnamon, cloves, or lemon help make practice a positive experience.
Set goals and break into bite-size pieces.
• Have a practice chart, so they can check off assignments and feel the accomplishment of getting things done.
• Tie the length of practice to a goal rather than a clock. Check your student?s notebook for specific goals I have assigned for the week?s practice.
• Hold several small concerts each week?for a parent, neighbor, friends, or some favorite stuffed animals.
• Make practice more fun and reward hard work. When possible, the music should be the reward, but this will likely not be enough to keep a young child motivated. You know your child best. Think of what delights him/her and introduce in it some way into a practice session.
• Video record a practice session and let them watch it.
• Hold an impromptu performance. Make up some programs and have each person take notes of a few things they liked.
• Have a puzzle where the child can place on piece of the puzzle after the completion of each assignment.
• Throw a basketball in a hoop after the completion of each assignment. Have a goal for how many baskets can be made by the end of the session.
• Play Simon Says.
• Roll a die for the number of repetitions. A 1 means roll again, and a 6 means the parent can choose any number from 2-5.
• Divide a piece into 5 sections. Roll a die to see which section to practice. (Do this several times.) A 6 means the whole piece should be performed.
• Create a grab bag with the names of pieces, or parts of pieces, and other assignments. Include a few fun surprises.
• Have your child guess the next song to practice by clapping the rhythm or playing/singing the first note.
• Use an abacus to count repetitions.
• Light several votive candles. (This creates a fun environment.) Allow your child to blow one out after each completed assignment.