As we gear up for a brand new school and a new year of piano lessons, I thought it would be a good idea to visit three common myths about piano practice.
Listen to the full episode here
Myth 1: Piano practice happens with the teacher
“We won’t be at piano practice today.”
Piano lessons are not like sports or dance or gymnastics or other group activities where practicing happens with the group.
Your lesson time is like the game or the dance meet. It’s the time to see how your practice has moved you forward. The teacher instructs and corrects during the lesson but practice happens at home.
When setting up your school calendar, you not only need to include your lesson time but also schedule time to practice as well. I’ve got a worksheet that will help you with this that I’ll share at the end of this episode.
PPP109: Practical Tips for Practicing with Your Young Piano Kid
PPP168: You Cannot Learn to Play Piano in 30 Minutes per Week
Myth 2: If my piano kid really likes piano, I won't have to make them practice
The flipside of this myth is, “If my piano kid refuses to practice, maybe we should quit piano lesson.”
Value is not always determined by interest.
Your third grader may no be interested in practicing their multiplication tables but you know that is valuable information so you work with them to memorize these facts.
Some kids don’t have to be reminded. Count your blessings!
Some kids kick and scream even when they know something is for their good.
Until you teach them self-discipline, the responsibility of making sure practice happens between lessons is yours.
PPP133: What’s Really Going on When Your Piano Kid Says, “This is too hard!”
Myth 3: Practice makes perfect
You’ve likely heard this axiom before. Maybe you’ve heard Vince Lombardi’s take on it, “Practice doesn’t make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect.” I’ve also heard “Practice makes progress.”
I’d prefer to say, “Practice makes predictable.”
Another aspect of this myth is the thought that practice isn’t valuable if it isn’t a full 30-minutes or an hour. You’d be amazed at the amount of things that can be accomplished in 10 minutes. Sometimes you just need to get started. 10-minutes can easily flow into 15-20-30….
Resources mentioned in today's show
Listen to last week’s interview with Jennifer Eklund. Toward the end of our time together, she talked about striking a balance with practice. You can listen at PPP252: Make a BIG DEAL of your piano kids’ playing, with Jennifer Eklund.
Be sure to come back next week to hear my interview with Clinton Pratt who shares his thoughts on Practicing is NOT the same as playing.
From the PPP Archives:
PPP068: When it Comes to Piano Practicing, the Best Defense is a Good Offense
PPP087: Practice Until You’ve Practiced
PPP105: The Blessing of Routine
PPP107: Teacher Chat – The First 24 Hours
PPP109: Practical Tips for Practicing with Your Young Piano Kid
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