Getting Kids To Practice Over the Summer
Wall Street Journal
No Vacation From Practicing for Young Musicians
Tips for keeping children engaged in music and playing their instruments over the summer break
By CORINNE RAMEY
Aug. 4, 2015 11:37 a.m. ET
Ari Ahdieh, a 10-year-old who lives in Decatur, Ga., understands the fundamental unfairness of summer, his mother says..... and then you get to the paywall...
look at trumpetmaster and you'll find most of the article there
. “I explain to her that you don’t do it to get better at this song. You do it so you won’t forget, to keep in shape.”
While fun is important in summer practicing, parents shouldn’t be afraid to set a routine, says Casey McCann, who plays guitar, piano and drums and is the founder of Eclectic Music, a community music school in Atlanta. Many parents have a fear that if they expect daily practicing, the children will end up hating music. But practicing is the only way to get better at an instrument.
“We’re not afraid kids will hate brushing their teeth,” Ms. McCann says. Parents shouldn’t take an all-or-nothing approach; the key is moderation, she says. And if a child hasn’t practiced for two weeks, don’t ask them to practice for half an hour. “One trick is to set a timer for say, 7 minutes,” she says.
Mr. Johnston, the author, recommends using rewards, the way any good computer game does. Children can make a chain out of paper clips, adding a clip for every successful practice session. “You want visible progress,” he says. When the chain is a certain length, they earn the predetermined reward—a Lego set, an amusement park trip or something intangible like additional screen time or banning.....
Wall Street Journal
No Vacation From Practicing for Young Musicians
Tips for keeping children engaged in music and playing their instruments over the summer break
By CORINNE RAMEY
Aug. 4, 2015 11:37 a.m. ET
Ari Ahdieh, a 10-year-old who lives in Decatur, Ga., understands the fundamental unfairness of summer, his mother says..... and then you get to the paywall...
look at trumpetmaster and you'll find most of the article there
. “I explain to her that you don’t do it to get better at this song. You do it so you won’t forget, to keep in shape.”
While fun is important in summer practicing, parents shouldn’t be afraid to set a routine, says Casey McCann, who plays guitar, piano and drums and is the founder of Eclectic Music, a community music school in Atlanta. Many parents have a fear that if they expect daily practicing, the children will end up hating music. But practicing is the only way to get better at an instrument.
“We’re not afraid kids will hate brushing their teeth,” Ms. McCann says. Parents shouldn’t take an all-or-nothing approach; the key is moderation, she says. And if a child hasn’t practiced for two weeks, don’t ask them to practice for half an hour. “One trick is to set a timer for say, 7 minutes,” she says.
Mr. Johnston, the author, recommends using rewards, the way any good computer game does. Children can make a chain out of paper clips, adding a clip for every successful practice session. “You want visible progress,” he says. When the chain is a certain length, they earn the predetermined reward—a Lego set, an amusement park trip or something intangible like additional screen time or banning.....
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