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· Help your child set up a regular time every day to practice.
· Help him/her establish a routine. This may require some consultation with the
teacher. A typical middle schoolers' half-hour practice routine might include:
oWarmup -- 1-3 minutes
oPlay a fun, familiar piece -- 3-5 minutes
oWork on a new or difficult piece -- 10-15 minutes
oWork on technical requirements, such as scales or other technique
builders -- 5 minutes
oPlay something fun to conclude the session
High school students may have more technical problems to work on, but they also have
the ability to practice longer in a more concentrated way.
· Help your child understand that playing only familiar songs will not help him/her
improve.
· Explain to your child that learning happens in stages. Sometimes a student will
work on something for a long time with no apparent improvement, and then discover a sudden leap in ability. Other times, learning happens very quickly.
The important thing to stress is that consistent practice will yield results.
· Help your young musician set practice goals. Keeping a journal, not just a
practice chart, helps track the peaks and valleys of learning a new piece or improving fundamental skills.
· As a parent, don't make judgments about the musical quality of your child's
practicing. Learning an instrument requires lots of squeaks, scratches, and wrong notes. |
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Help your child to practise
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