By Christy | the Practicing Pro
You can also Watch / Listen to the LIVE HERE
One of my favourite quotes from Shinichi Suzuki is, “Music is a language of the heart without words”.
All children can learn to speak and all children can learn to play music. Music is a language. And it really is a language of the heart that can teach us and our children SO MANY things!
Dr. Suzuki believed that talent is learned - it’s not inborn and that every child can learn. He believed that one’s environment, and not genetics, is the key to learning.
All children are different and they all learn at different rates with different styles of learning. But all children CAN learn and that means that all parents and all teachers can also learn. Both parents and teachers can learn how to connect with their children and teach them through their many changing stages, guiding them to become happy, contributing adults in society.
That’s what we all ultimately want, right?
We want them to be happy, and we want them to contribute to the world in a positive way. Regardless of if their contribution is big or small, we want it to be in their own special and unique way. We hope that this will ultimately bring them, again, HAPPINESS.
In Dr. Suzuki's book called “Ability Development From Age Zero” he says, “Music exists for the purpose of GROWING an admirable heart.” He also says, “The heart that FEELS music will feel people.” And “the ability to feel music means UNDERSTANDING the human heart.”
He believed that nurturing children’s hearts with love and music would have a huge impact on changing the world in the future.
He believed that the main purpose of music lessons was not to make professional players (though that happens), but “to create persons of a beautiful mind and find ability.” He taught teachers and parents that they must NEVER stop learning how to be better teachers and parents! So bravo to all of you here listening to this live or reading this Blog and taking the time to want to be a better parent or a better teacher! Your children and students are so lucky to have you! Because you are humble and always learning and wanting to improve.
Before we continue, though, I want to have a heart-to-heart with you and introduce you to the WCC.
1. W is for WHY
Remember this excitement that you have right now – you know... The “I can’t wait fir this year”, “I’m so motivated”, “I’m very excited with new goals” to be in this space - and I want you to carry that with you through this entire year. Let’s figure out your WHY and put it on the free goal PDF and post it where you can see it all the time or in your practice binder to take a peek at on the not-so-great days ok?
At our recent parents’ meeting at our school we brainstormed as a group of about 70 parents and teachers the following list. It's so beautiful and I want to go through it with you and see if any of these resonate to you as well - then you can add them to your WHY worksheet.
My “WHY” list
Express self
Friends
Grew up With Music and Loved it
Want them to have the opportunity I didn't have
Enjoy Music
Rapid Response Skills
Play Music Whole life
Music brings Joy
Learn to make and achieve goals
Have Joy
Enjoy Multiple Instruments
Develop Hand Eye Coordination
Find Peace with Music
Develop Discipline
Learn to Make Hard things Easy
Find Confidence
Play music with others
Suzuki is a wonderful method
Learn a new language
Develop Mind
Opportunity to Learn
To keep loving Music
Have other adults to trust in their life
Support mental health
World Wide Language
This list is so beautiful to me. Hearing each teacher or parent share their whys at the meeting was so inspiring and I was really moved by the love I felt in some of these responses shared.
Included in the Blog is a free pretty PDF I made for you to print and post in your schools, send to your parents, post in your practice area, whatever you would like to do with it. I hope it inspires you like it does me!
FREE PDF (These are A2 poster size for music studio)
FREE PDF (8.5 x 11 size )
2. C for COMMUNITY
Next, I want you to think of your community that you live in and see where you have support for your children in their music journey.
If you are a parent:
Your teacher
Group and ensemble teachers
Other Parents in your school or studio
Friends/neighbours also doing music lessons
Friends on line
Relatives
If you are a Teacher: (You can add to the above list.)
Other teachers
Teaching and practicing motivators and mentors (in person and online like Practicing Pro!
Join the Practicing Pro email list HERE and grab the “Successful Practicing Checklist” )
3. C is for Commitment :
Let's look at your practice sessions with your children. It’s no secret that both parents and children can have good days and bad days, and this can be quite a challenge. It takes a lot of patience to motivate yourself when you are feeling discouraged.
To have success with your child, you might need to try some NEW things this year that might make you feel a little uncomfortable because you’ve never tried them before or maybe it’s out of your comfort zone.
That’s exciting though! That means that you are trying new things and you are learning! And isn’t that what we are asking our children to do as a practicing parent? To try new things! To trust their teacher. To trust their parent(s), who is/are their home coach.
To try new things and see if they work.
For today:
Let's make a quick goal:
How long will you practice each day? Make a realistic goal and underestimate the time just a bit if you are not absolutely sure. It’s better to have shorter daily practices with success than longer unsuccessful ones sporadically. For new beginners 5 minutes and work up.
Write that here on your sheet. The time each day and the length.
If you have a changing schedule use this part and decide each day.
Here is an example.
So there you have it! WCC: A quick thing to think about to keep you having success this year with your music practicing. You can always come back to this again and again! It will likely need to change too as the year goes on - so be flexible and revisit and recommit every once in a while to stay on track.
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