TIME MANAGEMENT TIPS FOR MUSIC STUDENTS
by Meg Freer

Most of these tips are for parents of young students, but they can also work for a teen or adult student who doesn’t need supervision.

You’ve signed your child up for music lessons – now what? In some activities that involve a group class once a week children can learn a lot even if they spend little or no time between classes reviewing what they learned. But the cost of private lessons is usually more than group classes, so a few time management skills related to practice time can help parents ensure they aren’t wasting their time and money. Yes, you and your child will have to spend a fair amount of time between lessons practicing, or there won’t be much progress!

• Look at your week and figure out exactly when you and your child can fit in practice time each day, or on at least four or five days, with no other distractions. It’s a two-person job if the student is a young child, so the time has to fit into the parent’s schedule too! Each practice time may be of a different length depending on the day. Add those times to your family calendar or your child’s agenda. A weekly schedule as consistent as possible will work the best. NOTE: Most people have to repeat this step each week, since there are occasional variations in the usual family schedule.

• Look at the instructions from your child’s teacher about what to practice. Some tasks will be repeated each practice session and others may be one-time assignments. Figure out which items take priority (or ask the teacher to prioritize them) and make sure those things get done first, especially if there are some short practice sessions when not everything will get done. Try to divide up the work evenly over the number of available days.

• Pick out small tasks that could be done if you get an unexpected extra short bit of time for practice during the week.

• Have a particular purpose or goal for each session, and a larger goal for the whole week. Even young children can help choose what these will be, with their teacher’s help.

• Like making a weekly grocery list, keeping on top of scheduling practice time can get tedious! So give yourself a break once in awhile and just see how things work out with no schedule.

You’ve figured out when to practice. Here are some tips, adapted from several sources, which might help practicing go more smoothly. Although they are designed for young children, some of the following tips can be useful for older children and adults as well. No one wants to practice when they are tired or hungry!

PRACTICE HINTS FOR STUDENTS OF ANY AGE

1. Keep the goals for success small, such as getting just one or two measures of music correct. Break the music up into smaller bits. The main goal is making things easier, not just fixing things that are wrong.

2. Be sure the practice time is not when you are hungry or tired.

3. Some days two shorter sessions might work better than one longer one.

4. Practice when you aren’t rushed or likely to be interrupted.

5. Begin and end practice time with music that you enjoy and are good at.

6. Play favorite pieces for family or visitors.

7. Try to enjoy your practice time!

PRACTICE HINTS FOR PARENTS OF YOUNG CHILDREN

1. Parents should supervise practice time by listening and encouraging. Be generous with praise and try to use words like “more” instead of “stop” or “good enough”. Remember that “constructive criticism” is usually not very constructive.

2. Use clear wording that doesn’t make it sound like the child has a choice about what to do, e.g., “Let’s do...” instead of “Can you do...” Give choices when possible.

3. If you can play the piano, play a simple duet part with your child.

4. Special rewards for good practice time can promote enthusiasm.

5. Setting a timer for a specific amount of time for practicing, such as 10 minutes, can work well. Some days two shorter sessions might work better than one longer one. If things are going well, extend the practice time, or cut it short if the child’s attention span is unusually short.

6. Know your child and your own schedule. Practice when your child is alert and eager and when you aren’t rushed or likely to be interrupted.

7. Begin and end practice time with music that your child enjoys and is good at.

8. Encourage your child to play favorite pieces for family or visitors. Record (audio or video) your child playing to let your child feel important and to record progress.

9. Allow your child to decorate their music binder or color in their book to personalize it. Check out websites such as www.musical-clipart.com for free, printable practice charts.

10. Show your children that music has a high priority in your own life. In the same way that children who see their parents reading show more interest in reading, children are more receptive to music if they see their parents playing recorded music, going to concerts, or playing an instrument.

11. Try to enjoy your practice time!

    
    

SOME USEFUL BOOKS

Helping Parents Practice, by Ed Sprunger (designed for parents of violin students, but applicable to others as well)

Winning Ways: Strategies for Suzuki Parents (a collection of articles from the American Suzuki Journal, but most topics are relevant to parents of any music student; this book is available at the public library)

Practiceopedia, by Philip Johnston (this Australian writer is highly entertaining and has great tips)