practice habits

Hello. How would you handle this? I have an older student ( age 15) in a group with another boy. The student in question picks things up super quickly. Leaves a lesson with complete grasp and understanding of all new pieces. Quick learner. He is…

• Last updated 2 months ago
• age, claiming territory, coaching teens, combining different ages, different ages in group, different levels, different levels in group, different pacing in group, LAWOL, learning a new way of learning, learning a way of learning, learning from SHMs, learning pace, learning rate, normal progress, not using SHMs, not watching video, pace, pace of learning, pace of teaching, pacing, practice habits, progress, quickly progressing student, rate, rate of learning, rate of progress, reclaiming territory, regaining lost territory ideas, SHM, SHMs, siblings moving at a different pace, slow pace, slow progress, speed of learning, speed of progress, student progress, students in groups with different abilities, students progressing differently, students speed of progress, supporting teens, teen, teen students, teenager, teenagers, teens, territory, using SHMs, using the SHM videos, using the SHMs, value of SHM, watching the videos, watching videos, working with teens

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
• audio, audio materials, audio recording, Audio recordings, audio SHMs, breaking things down, control the events, controlling the events, counting, counting rhythms, CTE, deliberate practice, external rewards, external speaker, external speakers, extrinsic rewards, fast playing, getting student to slow down, gifts, how to play, how to practice, internal metronome, intrinsic rewards, learning slowly, listening to audio recordings, listening to the audio recordings, metronome, motivation, play along, playing along with audio, playing fast vs slow, playing slowly, playing speed, playing too fast, playing with audio tracks, poor practice, practice, practice guidelines, practice habits, practicing, practicing guidelines, practicing slowly, rewards, slow practice, slow-steady-musical-even, slowing down, speaking instructions out loud, SSME, stickers, student rewards, teaching how to practice, using audio recordings, using audio tracks, using the audio recordings to learn songs, visualize, visualize practice, what to play, working with parents on how to practice

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

Those that also work with students 60+ might find something useful in a recent post to my students: Happy New Year! 🎉🎊 I hope you’re looking forward to an enjoyable year of music making in 2023! Here are a few tips that will support your…

• Last updated 3 years ago
• deliberate practice, glasses, hearing impairment, older student, older students, practice habits, tracking practice, vision impairment, visually impaired

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
• conscious learning, control the events, controlling the events, CTE, fast playing, getting student to slow down, how quickly students learn, how to practice, learning, learning a new way of learning, learning a way of learning, learning pace, learning rate, learning slowly, learning strategies, learning tools, learning tools and strategies, mindfulness, pace, pace of learning, playing fast vs slow, playing slowly, playing speed, playing too fast, practice, practice guidelines, practice habits, practicing, practicing slowly, rate of learning, relearning, slow-steady-musical-even, slowing down, speed of learning, speed of progress, students speed of progress, teaching how to practice, working with parents on how to practice

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
• 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