pianohandsYour student is getting ready to start lessons and there is a lot of anticipation. BUT…how do you help them at home? What can you do to keep this enthusiasm going? To motivate them when they don’t feel like practicing?

Almost every parent is asking themselves these questions. If you, the Parent, haven’t taken music lessons before, then you may feel a little uneasy about how best to support your student in the weeks and months ahead.

See our 10 Tips for supporting your student’s lesson experience:

  1. Use the Practice Space App! Each family receives an invitation to download Practice Space app. This is where teachers will be communicating lesson assignments from week to week. Take time to read through the assignments with your student. Teach them how to record their daily practice time in the app. Start a dialogue with the teacher about how hard the student is working at home so that THEY (the student) can see you noticed their hard work.
  2. Notice! Take note and comment when you see your student taking time to practice without being asked. Play a game – “Random Acts of Practice”. Each time you catch your child in a “Random Act of Practice” add a penny to the Practice Jar. When the Jar gets to 20, reward them with something that’s meaningful to them (ie. Donuts with Dad OR Family Movie Night out with popcorn of course). Not only are you building anticipation towards the goal, but you are teaching work-ethic and patience. BONUS: The Practice Space App records practice streaks making it easy for you to celebrate the consistent effort. At Kathy’s Music, we celebrate 50, 100, 150, and 200 day practice streaks with your student. So keep your eye out for these milestones and let your student know we are cheering them on!
  3. Try video recording your child’s practice Your student can learn from what they see and hear on the recording. Self Evaluation is one of THE BEST tools for musical progression. See our blog article to learn more.
  4. Listen to Excellent Music using our Instrument Playlists and SPOTIFY. The more your student listens to beautiful music on their instrument of choice, the more motivated they will become to work towards producing that kind of sound and developing good technique.
  5. Take Good Care of your instrument! See our Instrument Maintenance Tips– Students need instruments that are in excellent working order. Learn more about where to rent and how to keep them in the best shape.
  6. Browse our Online Recital Hall – There’s just something about students watching other students perform. It’s reassuring to know what a formal recital looks. So take a look and learn more. BONUS: You’ll find teachers performing too.
  7. Check out our YouTube Channel with Various Performance Playlists  – Take time to explore our YouTube channel and those of favorite artists who play the same instrument. Ask your student what they like about a favorite piece of music. Invite them to create their own YouTube playlist that they can listen to while cleaning their room or doing other chores. It will mean more that it’s personalized and that they created it themselves!
  8. Follow Us on FB for Practice Tips and Event News – The more creative you can get with practice the better. Use games, different times of day, different kinds of practice to keep things interesting. Check out this resource that provides 20 practice games for parents.
  9. Get to know your teacher and help your teacher to get to know you and your student. A strong relationship with your lesson teacher can be the difference between having a good lesson experience and having an AMAZING lesson experience. Take pictures of your student and teacher together and post them where the student can see them.
  10. Finally, just ask. Ask your student about practice, lesson, or music with leading questions. What do you like about that piece of music? What would you like to play more of? What do you dream of doing with your instrument or your music? How can I help?

At Kathy’s Music, we are committed to partnering with parents to foster the musical development of each student. Let us know how we can help support you!