Here
are some tips to help you get practicing into your routine.
1-
Set an alarm on your phone to remind you to practice. On any given
day, I have 4-6 alarms that go off to remind me to do something. It’s
nice having an “extra brain” to help me remember things!
2-
Put your piano/music stand/practicing area in an obvious place in the
house. Seeing it frequently helps to remember to practice.
A-
Don’t have your piano in a place where kids are nervous to be
alone, like the basement or a lonely room or back closet. Letting
them practice in a well-lit, pleasant room will help them want to practice more.
B-
Keep their music open on the piano or music stand.
C-
For some instruments such as guitar and violin, you can get mounted wall hangers. Having the instrument “out”
can make it easier for some to see it and go practice.
(Image from amazon.com)
3-
“Attach” practicing to something that happens everyday; meals,
for example. Put a note on
the fridge to remind your student (and yourself) that practicing
happens right before or after dinner, or as soon as they get home
from school.
4-
Make sure practicing happens before the fun begins. So before they go
to their friend’s house, go to sports/dance/etc, or play video
games or watch TV, get that practicing in. Treat music practice like
homework, and make sure it gets done first.
5-
Make a practicing calendar and put it somewhere you will see it
frequently. Let your student put a sticker on each day they practice.
It will be motivating for
them to see how much work they have done, or how much more they need
to do! You can even give them a prize for practicing a certain number
of days per week or month, as long as it is enough according to the
teacher’s policy. (Don’t reward them for practicing 1-2 days if
the teacher wants them to practice 5-6 days.)
“You’ll
never change your life until you change something you do daily. The
secret of your success is found in your daily routine.” John
C. Maxwell, American author, speaker, and pastor.
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