Setting a Practice Schedule

-Stathia Orwig
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With the beginning of a new year comes a new schedule, homework load, and activities. Obviously if you are reading this, private lessons is one of your activities! Once you get a lesson time nailed down (whew!), you have to “schedule” in time to practice. Sometimes we think that the hard part is getting an ideal lesson time, but often we forget how hard it is to set aside a specific time in our schedule to sit down and practice. Well, maybe it’s us as parents reminding the kids to sit down and practice- but regardless, it is the one thing that gets put to the side because it’s not always scheduled into our day like lessons, soccer practice, or ballet class.

So, you want to know how to “schedule” in practice time? Here are some ideas about when to practice:

• Look at the time you are home- try before dinner or right after.
  
• Does your child have homework? Use practice as a “break” from homework!
  
• Some kids like to practice before bed- it makes them feel like they are staying up past their bedtime!
  
• If your child is an early riser, try practicing before school.
  

You might want to try a couple of different combinations to see what works best for your child and your family. He/she might be great to practice early before going to school, but if the baby is still sleeping, you definitely don’t want to wake them up!! We also recommend (if possible) that you as a parent try to sit in on the first couple of practice days to make sure that your child is practicing correctly- it’s harder to relearn a piece if learned incorrectly! So, try a few different ways and once you find the right fit, keep it in your schedule. Another way to keep them motivated with practicing is to remind them that they can earn music bucks for practicing, and that at the end of the month, they can spend their bucks on special prizes!

Need more tips on how to set a successful practice schedule? Talk to your teacher- we know lots of ways to make practicing more enjoyable and less like pulling teeth!