practice guidelines

Hey teachers — I want to open up a conversation about something we’ve all been taught in our training, and something I’ve been saying to parents for years: “Have your child practice at the same time every day.” It’s clean, simple advice. And I understand…

• Last updated 2 months ago
• anchor, at home practice, best practices, how to practice, Laurie Richards, managing practice time, neurology, practice guidelines, practice habits, practice ideas, practice routine, practice time, same time every day, when to teach

Please read this post with the mindset that a student is playing too fast and you CAN’T slow them down they are great students and they totally on board for the long term relationship they don’t have any other problems other than slowing down (…

• Last updated 3 years ago
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Here is something that every one of my students have above their pianos. Obviously if your students are in the lower foundations, intervals, counting would not be needed but I find it a great tool to help remind them what boxes need to be ticked.…

• Last updated 3 years ago
• at home practice, audio recording, Audio recordings, audio SHMs, best practices, BH, both hands, deliberate practice, enhancing practice, external speaker, external speakers, hands together, how to practice, HT, managing practice, managing practice time, play along, playing along with audio, playing with audio tracks, practice, practice guidelines, practice habits, practice ideas, practice routine, practice time, separate hands, SH, slow practice, speaking instructions out loud, teaching how to practice, together right, trouble with hands together, using audio recordings, using audio tracks, voice, writing intervals

Years ago I created an exercise to help students really learn, experientially, the value of Controlling the Events. Something that could, in a single exercise, give real felt clarity about the different results that come from CTE vs. not. I’ve done it for years in…

• Last updated 4 years 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 5 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 6 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

I’m sensing my own impatience lately with some of my adult students! I also feel like I’ve been getting lots of “I’m nervous” and “it was perfect at home” from them. Maybe it’s just me… I’m not quite sure what’s going on. I’m just feeling…

• Last updated 6 years ago
• adult students, at home practice, enhancing practice, file folder analogy, frustrated, frustrated student, frustration, group lesson, group lessons, how to practice, impatience, Laurie Richards, Long Term Relationship, long term relationships, long-term relationship with teaching, LTR, managing practice, mistakes, nerves, nervous, nervousness, perfection, piano teacher effect, pract, practice, practice guidelines, practice habits, practice ideas, practice location, practicing, practicing guidelines, relationship, relationships, Robin Keehn, teacher effect

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 6 years ago
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Does anybody provide students with a “how to practice” guideline, especially when they get to higher levels? I just put together a draft for some students beginning Foundation 4 and Reading Rhythm. I welcome your ideas/comments! This is 40 minutes – what do you expect…

• Last updated 9 years ago
• enhancing practice, how to practice, Laurie Richards, practice guidelines, practicing guidelines