You don’t need to be a musician to help your child succeed in music! There are numerous ways you can encourage and assist your child in their musical journey. In fact, it’s absolutely essentail that parents and caregivers take part in their student's’ muisc education. Read on for ways you can help your young musician learn and grow.
Music, just like academic work or sports, requires consitancy and discipline. As an important adult in your student’s life, your participation and guidance can make a huge differnce in their success.
1. Create a Consistent Practice Routine
Set a regular time each day for practice. Forming practice habits that are consistent is essential, especially in young learners. I would often fold practice into my homework routine as a beginning pianist. It may be necessary you to sit with your student as they practice. Learning how to practice takes work, and having an adult to give advice and assistance can be really important in the early years. Ask your student’s teacher what your student should be doing during practice sessions and make a list to refer to at home.
Keep sessions short and focused—especially for young beginners. I used to set a timer for practice sessions. Very beginning students who are young usually only need about 10-20 minutes of practice time a day. Similar to exercise, practice is about building up muscle memory along with cognitive function. As your student grows, the time spent at the instrument should increase. It’s nearly impossble to “cram” for lessons: shooting for daily practice sessions as your schedule allows.
2. Provide a Dedicated Practice Space
Create a quiet, well-lit area with all materials easily accessible. I’ve written a previous post about how to set up a practice space for your student. You’ll want to ensure your student has access to their music, a music stand (if necessary), their instrument, a timer, and anything else they may require. Having to stop practicing to get up and find a necessary item can mess up the process. It’s also important that your student’s practice space is quiet. Since sound is the focus of practice, having to compete with other noises makes it a much more difficult endeavor.
Minimize distractions like phones, TVs, and siblings. It’s necessary for your student to stay focused and having things like the TV on can make this very difficult. Practice should be treated like homework with intentional, dedicated time and space and withouth interruption.
3. Encourage and Celebrate Effort
Focus on progress, not perfection. Ensure that you are maintaining a positive attitude towards practice time. Pay attention to the things your student is doing well and what they are struggling with. Playing a piece perfectly isn’t likely to happen every session, but playing it better than the last time is a huge success.
Offer specific praise: “I noticed your rhythm was really steady today!” Kids are aware when adults offer empty compliments. Showing that you are paying attention to your student’s efforts and invested in their sucess makes a huge difference in their own perception of themself as a musician. This can also help with goal setting. If your student has been struggling with a specific passage that they finally play right, point out the measure numbers and give them clear-cut compliments.
4. Be Present and Show Interest
Ask your student to “teach” you a concept they’ve learned. Teaching is actually an incredibly helpful way of learning. Young students are capable of this as well as older students. Pay attention during your student’s lessons and make sure to follow up with requests made by the teacher.
Attend lessons, recitals, and check in on what they’re working on. If you have to miss a lesson, ask your student to tell you about what they accomplished during it. Oftentimes, instructors are willing to take notes during a lesson—if you cannot attend lessons, this is a great way to stay connected to what your student is learning. Get involved in the performance preperation process, and make sure to attend recitals and performances. If your student knows you are as invested in their success as they are, they are more likely to succeed.
5. Use Tools and Resources
Check out other posts on this blog for suggestions to help your student with pactice. Things like metronome apps, practice logs, backing tracks, recordings, etc. can be really useful in
Follow any recommendations from their Vibe instructor. Your student’s teacher is a great resource. If you’re unsure how to help your student do well in music lessons, ask their teacher for suggestions.
As an adult in your student’s life, your enthusiasm and support go a long way. It doesn’t matter how much musical experience you have—your willingness to engage in your student’s musical education is absolutely necessary. Here at Vibe, we would love to help support both you and your student in their musical journey! Thanks for reading!
~ Charissa Garrigus, Instructor at Vibe Music Academy
