Your child probably has a more relaxed music practice schedule during the summer. Perhaps they take the summer off from lessons and practice altogether, or they attend only a few lessons and practice periodically.
The beginning of a new school year is often the time when a consistent practice schedule is reintroduced.
But what do you do when other time-consuming activities make it difficult to attend lessons or practice regularly?
I always notice a drastic drop in practice consistency and lesson preparation when students are involved in demanding activities like sports, theater, or college prep.
I developed a guide called Balancing Music & Sports to provide strategies that help students manage music commitments more effectively.
Below I share a few tips from my guide. And don't let the name fool you. Even if your child isn't involved in sports, this guide helps them manage any conflicts brought on by a demanding schedule.
Tip # 1
Proactively plan for upcoming schedule conflicts. Rather than wait until the last minute to deal with conflicts, notify the music teacher, coach, or activity coordinator well before they occur. They'll appreciate the heads up, and are, in my experience, generally more willing to be flexible if they aren't caught by surprise. Get more pre-planning tips here.
Tip # 2
Establish a "sports season" practice schedule. When a student's schedule has completely changed, it's a waste of time to try to maintain the exact same practice routine as usual. Think outside the box and set up a practice schedule that makes more sense for the busy season; this is key to getting kids to practice music consistently. Practicing before school and during free periods are two options that have worked for my students. For more creative practicing ideas, get the full guide.
Tip # 3
Practice more efficiently. If you have less time to practice, you must practice efficiently to get the most out of your practice sessions and continue to meet your musical goals. Rather than playing through an entire piece each time you practice, focus on the most difficult sections and use time-saving practice strategies to master difficult sections more quickly. Get more tips and strategies here.
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