Parent Power!
Helping You Make Sense of Schooling Today

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Published Monthly by
The Center for Education Reform
Jeanne Allen, President

My child loves music but her school doesn’t offer a good program. What should I do?
          Seek out private teachers. The best way to find them is to call your local college or university music department and ask if any of the professors offer private lessons. Or, check out your local music store. If they rent instruments, they might also have a studio of teachers. For stringed instrument instruction, check out the American String Teachers Association.

What should I look for in a private instructor?
          Experience and personality. Look for someone who designs the teaching programs around each child’s personality. A good match between student and teacher is a key ingredient to success. Sharon Godrick, an award-winning piano teacher in Vermont with a studio of more than 100 students, says “If you give them something they want to play, they’ll enjoy playing.”

How much should my child practice each day?
          Godrick recommends a half-hour practice session per day for a half-hour weekly lesson. However, if a half-hour is too long for a child to focus on practicing, try breaking it up into several 10-minute sessions. Two 10-minute sessions are better than no practice at all, she points out. In addition to work on the instrument itself, she recommends other practice activities for children – tapping out rhythms, for example, away from the keyboard.

What if my child won’t practice?
          Godrick recommends that you first try avoiding the word “practice” if your child has a real mental block about devoting the necessary time to mastering the instrument. Instead, she says, tell your child to “give you a concert” every day. If this doesn’t work, you should approach the teacher with practice problems. “I always tell parents to let me handle it,” she says. She, like many teachers, has a variety of techniques, ranging from making practice charts for students to searching for music they want to play, to help motivate students.

Also in this issue: Does Music Class Help Children Learn?