Successful Home Practice
Parent Involvement is Key
Learning a new instrument, language or skill is one of life’s great challenges. It can be incredibly rewarding as the development of new skills encourages us to grow and discover new ways of thinking and working. There will be ups and downs, of course, and as a parent it is important to be encouraging and positive during the downs and ups to ensure a lifelong love of learning.
Your support and encouragement at practice time is invaluable. Give your child a practice area where they can play without too much distraction. Make sure they have the equipment they need and good lighting. Encourage small amounts of practice time each day, rather than one big session on the weekend. It’s much easier to form a habit of 10 minutes each day. Although you may not know how to play the instrument yourself, you can still help by supervising and helping to schedule practice time.
Protect your child from feeling overwhelmed. With so much to learn, so much to get right, it can feel pretty overwhelming. This is normal! Understand that it is a long process with a wonderful end result. Be patient and encouraging. Consider a family concert occasionally to help your child demonstrate their new skills and build confidence.
Making regular contact with your tutor is important to monitor and aid in your child’s progress. This partnership is vital to ensuring sustained growth over time and when preparing for performances and assessments.