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Permalink Reply by Russ Weaver on July 2, 2010 at 9:38pm

Smartmusic works for me. Get a couple of them to really buy into it. Set up a station at your school and watch the magic.

Also, playing for them and with them really motivates them. I play to tracks that I play on... sounds kinda funny that way, but it works.

There is a forum on recruitment that has some free arrangements for tubas and baritones that is fun to play, could look for that perhaps.

Russ

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Permalink Reply by Marie Sperling on July 3, 2010 at 12:18pm

I'm not a Band Director, however, I am a parent who has a child that was in band in middle school. She played the trombone. I had issues getting her to practice at home so I spoke with the Director about it. He encouraged me to allow her to "voice her style" by practicing outside, even if she made up her own stuff. It sounded a little odd to me, but I tried it. Every day she would march up and down our road playing her instrument. After a week, the neighbors would make it a point to be outside to watch my 13 year old in her glory. This made her want to get better so she started practicing inside for 30 minutes before marching down the road.

I don't know if what that Director told me is normal or not, but I can tell you it worked! I think that since he was so hands on with the parents, it was a little easier to encourage the kids to practice.

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Permalink Reply by Donald L Hofmeister on October 19, 2010 at 1:06pm

One of the methods I used to foster practicing involved a series of questions to get into what I would call the "internal" world of the student. Band directors usually know after the first few notes are played at a lesson whether or not the student has practiced. If this has persisted for some time, we know a new tack needs to be tried.After trust is established between teacher and student it is possible to follow this outline.

So ask the student:
1.Look inside your head. Do you see yourself as playing the ------------?
2.Is it something you want to do? If the answer is yes, proceed to the next question. If the answer is no, then assure the student you are on their side.ie if they have a feeling of being forced by parents and it is already in the realm of a power struggle ,then that will need to be resolved. It's possible to aid in the resolution.This would require the teachers involvement.If it is a severe struggle the out come usually is the kid drops. No body can really be forced to do anything if they really don't want to.
3 The answer yes to question 2 easily sets up the question: Do you think you can learn to play without practicing?
They know it's not possible and most will say so.
4.Well then,about how much time would you believe is required for you to make progress?
Students will usually parrot back what they have been told.( That is what parents,and teachers have said) The answer may easily be 30 min a day days a week. This answer is not acceptable as you already know they aren't practicing at all. So go over with them what you are getting at.
Namely it is what they believe is reasonable for them and what they would be will to subscribe to in a plan.
5. Let the kid think about it for awhile and reply.For a real non practicing student, the answer might be 5 min two days a week. That is rejected because no one will improve under such a plan. If this were the students offer, I'd know A. That negotiation is taking place, and B maybe progress will ensue if I can get an agreement for 5 min a day days a week. If the horn is consistently gotten out of the case as agreed to, usually they will actually practice a little more at each opening of the case. Other plans will thankfully wind up being for more than this!!!
6 Write the commitment in the lesson book. At the next lesson ask if the plan were followed. If the answer is yes, listen to the lesson. If the answer is no,ask the student if there is anything wrong wiht the plan. If yes, change it, if no, say "well then I expect you to follow it. " Accept no excuses. By no excuses, mean exactly that, no excuses. Listen to none of them. They know why.
7.It is worthwhile to help in the planning of fulfilling the agreed to plan. fFnd out where the practicing will be done, what time of day,and which days. You may discover inpediments regarding location or time. Example: they share a bed room with a brother who has a tendency to be obstructive etc.

The beauty of this method once it is established is that other problems are easily addressed.
Forgot your lesson? Go to the students classroom room or at the next meeting ask, Do you think you are helping yourself learn to play the horn?
Forgot your mouthpiece, the horn, the music etc. Same answer. Never accept any excuses and do not punish.
The student said yes in answer to the question about wanting to learn to play.We are merely asking them to live up to their word. You can even ask them:Is your word worthwhile? Would you want to be known as some one who's word is not reliable? Each time they opt to be what they said they wanted to be they are getting stronger. Fringe benefit- the band gets better.

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Permalink Reply by Joshua Uhrich on October 19, 2010 at 8:55pm

Thank you for that wonderful insight, Donald! I will certainly consider this technique with my students.

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Permalink Reply by Donald L Hofmeister on October 20, 2010 at 8:10pm

Thank you Joshua for writing. It is a pleaure to be of some help and I thank you for the opportunity.
The site provides a very useful service for all of us. We are fortunate it exists.
Sincerely
Don Hofmeister

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Permalink Reply by Pamela A Rezach on November 27, 2010 at 10:21pm

Last year I accidentally created a practice approach that has been quite successful. One day I asked a student - who practices often - to play a section of the music. When the student finished, I made the statement, "You're a Top Dog!" I soon found that the students loved this comment and wanted to become "Top Dogs" as well. Within the time period of one week I created a "Top Dog" practice procedure. The whole focus is based upon THINKING when practicing. I will upload the "TOP DOG" practice procedure that has been successful for two years for grades 6-8. When I give a Top Dog assignment, I keep the assignment very short. I want them to focus upon the thinking aspect of their practice time. I do not use this approach all the time. I know it has influenced some of my non-practicers to practice! All of the students thoroughly enjoy reading my praises and suggestions when I return their papers to them. This approach has also created an interest in discussing different ways to practice. Pamela Rezach, Cuyahoga Falls, OH

Attachments:

• TOP DOG ASSESSMENT GUIDE.docx, 18 KB

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Permalink Reply by Mandy Hollingshead on December 2, 2010 at 12:54pm

Hi Joshua,
How much are you asking them to practice? I ask my beginners for 90minutes a week, spread over a minimum of 4 days. This means that a child can do 15 minutes a day and have completed all their practicing.
I also encourage the very very beginners (first 6-10 weeks) to only do 5 minutes of playing at a time. Having it broken up like that seems to work fairly well.

I have a program where every student has to take music, whether they want to or not. I'm also in the middle east, where music is often looked upon as being Haram (forbidden). So I need to make a lot of allowances, and use lots of tricks to get kids to participate in class and practice at home.

Rule number 1 is that it has to be manageable
Rule number 2 is that it has to be fun

I teach them how to be "naughty" with their practicing. I'll ask during class:
"Who managed to do 5 minutes of practicing while their older brother/ sister was studying for an exam?"
"Who managed to annoy their parents with 5 minutes of practicing over breakfast this morning?"

The younger kids like it, and will come up with other "naughty" times to practice. (When Grandma comes, when my sister has her friends over etc)

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