“Knowledge is not skill. Knowledge plus ten thousand times is skill. ”
Dear Parents,
Your role is vital in violin, viola & cello instruction. Attending to the items below will help you and your child’s music experience to be enjoyable, enriching and develop a life-long appreciation of music - maybe even a life-long love!
1. Read Recommended Books
You will uncover new emotional territory with your child as you gather momentum with home practicing. It can be challenging. You are not alone. Read and learn and it will help you! Look up anything by Edmund Sprunger, such as “Helping Parents Practice” and also “Nurtured by Love” by Shinichi Suzuki himself. We highly recommend these two excellent and helpful books!
2. Note Taking
The notes you take during our lessons are crucial to successful practice at home. Please note specific games and exercises and try to use the same words when referring to things your teacher asks your child to do. This consistency will greatly aid everyone– the student, the teacher and you.
3. Use Technology
In addition to note taking, use your phone to help record information and take pictures at lessons.
4. Arrive 5 Minutes early
Please arrive on time and unhurried. This helps reduce anxiety!
5. Do exactly as your teacher asks
Do not push ahead on your own. We’re not control freaks! It’s because there is usually a specific skill we learn within each song and it’s easier to learn it correctly the first time rather than have to un-learn a bad habit.
6. Review Regularly
Develop a plan or ask your teacher to help doing so. Review is where the student develops skill & mastery. New material plants the seeds. It’s imperative to work out the Mastery Muscles, not just the Learning Muscles.
7. Listen, Listen, Listen!
This is HUGE! To be fluent in playing, the child must be able to hear the piece in his/her head.One of the biggest factors in your child’s enjoyment and success will be the amount of listening you do. It must happen EACH day. It is immersion listening. It is inspirational to your child!
Listen at home, in the car….enjoy the music! Don’t expect your child to listen on his or her own. This is your responsibility.