Comments on: Parental Expectations

By: Belinda Rockwood

Belinda Rockwood — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:44:59 +0000

I think everyone here is missing the point! You are \

By: romanaround

romanaround — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 15:54:13 +0000

The Land of Music works so well that my students are able to read and write music by second grade. My parents notice. When I say they need to practice it seems to get done most of time. The students that are juggling five or six activities are the ones that aren’t as able to practice regularly.

By: romanaround

romanaround — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 15:43:04 +0000

The best way to get parents involved with music education is to make sure it is sent home in an understandable form since most parents are not music literate. Note Family Inc. makes a curriculum, “The Land of Music” see landofmusic.com, that does that for you. It teaches music theory in a masterful multiple learning style approach. It also has activities games and a great keyboarding system. The materials the child brings home are discernable to parents so that they see just how important music education is and how they can make a difference.

By: Aimee

Aimee — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 17:50:40 +0000

This is something that is different with each student.
I tell my singing students and their parents on the first lesson that they need to bring music that they would like to work on, simply because I feel they will work harder if they are passionate about the music they are studying. I also tell them that I figure they are paying for the lessons, so they will get out of them what they want to get out of them, and that it is up to to student to make progress. I vow that I will do everything I can to help them succeed and explain the concepts to them over and over again if they need me to, but I let them know that it is mostly up to them.

I did have a mother of an exceptionally talented student call me last week and ask if I could tell the girl how much she needed to be practicing. She had told her mother “I don’t need to practice out loud, I practice in my head.”
While thinking about what you should be doing is one thing, doing it is another. I record each of my student’s lessons on CDs so they can take them home and download them on their ipods or pop it in the CD player, or whatever. That way, they have no excuse not to practice. I know they have something to practice with.

Usually I tell them that they need to go over their CD once every day or at least 3-5 days per week. I also remind them that if they want to get better, they have to practice, but it is up to them as far as how far they go. This seems to motivate the ones who really want it, and the ones that don’t, don’t change.

By: Cindy

Cindy — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 05:02:09 +0000

GREAT topic. I teach piano and have found the best results for me are in my under age 7 crowd. The parents are involved more, look upon lessons as a music education, have their child practice the amount I request (and for the most part CORRECTLY)! The students of this age are eager to learn and to please, love to play things over and over, learn the expectations of lessons as well as the habits of practice before they develop bad habits and work ethics. I have read that when you teach this age you will see an improvement in your overall studio and it’s true! All the great concert pianists thoughout history I have read about (approx. 50) also began lessons between age 4 and 6.

Last year I added a section in my policy statement that reads “students are expected to be prepared for their lesson” and I can say that most of this new crop come prepared in all age groups. If a student seems to be developing a habit of being unprepared, I talk to the parent. I was so tired of the parent who says the student would rather play with her dolls, computer or whatever like they have no say in what the child will do in his or her free time! I’m so happy now and really enjoying my teaching days again!

By: Michelle

Michelle — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 18:52:24 +0000

Oh no…I guess my post got really messed up when I forgot to type in the little security code! Well please try to ignore the typos up there….I was saying that this shows them that 5 minutes is very short and so much can be done with practice. If that doesn’t even work, I just try my hardest to find a song that is fun for them. That really gets them excited.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 18:49:06 +0000

This is a really good topic to bring up. I\’ve learned to not worry so much about the kids who don\’t practice, though it is really annoying when you can tell they are not practicing! With those kids, I try to give them more practice time in class. For example I\’l tell them that I cam going to time them for 5 minutes and they have to practice the song for that entire time. I do this so they can practice, but I\

By: Ronnie Currey

Ronnie Currey — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 19:47:28 +0000

My strategy has evolved every year. Currently, if a student is not practicing, I do advise the parents. Most times the parents are aware and want the child to continue, as the child looks forward to the time spent in the lesson. The lesson is a time the child can relax and enjoy the moment. As long as the parent is aware of this, it is fine with me. The parent feels the monies spent is worthwhile for the thirty minutes the child spends relaxing and playing the instrument.

I have different lesson strategies depending on the instrument.

The piano student is told to play the lesson material three times a day, unlike the old school of practicing thirty minutes or an hour daily. This old school rule makes the student feel like he/she is serving time. The three times a day has worked well with the child student as well as the adult student.

On the other hand, bass and guitar students are told the same thing, but advised that the most important thing is that they play their instrument until their fingers get sore, as they need to build callouses on their fingers. If they just want to play chords, that is fine as long as they play until the fingers are sore. If they miss a day, it is like starting over to build the callouses. Until their fingers are in shape, the notes played by the fingers do not sound nearly as well.

Most students do practice, but sometimes they do not get as serious over the practice until they get over the hump and start actually amking music. At that time they can’t practice enough.

Great topic which all teachers have in common. All of us use different methods in handling this part of instruction.

By: Stengel99

Stengel99 — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 13:36:11 +0000

You’re asking all the questions I’ve been asking myself lately.

I have a couple parents who seem to be living vicariously through their children, and it’s apparent the student doesn’t really care to much about being there.

Then there are the type A personality students who expect nothing less than perfection from themselves. I’m of the opinion that this is one of those traits that can’t be taught. My 3 year old daughter is a perfectionist, while my 5 year old is not.

We all have students we know don’t practice. I think after working with the student for a year or so and realizing this, our lesson time is probably most effective when we take the focus off nagging the student to practice and just learning music.

I will be curious to read other comments. I’ll bet this is a topic a lot of people will have opinions about!