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Parents: Tips for Practicing.
Please remind your child to practice. Children usually need to be reminded to practice, make a regular time and check on their progress. Practice after their lesson AND the following day. This reinforces what they’ve worked on in the lesson while it’s still fresh in their mind. Make practice a priority. Set aside regular practice times during the week. Help them with their flashcards. * If they’re reading notes on the staff: Note Rush is a paid app that is fun and helpful in learning where the notes are on the staff in relation to the piano keys. noterushapp.com Let me know if you’re using it and we can customize the game for your student. Be consistent. 4 or 5 regular small practice sessions can be much more effective than 1 or 2 long ones. Goal = 5 x a week. Primer: 10 minutes Level 1: 15-20 minutes Level 2 and up: 30+ minutes. Encourage the student to review the piece before playing. Look at the music, what’s the time signature? Are there any repeats? What about the dynamics/how loud or soft is it? Are there any teacher notes? Check posture and hands, then play. Work on the tricky parts. If there’s a tough area of a song, work on that part alone before tackling the whole piece. Take one measure and play through that, then work on the next measure. Try just working the right hand, then the left, then both once they feel comfortable. SLOW down. Review old pieces. Go back through the book regularly and practice previous songs. Promote performing. Encourage your child to participate in our recitals. Having a goal will keep them on track and performing promotes confidence and instills a sense of accomplishment. Let them practice for friends, family and neighbors to get used to an audience. |
Sing.
If there are words, have them sing along. Or sing the note names if they are just beginning. Use the practice app. Bastien New Tradition comes with a free practice app (see inside book cover for download details) Use of the practice app is encouraged as it promotes active listening and great timing. Be a cheerleader! Let them know when they’re doing well. Notice how much better they get when they practice. Practice makes permanent. |
