Tag: busy kids do piano

Transitioning to Independent Practice

In my  March livecast, I talked about modeling an effective practice (which includes identifying and fixing mistakes) so that your student can not only make practice but also learn to one day practice independently.

As a student becomes a little older and more able to do things independently — read, play games, do a puzzle, complete a task — your child will be ready for you to back off a bit and give her some space while practicing. Your role will become that of a “guide” rather than a “fixer”.

The process of learning new music with a student who is in this developmental stage and beginning to make the transition to independent practice can be broken down to 3 phases. Watch my April livecast below for all the details. Continue reading “Transitioning to Independent Practice”

Fixing Mistakes At Piano Practice

One of the reasons piano lessons are such a big commitment is because in order for the experience to be successful, a parent must be involved in the process — especially if a younger student is the one learning to play — in order to help with fixing mistakes at piano practice.

My goal as a teacher is to help my students eventually get to a point where they are able to practice independently. This means they won’t require constant oversight from a parent during every single moment and will even be capable of fixing mistakes at piano practice on their own.

In order for a student to reach that point, the student MUST KNOW how to practice effectively. Which is why it is critical for parents and teachers to model what effective practice looks like. Continue reading “Fixing Mistakes At Piano Practice”

March Members of the Month

Meet the Clemons family who moved to small town in Minnesota a few years ago. Ben and Karyn have three children Olive (7), Ramona (6), Julius (3). Olive is currently enrolled in the Busy Kids program.

What’s your musical background? Continue reading “March Members of the Month”

Motivate Your Child to Practice Piano: A How-To

Most of the questions I receive from parents of piano students through the years have been surrounding the topic of practicing piano – specifically how to motivate your child to practice piano.

Practicing piano is a HUGE topic, and there are so many important facets to consider. But let’s focus for now on how to motivate your child to practice piano. Continue reading “Motivate Your Child to Practice Piano: A How-To”

February Member of the Month

Meet the LaClair family from Phoenix, AZ. Steph, Chris and Linus who will be turning 10 this March. Chris is on the road for work over 200 day of the year and isn’t always home for the traditional holidays. So, this fantastic family has started inventing their own unique holidays!

What is your musical background?

I (Steph) grew up surrounded by musicians. My grandmother was a jazz singer and my uncle was-and still is at age 65-a singer in a rock band. My brother joined the ranks and was the drummer for his band. Our house was often a hangout for my brother’s and uncle’s bands and my grandmother lived with us for a few years. My parents put in a “soundproof” room in the basement for the bands to practice. It was still extremely loud, but practice makes better!

Continue reading “February Member of the Month”

January Member of the Month

Meet the wonderful Williams family from Pennsylvania. This awesome family of 9 includes Mark and Kelley and their lovely children, Ben (20), Ann (19), Sam (16), Gabe (13), Jaden (10), Sarah (9), and Sol (7).

Q: What’s your musical background?

We grew up in Tennessee so the musical influence in our lives is rich and varied, from rock to worship and rap to bluegrass – we enjoy it all. Up until we started Busy Kids Do Piano, only the oldest three had taken any lessons, and only the oldest really connected with it, though everyone likes to play around on the piano and guitar and ukulele. Continue reading “January Member of the Month”

Piano Practice Tips for Traveling

As I write this, the holidays are quickly approaching. For many, this means time off of school, traveling to see family, or even hosting friends and family from out-of-town. This disruption to your typical routine might also mean piano practicing goes by the wayside.

Whether it’s holiday plans, an opportunity to travel for an extended period of time, or a temporary busy “season” where your child is in a school play or taking the bus all over for sporting events, there are times when our piano practice routine is thrown out of whack. Continue reading “Piano Practice Tips for Traveling”

December Member of the Month

Meet the Hibbard family from Little Rock, Arkansas. Doug and Ann have three wonderful children 16 year old Olivia, 14 year old Angela, and 11 year old Steven.  It was their oldest Olivia who discovered Busy Moms and now three children participate in the Busy Kids program.

Q: What’s your musical background?

My husband and I both played in band throughout high school, and I also sang in choirs as the opportunity was available while Doug enjoyed working on the tech side of things. Although neither of us play piano well, we are very familiar with music theory and can pick out basic melodies. Continue reading “December Member of the Month”

Adding Review to Piano Practice

My daughter’s FAVORITE time in piano practice is what we call “Review Time”. We save this for the end, and it’s always a fun activity that feels like a reward for her. She actually even thinks about it ahead of time, planning which pieces she is going to play for “Review Time.”

In this livecast, I talk about why reviewing familiar music and technique is an important piece of piano practice. I also created a fun printable game that you can download to help get your wheels spinning! Continue reading “Adding Review to Piano Practice”