I am definitely not the first person to write about
practicing and I am certainly not going to be the last. I feel, however, that this is such an important topic and every music teacher should share his or her opinions and thoughts.
Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines practicing as “to perform or work repeatedly so as to become proficient.” That doesn’t sound very fun, does it? I’m sure it doesn’t help when music teachers like myself are constantly reminding you that practicing is important and needs to be done. After all, with everything else we have to do in our lives, who has the time to practice? Unfortunately, I am going to repeat that practicing is important and needs to be done. Yet, I am going to say something that you may not have heard before--practicing can be fun!
Most of the students I teach are either young beginners or within the first five years of their piano training. At this age, many students do not willingly sit down on the piano bench on a daily basis without having to be reminded of the need to practice. Most of my student’s parents also tell me that they themselves have no musical ability and are unable to instruct their children at home. As a result, practicing often becomes an activity with negative associations since it is often precipitated by a fight, or it is not done at all and excuses are made (hence the title of the blog).
It doesn’t matter how much experience a parent has with music, they can and should be a part of their child’s learning process. One way to accomplish this is through role reversal, by allowing your child to become the instructor teaching YOU. Now that your child is forced to think about the material from a different perspective—that of a teacher—practicing, as teacher preparation, becomes an integral part of communicating the information to you. Moreover, going through this exercise, your child will more easily retain the material she has learned.
Even if you never had piano lessons before, there are certain elements and technical issues in your child’s piano practice you can keep an eye on. You can remind him to keep his shoulders down, wrists straight, legs straight and feet flat on the floor (unless they can’t reach!), even though you may not be able to help with complex note reading. These issues are incredibly important for you to watch out for at home because they are usually the hardest habits to break with only 30 minutes of lesson time!
Don’t be afraid to ask your child’s teacher about more ways to become involved. Practicing should be a stress-free and simply fun time for child and parent to spend together. After all, if we can make it enjoyable for children now, you will see the hard work and commitment develop down the road…and then maybe you will not have to apologize for a lack of practicing due to [insert excuse].
Brian Michalowski, Piano Instructor
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