The Teacher’s Role. Any student deserves a committed teacher who makes lessons fun, as well as an instrument that they find interesting. Your teacher should provide you with information about effective practice habits to prevent the practice mentality of most students: they run quickly through each assigned song and call it practice. The assignment sheet each week should have specific instructions about how to practice each song. It is also a good idea to mark practice times on the assignment sheet or to keep a practice journal to encourage accountability.
A variety of new opportunities can be provided in the summer. Piano camps on specific topics, such as jazz music, composers, and instruments other than the one being studied, can be a fun break for the students. Contests encourage the student to branch out from the standard practice routine. Rewards can be offered to students who attend concerts, create games on musical topics, research composers or instruments, perform in retirement homes, or try other experiences that may be new to them. Group lessons and ensemble experiences can provide a much-needed social atmosphere. At our studio, we have a pizza party at the end of the summer for students that earn a pre-determined number of points for extracurricular music activities.
Summer, rather than being a time for progress to stagnate and music practice to lag, can be the perfect occasion to try some new practice techniques and encourage students to diversify their musical experience. With this rejuvenating change of pace, your student can look forward to the summer and be more ready to return to routine practice in the fall.
Previous Posts: Scheduled Practice, Parental Involvement, External Stimuli
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