Page 14 - North Haven Magazine Issue 11 Holiday 2019

Ask

How long should my
child practice?
his question seems to be the
Tmost popular question in
the beginning of your child’s musical journey. If you attach a
time limit or timer to “practice”, most students will perceive
practicing as a “chore”, or a “time out” punishment rather than
a fun, productive and a positive learning experience. Set aside
a time that is their time to play their instrument and make it
consistent. Also, make it a time that is before their video games,
or before dinner, or before pool time. Trying to get your child
out of the pool or pulling them from their video game is never
good timing and only builds resentment. The student will then
perceive practicing as an interference of their “fun” activities.
In the beginning your child will be practicing less time (about
10 minutes) every day and as your child grows and progresses,
they will devote more time daily because they will have more
songs to practice and their current song assignments will also
get longer.

How should my child practice?

art of the student’s daily routine should be to play their favorite
Psongs from their lesson book to their current assignment.
This will build confidence in their playing and also establishes
a Performance Repertoire that they will feel comfortable
performing for family, friends, and school performances. This
also teaches your performer mastery of a song. If your student
constantly moves onto new songs, they create a habit of never
truly “mastering” a song, or enjoy the fruits of their labor, and
consequently will shy away from performing because they are
always “practicing” which sometimes can cause frustration.

What should I do if my child won’t
practice?

f your child “forgets” or needs a “reminder” to practice,
Iask them to play a favorite song or play their Performance
Repertoire for you. Praise them for their awesome performance
and then you can ask what particular song they are currently
working on. Some students prefer starting their practicing
with their Performance Repertoire, some prefer their scales
and/or warm-ups, and some just dive right into their current
song. However, they choose to start off their practice time with,
ultimately, consistency is the key to success. Happy Practicing!

Have a question for Mary? You can email her directly to
[email protected]. If used for publication, only first
names will be used unless you prefer to remain anonymous. Did
this help you? Tweet me @MusicMinotti and let me know what
you think. Thanks!

14 North Haven Magazine - Holiday 2019