by Andra Prewett
One of the most often asked questions I get as a teacher is “How do I motivate my child to practice?” This question will inevitably come up in the first year of lessons, but also again around the tween years (10-12 years old). For a young child, the best way to build motivation is to practice consistently in a loving manner, celebrating the small achievements on a daily basis (You did FIVE bow holds in a row! Wow!!!) By the time the child is 12 years old, however, a student will need to take ownership of his own practicing if they want to continue to pursue the study of their instrument. It is at this point that I need to take inventory of the child’s interest level: Is the child excited about violin but doesn’t like to practice, or does he have a general lack of interest in violin? Either way, it’s usually a sign that we, the adults in the student’s life, need to open the child’s eyes to the possibilities that lie ahead with his instrument so he can develop a vision for himself as a musician.
I’ll never forget when I was a young teacher teaching piano lessons to a sweet 10-year-old boy named “James.” His mom was a piano student as a child, and clearly had a passion for the instrument. James, on the other hand, seemed to have little interest, and what could they do to get him more excited about piano? I asked if they ever listened to piano music at home or in the car (they were not Suzuki students). No. I asked if they had ever taken him to the symphony to see any of the piano soloists, or if they ever went to see ANY live music. No. But they were a sports family and loved to go to Predators hockey and SEC football games, and regularly watched sports on TV at home. I remember thinking, “Of course James is not interested, because, in his world, he’s given the message that music is not relevant to daily life!”
I too suffered from a lack of motivation around age 11 (5th – 6th grade). I knew I loved music and thought I was pretty good, but I had no idea how much I needed to practice. Then in 7th grade, my mom signed me up for a local youth orchestra. When I arrived at my first rehearsal and sat last chair in the viola section, and I could barely play the piece without getting lost. I realized how much I needed to step up my game. There were students my age who were playing in 3rd position, using vibrato, and sight reading almost perfectly. They sounded like professionals. I didn’t want to look dumb, so I practiced as much as I could so I could blend in with my peers, and they would think I was cool.
I sometimes wonder if, as Suzuki parents and teachers, we think our kids will automatically be motivated because we put so much of our hearts into their private and home lessons and because they have the benefit of group classes and daily listening. Unfortunately, experiencing music in this insulated environment is not enough. Children need to experience the magic of live music with an inspired performer and captivated audience to really understand what it means to play an instrument with a level of mastery. They also need to see their specific instrument in a variety of settings to see what’s possible for them if they keep working.
Here are some ways to foster that vision:
- Attend all the recitals and group classes. This may seem obvious, but without the peer group, children will lose interest. Parents will often notice their child has increased enthusiasm for their instrument after the recitals. They will say things like, “Next year, I’ll get to play in the Book 3 group,” or “I can’t wait to play the Vivaldi Concerto!”
- Volunteer to play in the non-required recitals. When students share their gift with folks outside of our little Suzuki group, it can be eye-opening. People really appreciate being entertained by beautiful music, and the children love the attention! We have two opportunities coming up: A Worship Service at the First Presbyterian Church and the Nashville Sounds Baseball Game in August. Last year when we played at the Sounds Game, people from the crowd kept coming up to us afterward telling us how impressed they were!
- Attend the MTSA Workshop and other Suzuki Institutes. As great as our program is, it is still young, and we don’t have a large cluster of teenaged students in the advanced book levels yet. By attending the Workshop, the children will get to see kids from other Suzuki studios who are playing more advanced repertoire, and see what is possible for them when they get older.
- Practice Daily. Do the 100 Days of Practice Challenge. Especially when children are young (ages 3-8), they don’t yet understand the power of delayed gratification. I have personally witnessed students who didn’t like to practice do a 180 after this challenge. I know it seems counterintuitive, but if kids don’t like to practice, often the solution is to practice MORE, so they can experience positive reinforcement in their lessons, and they will learn how their hard work will actually make it EASIER to play (and easier to get them to practice!).
- Show general enthusiasm for music. Listen to the radio and talk about songs you love. Watch inspiring performers on youtube, like Joshua Bell, Hillary Hahn, or Andres Segovia. Give the gift of a Symphony performance for a birthday present. Make a big deal about it, talk about how excited you are to dress up and go downtown to see this special performance. Listen to the music ahead of time so your child recognizes the piece at the show. Go see non-classical live music. There are TONS of opportunities, being that we live in music city. Be a patron of the performing arts! You will likely instill a lifelong appreciation for the arts in your child.
Lastly, I will leave you with a quote I read in an article by Nancy Jackson, a Chicago-based Suzuki teacher. In this article, she addresses developing ownership & persistence in her students. She quotes Pete Carroll, coach of the Seattle Seahawks, who stated in his autobiography, “Personally, I have learned that if you create a vision for yourself and stick with it, you can make amazing things happen in your life. My experience is that once you have done the work to create the clear vision, it is the discipline and effort to maintain that vision that can make it all come true. The two go hand in hand. The moment you’ve created that vision, you’re on the way, but it’s the diligence with which you stick to that vision that allows you to get there.” You can read the whole article here.
