HOW TO PRACTISE?
9 ways to encourage practising
9 ways to encourage practising
Do not despair if you can't get your child to get down to practise, for this is normal. You may compare your little darling with someone else's, who practises without being told. Well, there are some children who are like that but they are very much in the minority. It is quite acceptable for a normal, good, average kid not to practise.
How would you get them to do it? Bribe them? Offer a reward? Or you say," You practise, or else…"! Well, parents who mean well try so many ways.
It is important for parents to show an interest in what they learn. Show your appreciation in a piece played well. Or just say that " I like that; can you play it again". This way you get them to practise automatically.
Main thing is that the child should be encouraged to pursue in the study of music. No one wants them to drop out in frustration or in plain bitterness of the subject.
It is important for parents to show an interest in what they learn. Show your appreciation in a piece played well. Or just say that " I like that; can you play it again". This way you get them to practise automatically.
Main thing is that the child should be encouraged to pursue in the study of music. No one wants them to drop out in frustration or in plain bitterness of the subject.
Let's look at some ways for motivation:
1. Give a time limit.
Practising for a half hour each day; but it must be done properly. During that half hour he/she can't run to the loo, answer the phone or look for the music sheet. It should be a solid half hour whether it is just one piece or the whole set of pieces that needs to be practised.
Practising for a set period of time isn't going to help much. What matters is how you practise.
Practising for a set period of time isn't going to help much. What matters is how you practise.
Time it, if it is necessary to make sure; there's no harm in being assertive.
2. Play every page three times a day.
This will seem too little, but for young ones especially up to about nine years works very well. It seems little enough, so therefore not too bad! At the end of the first day you may not see any results, but do it for a week and there, it will be.
If it is a new piece, play it five times a day until he/she can play it quite well.Then it can be down graded to three times a day.
3. Maintain a chart.
It must have columns for the day, period of practice and what level the player is at; from bad to good, sad to smiley face etc. Give a gold star for good results.
Stick it on the fridge and mark it as the practising progresses.
If she/ has done well by the end of the week, give a reward.
4. $ 0.20 approach.
Have two little cups, red and green; have a 20 ct. coin in the green cup; while practising, if he/she makes a mistake the coin goes into the red cup and each time it is played correctly, the coin goes into the green cup. At the end of the session if the coin is in the green cup he/she can keep it. But of course, you have to keep a watch.
It is always good to have a parent around when they are attending to practising; when you show an interest (even if you don't know any music) the child gets motivated and performs better, just like with school work.
5. Set simple goals that are achievable in a practice session; learn the first eight bars properly or get that scale right. It is all right to make mistakes but you have to learn from them.
6. Point System
This is good for the 12 upwards too.
Maintain a chart for each practice session. Give a point/points for each practice session. When it reaches, for example 250 points (you can make it any number of points as you wish), allow him/her to have the "treat" they always wanted; going to the movies with friends or buy that awesome t- shirt.
7. An exchange
How about exchanging practise time for a chore! Do you want to do the dishes, wash the toilet or tidy up your own room, or may be weeding the garden? We can all have a fair guess here!
8. Singing
Often, in the pieces for the young are with words. Try singing while they practise or sing it when they know it quite well. You will notice the encouragement they get to learn it even better.
9. Encourage them to play what they like too.
It must, of course, come at the end of the practise session. It'll be an incentive.
In all these methods, what is common is, the parent involvement. It is important that parents show an interest and get involved in their children's music education. Mothers go to soccer or rugby games and fathers go to netball games to cheer for their children even if they haven't played that game. So it should be for music. You don't need to know music to encourage your child.
3. Maintain a chart.
It must have columns for the day, period of practice and what level the player is at; from bad to good, sad to smiley face etc. Give a gold star for good results.
Stick it on the fridge and mark it as the practising progresses.
If she/ has done well by the end of the week, give a reward.
4. $ 0.20 approach.
Have two little cups, red and green; have a 20 ct. coin in the green cup; while practising, if he/she makes a mistake the coin goes into the red cup and each time it is played correctly, the coin goes into the green cup. At the end of the session if the coin is in the green cup he/she can keep it. But of course, you have to keep a watch.
5. Set simple goals that are achievable in a practice session; learn the first eight bars properly or get that scale right. It is all right to make mistakes but you have to learn from them.
6. Point System
This is good for the 12 upwards too.
Maintain a chart for each practice session. Give a point/points for each practice session. When it reaches, for example 250 points (you can make it any number of points as you wish), allow him/her to have the "treat" they always wanted; going to the movies with friends or buy that awesome t- shirt.
Or even a costume party!
How about exchanging practise time for a chore! Do you want to do the dishes, wash the toilet or tidy up your own room, or may be weeding the garden? We can all have a fair guess here!
8. Singing
Often, in the pieces for the young are with words. Try singing while they practise or sing it when they know it quite well. You will notice the encouragement they get to learn it even better.
9. Encourage them to play what they like too.
It must, of course, come at the end of the practise session. It'll be an incentive.
In all these methods, what is common is, the parent involvement. It is important that parents show an interest and get involved in their children's music education. Mothers go to soccer or rugby games and fathers go to netball games to cheer for their children even if they haven't played that game. So it should be for music. You don't need to know music to encourage your child.
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