As an experienced piano teacher, I am asked this question a lot. Today, I hope to provide some tips and tricks to help you as a parent of a piano student.
The best time to establish great practice routines is with a beginner piano student. If you, as a parent, establish a habit of daily practice you will save yourself so much trouble! When your student realizes that a short practice is expected each day, they accept it as a normal part of the schedule. Just like brushing their teeth, they practice because there is no negotiation.
Parents often tell me they don’t want to be the “bad guy” and want their child to love piano on their own. The trouble with this idea is that unless the student is practicing regularly and moving through musical pieces in a timely fashion, they don’t get to feel the joy of mastery. Being stuck on the same song week after week is not fun, especially for young or beginning piano students! Small successes each week are needed to ensure that interest is retained and long-term growth experienced.
If you have a child who has been studying piano for some time and is reluctant to practice daily, I have some ideas for you.
First, commit to daily practice as a requirement. The minutes don’t matter as much as the daily repetition. Just like you expect their teeth to be brushed, you also expect this. Consider the chart below. You can see right away that a short amount of daily practice will move your student quickly ahead.
Second, if you need a way to ensure these daily practices, sit down with your child and choose a time each day that is the best time to practice. This could be before school in the morning or right before dinner or even at bedtime. It doesn’t matter when the time is, only that you determine that it is a non-negotiable time.
Third, remember “you only master what you measure.” It’s important that your child record each practice. This can be on a chart posted on the refrigerator, at the piano or on the family calendar. When I am teaching in homes, I write in a practice notebook at every lesson and include 5 boxes representing 5 days of the week. The student records days practiced by filling in the squares. This makes it easy for me (and you!) to see how much practice is actually being accomplished from week to week. If I am teaching remotely and am unable to write it a practice notebook, you could mark these five boxes on each piece of music and have your child mark off each day practiced. As daily practice occurs, and pieces are passed more quickly, he or she will gain confidence and enthusiasm. This is crucial. It equates practice with success.
Lastly, I have had great success when practice is rewarded. You’ll know what works best for your kids, but I am aware of several families who require daily practice to be completed before any screen time is allowed. Others link a special treat for a completed weekly chart. This could be a special movie, the chance to choose a meal or dessert or a playdate.
Especially with young children, parents are required to instruct and insist on a variety of disciplines from potty-training to brushing teeth to completing homework. I hope you see that establishing a practice routine is very similar. It may take reminding and cajoling at times but eventually the habit will stick and you’ll see great progress.
Glorioso Piano Studio 