So you've signed your kid(s) up for music lessons and you're feeling good about the decision, because you understand how valuable music is for a well-rounded education. Yes, well done! But if you're not very musical yourself, how can you support your child's learning so that music lessons remain a highlight rather than a hurdle each week? What are some ways to help them succeed with their music education?
Let's start by defining what I mean by being "successful" with music and lessons. For the purposes of this article, and according to my own personal philosophy as an educator, success in music lessons doesn’t imply that a student achieve awards in solo competitions, high scores on music theory exams, or even aspire to one day become a professional musician. Though all of the above are excellent achievements, and are certainly a wonderful way to quantify musical skill and knowledge, they are not the primary purpose of learning an instrument, nor the sole measure of success.
For the purposes of this article, when we speak of being successful in music and lessons, I'm referring to: someone who has developed a love for music, who finds joy in playing their instrument individually and/or with a group of people, who has reaped the rewards of discipline and self-awareness through regular practice, and who has found music to be an intellectual, emotional, and creative outlet. Now, given that definition, how can you help your child succeed?
Top 5 tips for making music and lessons a successful experience for your child
#1: Make Music part of the Culture at Home
#2: Make Music part of the Weekly Routine
#3: Be a Cheerleader, not a Coach
#4: Lesson Day Routine
#5: Build a Musical Community
#1: Make Music part of the Culture at Home
Teach your kids the value of music by incorporating it into everyday life. Kids perceive the value of something based on the way they see adults give (or not give) it priority in our regular routine. In the same way that we share our love of movies, books, food, etc. we can teach kids to love music. It's as easy as turning on some music in the background while cooking a meal, having an impromptu dance party, or playing music to help relax. You can also get kids excited by watching a concert or going to see a show. Try playing some of your favorite music this week, or even exploring new music together!
#2: Make Music part of the Weekly Routine
Establish a weekly practice routine to help kids succeed with lessons. To create a practice routine, first sit down with your child and look through their schedule together. Decide on a time each day where they can spend 10-30 minutes practicing without interruption or distraction. This will help them to feel more confident and prepared going into their lesson each week.
Regular practice not only helps students feel more prepared, but it allows concepts to sink into the long-term memory and into muscle memory more significantly than sporadic practice. As a result, students gain better recall and improve at a quicker rate. This in turn helps motivate more practice and in-depth study.
#3: Be a Cheerleader, not a Coach
Give positive feedback. Provide encouragement regularly and enthusiastically!
Help music to be a safe and joyful pursuit at home - be careful not to criticize while a student is practicing. Though it may be well intentioned, it puts kids on their guard. This can discourage a child from practicing or even performing, as they may become nervous about being judged negatively.
Instead of nagging kids to practice, ask them what they're learning about in lessons. Let them teach you a concept or perform something they've learned recently.
Find reasons to brag about them - allow them to show off for friends and family members.
#4: Lesson Day Routine
It is important to prioritize lessons by providing time for the student to mentally prepare. Transitions can be tough for us all, but many kids especially need time to transition from one activity to another. To help achieve a smooth transition into lessons, it is helpful to give students time to practice and warm up before class. This provides the opportunity to review all music and concepts that were taught the previous week, and puts them fresh into the brain again right before learning any new ideas.
#5: Build a Musical Community
Look for local opportunities to play with others. Music isn't meant to keep us isolated; it's a wonderful way of connecting with others and forming new friendships. Whether that's through a local Orchestra, Band, Choir, Summer Camps, Music Festivals or even forming a group with other students, music is more fun and also more meaningful in collaboration.
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