As a long-time music teacher, I've often heard parents lament this frustrating scenario:
Their kids excitedly decide to learn an instrument. They enthusiastically begin lessons. They can't wait to practice every chance they get. They eagerly play new songs for friends and family. They learn challenging concepts with ease.
As the weeks pass, their child becomes more distracted by other activities. The novelty of playing and practicing their instrument wears off. Their child gets bored. Practice decreases while practice arguments increase.
A wearying new cycle begins. Getting their child to practice at all - let alone consistently - becomes a never-ending struggle.
Of course, you want your child to succeed on their instrument. You know this requires discipline and perseverance. But you also want to avoid a situation in which they only practice if you constantly pester them.
How do we motivate music students to practice without endless bickering or ruining their enjoyment of music?
One way is to tap into their core motivators.
Core motivators are values, needs, and desires that internally drive us to accomplish tasks and meet goals.
Because they have so much influence over their behavior, understanding your child's core motivators is critical to their musical success.
I've listed some core motivators below, along with ideas to utilize these motivators to inspire a positive musical journey.
General enjoyment of music. Does your child just love making music, regardless of how challenging it might be at times? If so, they probably practice regularly already. But you may need to find ways to remind them of how much they love music when they feel uninspired or stuck.
Playing songs they really like. If playing specific songs they enjoy inspires regular practice, work with your child's private teacher to find songs they like for lessons and practice. You can also find music online that inspires them (sheetmusicplus.com is a great source of all styles and levels of music.)
Preparing for a performance. Some students are motivated to practice regularly by an upcoming opportunity to perform and showcase their talents. If so, find ways to incorporate regular performances (even informal ones) into their music routine. (Get this guide for ways to do this at home.)
Preparing for an audition. Perhaps your child is motivated to practice by opportunities to win scholarships or get into a coveted ensemble. One way to motivate music students who love this type of challenge is to ensure that they regularly have an audition to prepare for.
Accolades or awards. If your child is motivated by public acknowledgement of their effort and talent, seek out competitions for them to enter (the private teacher can help here). You may also work out an achievement rewards system at home, such as a prize that can be earned after accumulating so many practice stickers.
Parent encouragement. If your child responds well to positive comments from you, by all means, offer up kudos on a regular basis! You could say things such as, "I really like how you're patiently working through that hard section; that takes real maturity!" or, "That fast section sounds so much better!", or, "You're so expressive when you play that piece - I love listening to it!"
Private teacher's expectations. Perhaps your child is more likely to practice consistently in response to the teacher's expectations. If so, you could discuss this motivator with the teacher out of ear-shot of your child, and ask them to make specific practice expectations clear each week. After the lesson, ask your child what expectations the teacher laid out to reinforce it.
Ensemble participation. Music practice is usually a solitary endeavor. Many students aren't motivated by the idea of practicing by themselves, but they will be motivated to practice if they're playing in an ensemble they enjoy with peers they respect. In this case, the motivation to practice comes from wanting to please the music director, keep pace with their peers, and be a solid team player.
One proven way to motivate music students is to tap into their natural desires and values. Understanding your child's core motivators is a great way to inspire their musical journey and keep them practicing without bickering or unpleasantness.
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