encouraging practice

I have a question about accommodations. I have a 10 year old student with severe anxiety and perfectionism. She is unable to understand that she needs to practice songs even if she doesn’t like them. She is working on this skill, among others, with a…

• Last updated 1 year ago
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A LOT has been said about this topic both in the SM teacher body and the greater global teacher community. I’d be interested in a more pointed discussion about possible alternatives to how teachers current converse about practice expectations. While Simply Music has gone to…

• Last updated 4 years ago
• at home practice, confidence as a student, discipline, encouraging practice, expectation, expectations, improving retention, lack of practice, lesson requirements, Long Term Relationship, long term relationships, long-term, long-term relationship conversation, LTR, managing practice, managing practice time, motivating teens, motivation, Music and the Art of Long-term Relationships, music as a lifelong companion, not practicing, play vs practice, play vs work, playing, positive feedback, practice, practice guidelines, practice habits, practice routine, practice time, practice vs play, practicing, practicing guidelines, request vs requirement, requirement, requirement based studio, requirement versus request, requirement-based, requirements, requirements in lessons, retention, sticking with piano long term, student not practicing, student retention, student success, success, talking about expectations, unmotivated, unmotivated students, work vs play

Two questions: 1) How do practice requirements change through the foundation levels? Level one is 15-20 minutes, but as their repertoire grows, it would seem they need more time to keep everything alive and also with the addition of multiple streams and songs getting more complicated. 2)…

• Last updated 5 years ago
• at home practice, best practices, dropping songs off playlist, encouraging practice, enhancing practice, extra practice time, frequency of practice, how to practice, keeping playlist alive, keeping playlists, keeping the playlist alive, Laurie Richards, managing playlist, managing practice, managing practice time, managing the playlist, managing time, number of songs on playlist, Play it Forward, Playlist, playlist management, playlist size, practic, practice, practice frequency, practice guidelines, practice habits, practice ideas, practice time, practicing, practicing guidelines, repertoire, repertoire review, retiring pieces, retiring songs, size of playlist, time at piano, time management, time on the piano

Sharing a requirement-based success story. I had a family recently whose two children never practiced consistently since they started. I told parents and children consistently the past week before spring break and week following that it wasn’t a problem, but that it wasn’t going to…

• Last updated 5 years ago
• alignment with coaches, angry parent, at home practice, busy coaches, claiming territory, coach, coach at lessons, coach not coaching, coach responsibility, coaches, coaching, coaching parents, commit, commitment, commitment to lessons, communicating with parents, communication, communication with parents, confidence as a coach, confidence as a teacher, dealing with parents, distracted coach, encouraging practice, frustrated parents, holding coaches accountable, importance of life coach, lack of practice, Laurie Richards, lesson requirements, life coach, life coach roles, life coaches, managing coaches, managing practice, managing practice time, monitor practice, not practicing, parent, parent concerns, parent involvement, parent role, parent struggles, parent support, parental expectations, parental involvement, parental participation, parental responsibility, parents, parents attending lessons, poor practice, practice, practice guidelines, practice habits, practice time, practicing, practicing guidelines, problem parent, relationship with coach, request vs requirement, requirement, requirement based studio, requirement versus request, requirement-based, requirements, requirements in lessons, role of parent, selective coaching, student not practicing, studio policies, teaching parents, unhappy parent, unsupportive parent, working with parents, working with parents on how to practice

Has anyone heard of school teachers saying children should use their own ‘internal motivation’ rather than pushing them to do something? We were discussing reward for completing tasks. Poor Mum is confused, I am telling her she needs to guide her children, manage their activities and…

• Last updated 5 years ago
• claiming territory, coach, coach responsibility, commitment, commitment to lessons, discipline, encouragement, encouraging parents, encouraging practice, encouraging students, enjoying the process, external rewards, extrinsic rewards, holding coaches accountable, holding students accountable, intrinsic rewards, Long Term Relationship, long term relationships, long-term relationship conversation, LTR, managing practice, motivation, parent support, parental responsibility, practice, practice habits, practicing, practicing guidelines, quitting, relationship, relationship conversation, relationship with coach, relationships, requirement, requirements, responsibility, rewards, student interests, student rewards, unmotivated, unmotivated students, unsupportive parent, want to quit

I would like to prepare a document to give to parents to help in getting their children to practice when they don’t want to. Please share tips that have worked for you or parents in your studio. When I have students that don’t like to…

• Last updated 6 years ago
• encouraging practice, enhancing practice, Laurie Richards, Playlist, practicing, working with parents on how to practice