Practice Tips that Work

Use these simple tips from a parent, courtesy of Janet Shettler.

·        I Take a Notebook with me to my daughter’s lesson.  I write the date at the top of the page and take notes.  I write down as much as I can in order to be able to work with her during her practice time at home. 

The notebook is also helpful during lesson time next week and sometimes weeks later.  For instance, if weeks go by and she can’t remember at what metronome speed she could play the song, I can go back through the notes and let her know.

My child seems to feel accountability for everything I write down in the notebook, even though she never reads the notebook.  In fact, most of the time, everything in the notebook is practiced without ever having to make a suggestion. 

·        Practice time at home – My child really enjoys the instrument and wants to learn to play it well.  Keeping this in mind, I don’t put pressure on her to practice.  I pick a practice time when she is well rested, perhaps after a snack, and it is quiet around the house.  Usually, you know your child well enough to know what time of day is best.  If my daughter is not up to practicing, I don’t push it.  I wait until later and suggest it again. If there is too much commotion or too much happened the day before and she is tired, I might not ask for any practice time that day.  The outcome would be unfavorable.  The next day, I will suggest a slightly longer practice to make up for the missed day.

When practice begins, I leave the room and just listen in.  This gives me a good idea what material was covered and how hard it was worked on.  Some days my child will work relentlessly on a song.  Other days she will cover more songs, but less thoroughly.  If a couple days pass, and I have not heard any practice on an item in the notebook, I will make a suggestion that the material gets covered.  Most of the time it is done when I ask, and sometimes it is done with a little reluctance.  There have been times when the material just wasn’t covered with enough understanding during the instructor’s lesson time and it needs to wait until the next meeting with the instructor, but this is usually rare.  The day after her lesson with the instructor is a critical practice day.  I try never to miss it and I also try not to miss any material in the notebook on this day.

In my experience, I find that my children do best when they have control over their own practice time.  One child is strong-willed and independent, the other is passive and lacks self-motivation.  Even still, my children practice with happiness and contentment when they can choose the material and timing of their lesson, and I am certain that yours will too!