I find that many children are unsure of exactly how to practice. Even though in lessons we discuss practice with the metronome and doing the "penny game." It is still hard for them to sit and concentrate fully for this length of time. This is where the character development comes into play. It teaches them attentiveness and diligence along with many other valuable lessons. It is not easy to continue this type of practice but the reward is great.

Here are some points from the book that I particularly liked....

Helping Children to Practice

Nine guidelines foloow for helping children persevere through practice:

1. Set a regular daily practice time. Practicing at the same time every day will become routine. Hoping to fit it in never works. 

2. Always keep instruments in tune. Children's ears are learning correct pitch.

3.  Children need time to be children and to play. Do not schedule them in so many concurrent activities, learning an overwhelming variety of skills, that there is no time for them to relax. Remember, one accomplished skill will transfer to other areas, but several mediocre skills will not. Children who practice when they are exhausted and cannot concentrate are not gaining anything.

4. HOW children practice is the key, not NOW MUCH they practice. Practicing four hours a day can accomplish nothing if it is done incorrectly. ONe can simply be practicing mistakes. Forty-five minutes of focused, correct practice can make a superb musician. Correct practice includes:

a. Working out difficult sections individually. (NOTE: start with the hardest part)

b. Figuring out good fingerings

c. Analyzing music away from the instrument. This is the best way to memorize. (NOTE: write in note names if necessary, count rhythms and look at fingerings)

d. Experimenting wiht interpretation (phrasing, dynamic contrast and so on). (NOTE: make the piece your own.)

Never practice a piece by starting at the beginning every time; play till it breaks down, and thenm keep repeating it from there. It is far more effective to focus on the trouble areas.

5. Respect your child's age and attention span. Preschoolers practice in short blocks throughout the day. Passing by their instrument and playing their new song is play for them. A sixteen-year old needs a longer structured block of time, perhaps an hour or more. 

6. Have music reference books, including a good music dictionary handy. When your children hit snags because they do not understand a musical term or a composer's period of history, encourage them to look it up. Let no obstacles hinder them.

7. Even if you are not studying the Suzuki method, you can apply the philosophy. Encourage your child to listen to recordings of the literature that he or she is studying. They will learn that there are different interpretations. Their task is to create their own interpretation.

8. One of my favorite piano teachers used to say, "Never play a piece the same way  twice. Create something new from it every time you play it." For older students this is a new interpretation, da differetn shaping to th ephrase, a new contrast. This is a mandate to be involved with the music creatively. 

I have applied the same priciple to my preschool students. I ask their parents to vary their practice pieces by having the students:

a. Create a story around the music. Bach's minuets can become celebrations of court dancing at kingdoms filled with kings, queens knights and dragons.

b. Dramatize the story.

c. Read books for inspiration.

d. Write lyrics

e. Create movement

f. Experiment with changing tempo, dynamics and articulation (staccato, legato).

g. Improvise by ornamenting th emelody and changing the harmony

h. Have family members accompany with rhythm instruments and song.

9. Be wary of one of the greatest pitfalls for parents and students: to demand perfection in recital performance and view anything less as failure. Here music making is the most analogous to life and teaches our children a critical lesson. It is not that we make mistakes (they are inevitable!) but HOW we recover from them. Do we persevere and not give up? Can we continue to make beautiful music after the mistakes? Can we focus on what we did right instead of what went wrong? These are the true goals.

Myth #1

I could never homeschool. My kids wouldn't listen to me.

Reality: When I hear people say this, it makes me because I can see the frustration and hurt in many of their faces. THere are so many issues that surround this statement, but let me start with this. There is hope! Your children can change. They can be taught to honor and respect you as their teacher. 

To see how this can be done, we must first look at the sources of the disrespect or disobedience. First: the children are dropped off at school where:

-they are placed in a class of the same age students. Most of their lives are filled with media and music that is disrespectful of adults and parents.

-They are bombarded with a worldview that tells them there is no right or wrong, that everything is relative. 

-They come home to music and TV that is filled with harsh language (MTV and others), disrespect and vulgarities. 

-Then when parents spend their time with them there is conflict over their behavior.

-The next day we have the same thing all over again, dad after day, year after year.

If should come as no surprise that the children are disrespectful to their parents. You will see that as you strip away the causes of the negative behavior their attitudes will start to change. 

It is also important that we as parents begin to model the behavior that we expect from our children. If we don't want them to say please and thank you, then we must say please and thank you, etc. Begin to model your own behavior into that which you expect from your child. 

Praise their good behavior and punish the undesirable actions. Praise goes a long way with children of any age. They desire your approval; they desire your respect as well. I like to use the method of "Praise - Correct - Praise."

Ge back to basics-simplify your life and get rid of distractions such as video games, TV, etc. These things take away valuable time that you could be spending together. 

Whether you homeschool or not, you are a teacher to your children. They model much of their behavior from their parents. Spend time with them. Read good books to them, even when they are older. It's amazing  how loved someone feels when you sit down together on the couch and read together. I especially like ready older books to them that were written before 1960. There is a goodness and wholesomeness  that doesn't seem to exist today. It is good for the kids and for parents alike to hear it.

By reducing or eliminating certain electronics you can also reduce the pressure of life for kids. You will be amazed at how their behavior changes. 

Oh the woes that we sometimes hear from our children when it comes to practice! I will share with you what I have observed over the last 25 years of teaching and what I have observed in my own children so far. First of all, when I was young, my mother never set a timer for us. She would just get her needlepoint and sit in the living room, where the piano was, and ask us to play for her. My brother and I enjoyed playing for her because we weren't "forced" to do it. On the other hand, our friends were made to practice exactly 30 minutes each day at the same time. They used to watch the clock and couldn't wait until it was over. I think these examples say volumes about how to make it enjoyable for our children. Let them "entertain" you or be your "live iPod." I think it makes them realize that what they are doing is meaningful and special to you. 

For my own children, I just let them play on their own and experiment until about the age of four or five. I would direct them now and then, but in general I let them play and pick out melodies from choir, etc. I told them about high/low, loud/soft and basic principles. I gradually started to make the lessons more formal as they got older. At first I was met with resistance because they were used to playing on their own, but that quickly faded as they saw the results. Cecily is ten now and I haven't had to ask her to practice in years. She plays for me while I cook dinner every night. I give her direction during this time in how to make the most

This adaptation of theMusic for Little Mozartspiano curriculum is designed to provide classroom music instruction for four-, five- and six-year-olds. It is a comprehensive approach to musical learning that develops singing, movement, and listening skills simultaneously with an introduction to musical styles and concepts.

With Classroom Music for Little Mozarts, you can teach large groups of students in preschool classrooms, kindergartens and day-care settings. No piano is needed for this curriculum, just a CD player and lots of enthusiasm. Complete in three levels, each level is designed to be taught in 10 weeks.

Reasons for Music in the Early Childhood Classroom

The influences of music go far beyond the intellectual and physical development of a child. Music experiences contribute to the growth of well-balanced children in sensitivity, expressiveness, and the spirit essential for functioning in a complicated world. Learning about music in a classroom setting provides growth for children in other areas as well:

1. Sharing: Learning to share materials and to take turns in music activities, such as playing instruments, helps to reinforce patience and respect for others in the group.

2. Confidence and Poise: Music making offers children a chance to perform with and for others, and to develop confidence in their ability to make presentations for groups.

3. Perseverance and Commitment: As children become more skilled in singing, moving and playing instruments, they can see and hear the results of their efforts.

4. Friendships: Music activities often require interaction with peers in the class, which helps develop positive relationships among children.

5. Coordination: The many movement activities associated with music experiences develop both small muscles and large muscles. The awareness of internal steady pulse, coordinated with external movements, helps children regulate their behavior.

6. Self-respect and Satisfaction: As musical skills develop, children feel a strong sense of satisfaction in their progress and develop a feeling of self-respect that transfers to other situations in life.

7. Creativity and Self-expression: Music experiences often invite individual creative responses and encourage children's imagination in other creative endeavors.

8. Pride in Achievement: Sharing music with peers and family reinforces the value of each child in the classroom, and children develop a sense of pride in their musical achievements.

9. Concentration and Problem-solving: Learning about music requires concentration and focus. When children are asked to analyze, compare and contrast sounds, they are actively engaged in problem-solving experiences.

10. Fun and Relaxation: Singing, moving, playing instruments and listening to music are all enjoyable experiences. Music making can provide hours of personal entertainment and relaxation throughout one's entire life.