You know the old saying, Practice Makes Perfect? Well as teachers we know better but do our students? It’s not enough to just tell our students to practice, we must show them what practicing should look like.
Some students might think playing a piece over and over again is practicing. Others might not really listen to what they are playing, they are just going through the motions. Then there are others that just want to get it over with so they will speed through it as fast as they can. Focus can be a HUGE problem at home. So what can we do to help?
First, each lesson a student should be able to walk away and have an understanding in how a piece should be practiced. But sometimes things go in one ear and out the other or they don’t read their lesson notes etc… Because of this every 2-3 years I like to dedicate at least 4 hours in helping students understand what practicing really should look like and answering the question, does practice really make perfect?
Practice Makes Perfect or DOES It is a workshop I have been holding with my students for over 10 years. It is one of my favorites because students walk away fully armed with a better understanding of how they should practice. Watch the video to find out which resource I use with students is one of my favorites and why.
While I use this workshop for my piano students, it really can be used with any instrument. I think there is only one page in the workbook you would want to pull and just one of the optional outside resources you may not want to use (or can adapt for your instrument). Other than that, the lesson plans are general enough to use with any students regardless the instrument they play.
This workshop includes:
Lesson Plans (over 4+ hours)
Guideline for Common Practice Flaws and Solutions
Crafts and Snack Ideas
A Practice Game
Motivational Posters
Supporting Worksheets
*A reproducible student practice workbook (also sold separately)
Inside the student practice workbook you will find:
Note to Student
Practice Steps Checklist
Practice Tips
SMART Goals
Practice Diary
Practice Schedule
Practice Goals and Reflection (Weekly)
Practice Goals (Monthly)
Reflection (Monthly)
Year End Reflection
Musical Self Assessment (Beginning, Middle and End of Year)
Personal Performance Evaluation (Pre and Post)
Just for Fun Coloring Pages
I’m super excited to make this available for you to use with your students. I hope you will find it very valuable. I would encourage you to use it every few years as the overall experience and takeaway is different even if the student has had the workshop before. Click here to purchase.
How about YOU?
I would love to hear what you do to help students with practice at home. Please share in the comments!
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Hi Jennifer, Your workshop Practice Makes Perfect sounds amazing! Just wondering – do you do it all in one day or break it up into a 2 or 3 day workshop? 4 hours, right?
Hi Margaret, I break it up. I did it with a 4 hour workshop but I found after doing it again this year that it can easily be longer just by spending more time on the piano. I could have easily added another hour if not two. I’m going to blog about it a little more but really it’s something that you can spread out all year long if you wanted to do it in some group lessons throughout the year. I love it, the parents love it and the students get a lot out of it. 🙂