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Hire
a Teenager!
©
2003 by Rebecca Martin
Music
teachers want their students to succeed. We, as seasoned
performers and teachers recognize the value of discipline, repetition,
and consistency of practice. We try to train the parents in our
studios to work with their children. We offer all kinds of practice
incentives, motivational charts, anything we can think of to keep
our students moving forward.
But what do you do when this process breaks down, when you feel
ineffective with the student's progress?
The answer in my studio has been to match up the struggling student
with a teenaged practice buddy/mentor.
It's a win/win/win situation. The younger children love
the attention of the older teenager and will work much harder
to please them and complete all the practice spots. The
teenaged helpers love the contact with the younger children and
the practice times reinforce the basics of playing the instrument
for the older student. The parents love it because they get a
break from the practice schedule. In lots of cases, my older
students are much more accomplished pianists and can more efficiently
and effectively move the practice session along. Having played
the literature, they are empathetic to difficult passages.
The practice helpers are paid for their time by the student's
parents. They travel to the student's home (another convenience
for the parents). They agree on a set time, which encourages
consistent practice. Some set up a 1-2 times per week schedule
or they make themselves available to work when a competition or
festival is approaching. They coach individuals or ensembles.
They are so proud of their "students" when they hear them at recitals
and the younger students are excited to get positive reinforcement
from their practice buddies.
When I am working out at the gym, I see many adults who have hired
personal trainers to help motivate them or to get them past some
athletic plateau. Why not do the same for your child?
Don't let them quit. Hire a teenager! It will make a lasting
difference.
Click the following
links to download
a pdf version of the following articles.
Hire
a Teenager!
I
Want Piano Lessons to be Fun
Establishing
Independent Practice
The above titled
articles were published
in the Suzuki Association of Colorado newsletter
during 2003 and 2004.
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