Has Music Become just another subject for your child where you have to keep reminding them about their practice time and lessons to be completed? If such interactions are creating some unnecessary tension between you and the child, then it is a solid reminder that the child has lost interest in the learning. However, if they are monitored and guided in a certain way, the child begins to pick up the interest and understands the benefit of the instrument they are learning to play. If you are pulling your hair out imagining ways to get your child to practice which will bring progressive improvement in them, here are some of the very helpful tips collected from the experiences of teachers, researchers and parents.
Practice should be a shared activity
Music is not one of
those subjects where you imply forced discipline and tell your children to spend
time in the room with their instrument and practice. That forces the child to
perceive the instrument as just another subject he needs to learn to meet
certain parameters. Learning Music should always be a fun activity. In fact, it
should be an activity that you should do with your child. Once you sit down
with them and try to tackle the lessons to be learnt and finally reach the
conclusion of the lesson, the child sees that achievement as enjoyment that
encourages an environment where music is a vital part of household. It gives
them joy to play alongside you and to perform in family meetings where the
child is applauded just for their willingness which encourages to spend their
time more with their instrument.
Time Restraint
“30 Minutes” Practice every
day!! Is that what you’ve been telling your child? Well, the problem with this
is when the child is been told to do that every day, he/she is been asked
to endure those 30 minutes to play something or the other in their instrument
which the child may find very frustrating, thus creating a negative environment
to learn. Instead, let your child decide when do they want to give time to
their instrument. When they are the decision makers, they feel responsible and
often follow up on the promised time they decided to practice their instrument.
Also, A practice session should be goal based rather than time based. Give them
small goals to complete, for example, 2 - 4 measures of a lesson with minimal
mistake. It doesn’t matter if it took them 15 minutes or an hour, but they keep
on achieving small achievements along the way with the view of the larger goal
of playing the whole piece in about two weeks. This helps them understand the
value of practicing their instrument.
Rewards
A reward for achieving
something has the capability to uplift anyone, be it child or an adult. It
gives them a sense of pride and happiness for the hard work they have done. A
child should be rewarded appropriately for their effort and willingness to
practice their instrument which encourages them to learn more about music.
However, you should not compromise on their playing time and other fun
activities for their practice. If they are rewarded those playtimes only after
they finish practicing their instrument, it encourages a notion that Music is
not a fun activity and they may lead to disinterest in child about their
instrument.
Inform the long-term benefits
The child should be
given the knowledge and information about how learning the instrument can go a
long way in their life, and also how can they benefit from it. This helps them
to develop an internal motivation once they understand that the instrument can
play a vital role in his adulthood.
Engage Them with Music
More than rewards, the
best way to encourage and motivate your child about music is by getting them
curious about music. Once they develop the desire to learn, listen and engage
with music, they tend to simultaneously engage more with their instrument. In
their weekly routine, let them play the music they truly enjoy which helps
maintaining their interest in music and also encourage them to listen to more
songs, so that they can play in their routine. You can also share your favorite
song with them, while also giving some of your time to the type of music they
love. An environment where there is always some kind of music can help
stimulate much needed curiosity towards music.
It could be a daunting and challenging task to
always monitor your child but with a little help and your positive involvement
in their routine can bring a whole lot of difference in their progress. We all
know the benefits of learning music and how it helps build essential skills in
life, but in the end, it is under your guidance and care, that they truly reap
the benefits of engaging with music.
References
BlueTimbre is a Music Company with Music Education spaces, Jam Room and Recording studio located in Whitefield, Bangalore, India. BlueTimbre provides complete end-to-end Music Education solutions for schools. The BlueTimbre team comes with decades of cumulative experience in running structured businesses, music curriculum development, music education and performance.
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