Practicing
The lessons themselves are only one part of learning to play piano. A regular practice routine is a group effort between teacher, student, and parent, and I am here to help. We want to make piano a habit, just like brushing your teeth every day.
Try to pick one time every day to be at the piano, working on the material we covered in the lesson. For younger children, this means playing for at least 5 minutes a day: that might mean helping them accomplish just one element of the lesson that day, or asking them to teach you something they worked on in the lesson, or performing for a relative.
For older children, have them play through their songs and technique at least 2-3 times per day.
As the material gets more complicated, the practice time will increase. We want to make piano a habit, just like brushing your teeth every day.
For children under 10, a parent should be available for held during practice time. For children over 10, someone should be nearby for the first few weeks to make sure they make it to the piano at their designated time, ask questions about the material, and encourage them.
Practice time will not always feel easy, but that is OK! Ultimately, we are working together to help build the skills necessary for your student to someday look at a piece of music and learn it on their own. If you are feeling frustrated, please talk to me! I want to help. I will always do what I can to help families get their practice routines working for everyone.