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Practice Makes Perfect... Without practice it is almost impossible for a student to continually improve at the piano. Extra practice is extremely important for every piano student on the road to improvement. Although I can not be in your home to force or oversee a consistent practice schedule, I have implemented ways of increasing the likelihood of more frequent practice sessions and I have listed here some ideas on how to encourage practice without a fight. How often should each student practice? Ideally, each student should practice at least once a day. I realize with our busy lives practice can be hard to fit in, but aiming for once a day usually ensures enough practice throughout the week. No one Regrets
Learning an Instrument How many people look back and wish their parents
had forced them to play piano? Many of us started music lessons and
didn't finish because our parents allowed us to quit or didn't force us
to practice. I've met many people who regret quitting piano lessons, but
none who regret sticking with it. I love to play now, but as a child I
thought I didn't want to play and tried everything to get out of
practicing. I will always be grateful that my parents encouraged me to
play and never let me quit until I reached an age where I could take
what I had already learned (the hard part) and choose what to do with
that knowledge and talent. Common Misconceptions A common misconception is that a parent should not have to force
their child to practice or that a parent should not have to remind their
child to practice. When a child complains about practice or doesn't
practice without reminders (Ok, let's call it Parents often give up on piano because they are tired of resorting to
constant nagging about practice, they notice their child suddenly seems
uninterested in the piano, or they are worried they are pushing their
own dreams on their child. Children go through stages…some months they
love playing the piano and you won't even need to ask them to practice,
and some months Tips for Encouraging Consistent Practice Fancy Fingers Piano Studio has some tips and common motivators to help get your child to practice piano. Remember different motivators work well for different people. The key is to figure out which motivators work the best with your child.
Schedule regular piano practice into your child's day Try scheduling the day so that a certain amount of time is set aside for your child's piano practice. Have a designated time that's devoted to piano on a regular basis and make it a regular part of your child's routine. It may help to post a sheet showing which hours are designated for piano practice. Post it in your child's room so he can refer to it each day. During your child's piano practice time, there should be no
distractions such as television or phone calls. You child will make more
progress when piano practice becomes a regular part of his life, like
brushing his teeth in the morning. Use a reward system. It will help to motivate your child if you post a calendar on the
wall in his room. Each time he completes that day's piano practice, he
can place a gold star on that day. At the end of the month, allow your
child to redeem his gold stars for a special Break your child's piano practice time into shorter intervals. If your child becomes restless practicing for thirty minutes, break
his practice segments into two fifteen
On occasion, stop and really listen while your child practices piano.
Let him perform a mini concert for Allow him to play "fun music". Sometimes piano practice from a technique standpoint using scales and
other exercises can become monotonous for a child. Let him take an
occasional break to play fun music that appeals to him but may not be
part of his official lesson plan. Show your child that piano practice
can be fun. Join your child in his piano practice. If you play the piano, join your child at the piano for an occasional
duet. Your child will enjoy the interaction and the attention and he'll
discover how much fun piano practice can be. Piano for children can be an exciting way to teach them a lifelong
skill. By following a few simple guidelines, your child's piano practice
sessions can be fun and productive.
Use Rewards: Bribery is a great motivator! If you don't want to spend your life
savings on bribing your kids to practice (trust me, I know it gets
expensive!) try offering up something they will likely be getting
anyway: a cookie, their allowance, a trip to the
Give Praise & Encourage Opportunities for Performance: People thrive on attention. The more praise you give the more your
children will be excited about their piano skills and inspired to
practice. Praise gives them a sense of accomplishment and lets them know
all this hard work is really paying off. It is also important for each
student to receive praise from people other than Mom & Dad. Children
often assume their parents HAVE to praise them and are biased, so
outside praise helps to solidify their sense of achievement. Have them
play for friends and family who are visiting your house or arrange for
them to play at the school talent show. When a student feels Point out the Benefits of gaining this Skill: Learning the piano builds self confidence. When a child realizes that
their new skill sets them apart from many of their peers it gives them a
greater sense of self worth. Remind them that they are building a skill
that many people will not have. Their classmates may be entirely
impressed by their talent and have a greater respect for the student,
especially when they learn to play the latest popular songs. Remind them of the Fun they have playing their favorite pieces: Inevitably all students have some favorite pieces that they
constantly go back to. They go back to play these pieces over and over
because they find playing them is personally rewarding and they love the
music. Remind them that although their newer pieces may seem hard and
grueling to practice they might just end up your next favorite. All
their favorite pieces started If you have any questions about any of these tips or would like
further information on the proper ways to practice, ask me at your next
lesson or give me a call. |