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                                                                   Frequently Asked Questions: FAQ at bottom of this page

Practicing!....eek!

1. Opening the case is ALWAYS the hardest part. Yup. Getting started. Even I struggle to get started at times. Once I/they get playing it is fun and way easier! If possible/safe, leaving the case open is a great motivator to play the instrument since it is right there and open! If not safe to leave the case wide open, just keeping the instrument in a open, public space of your house (ie. Living room) is good enough!
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2. Practicing is LEARNED. Unfortunately, most children won't do it by themselves until the habit is formed and this unfortunately requires some help at home to remember to do so. 

3. Having a tricky day getting them to practice? 
Here is a short Ted Talk on Youtube about how to practice effectively (for sports, dance, music, etc. Anything you’re trying to get good at).
Watch it with your child as you open their case for them, chat about the video, and then tell them to play their favorite songs (whether they are songs I’ve assigned or not. Don’t forget about the youtube videos for “We Don’t Pluck Anymore” or “Just like Buttah” (these two can be found on youtube and on my "Videos" page of this website.

Chances are they will move on to what I assigned; if not, oh well, I’m happy they played something.)
Ted talk:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=f2O6mQkFiiw

4. Have you considered the “practice play date?” Have them get together with a friend who plays an instrument to practice, or look for a new friend in orchestra to get together with! You’ll be amazed as they put on their “music teacher” acts with each other. Plus, making new friends is always great!

5. Look up the song your child is trying to play online, such as on youtube. Listening is great practice! Even if it is a piano or different instrument playing the tune, it is helpful nonetheless!
 
6. Do YOU (wonderful parents/guardians)  need a pick me up? 
A. This article discusses the “Q” word. Its written not only for music teachers, but also for the parents of musical children. 
Here are my main take aways:
-Yes, even me, Miss Hoffman, at one time did not want to practice her viola. Yes, I even wanted to quit in middle school (because I wasn’t practicing as I should have and didn’t feel good at it. See below for more on this.) My family helped me through all of those times and in turn trained me to practice on my own and make it through not only the highs, but the lows too.
-We can probably all agree with the author of this article that we want our children to learn to persevere, commit, be loyal, and have grit. Music is a fun way to do this!
-I am here with you and your child every step of the way in this adventure! :) Don’t be afraid to seek my help.
http://www.nafme.org/who-actually-quits-musical-instrument-instruction-children-or-their-parents/

B. Go to “The Music Parents Guide” website or Facebook page. 
Here are my takeaways from this article:
-We need to teach our students how to become independent musicians. How? By practicing! Again, they won’t be independent right away, it takes time. 
-My mother’s favorite time to have me practice was while she made dinner. Whether or not she actually listened to me, I don’t know. But, I still remember the occasional shout of “That was beautiful!” or, my least favorite, “That needs some more work.”
-Speaking of, don’t be afraid to shout out to your child some praise! Your students often come to me and tell me if they have gotten a surprise compliment from you that meant a lot.
-How to know what to practice? Questions in this article are great! My answer for you all about how to know what to practice is to check your child’s practice sheet for the assignment, check your child’s book to see what has been circled (this is how I assign things to make it easier to know what to practice) and what has been crossed off. 
http://www.musicparentsguide.com/2017/02/09/parents-guide-music-practicing/

C. Go to “Best Practicing: A Parent’s Guide to Beginning strings."
http://www.bestpracticing.com

6. Remind your child that they can do anything they set their mind to. Here’s another video on that its about a minute and a half: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JC82Il2cjqA&feature=youtu.be


7. Children enjoy things they feel “good at.” If they aren’t practicing and honing those skills for a while or even a few days, they may feel discouraged and unfortunately the only way to cure this is to practice and get better! This is something that you can work at at home, and come to me for help with if needed. I am always available. :)  I am also continually working with your students to know what to do (basically, to practice how we do in our lessons) and to keep things fun! (I attached a copy of my practice poster from my classroom to remind of the steps we use). 

8. Have your child be responsible for logging their minutes on their practice sheet. I tell them they are responsible for this, but I also notice many parents do this anyway themselves. There is something about putting down a lot of “0’s” that can be a good motivator to change that so they don’t have to show me all “0’s"…..

9. Hate the word “practice” just like “homework”? Change it to suit your needs! Leftover night at my house is always “buffet night.” Gets rid of the pesky leftovers ;)
Call it “Playing time” “Instrument time” “Violin/viola/cello/bass time” or “Concert time”!

10. See the Practice Poster below, and the posters on your child's orchestra page of this website. 

11. Ask your child to teach you, yes YOU to play! Teaching is a great way to reinforce learning. 

Finally, Little Miss Hoffman at times did not want to practice. I would stomp my feet, I might have (probably did, definitely...) whined or complained, but I did it. And the more consistently I did this, the better I got. During an addition being built onto my home as a child, I would have contractors, and plumbers, and electricians hollering “do that one again!” Did it make me feel frustrated? Yes, but, boy did I feel proud when they yelled “that was great! Can we hear it again?!” I have plenty of these stories, feel free to have your child ask me for more in person!

The support is well worth the effort and always outshines the frustrations. :)

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                    FAQ

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Q: I have a question about my child's rental instrument, can you answer it?
A: I will try my best, but my answer will likely be no, as I do not handle anything from the rental company. Call Zeswitz Music/go to the Zeswitz page above on this site to visit their webpage. All questions about your rental should go directly to them. Please feel free to copy me on an email to them or to send me an FYI email so I know what is going on, but they are the most direct people to ask. 

Q: My child's instrument is broken/has a broken string, what do I do?
A: Let me know in case it is something minor that I can fix & so that I know that something has happened, but otherwise, contact Zeswitz directly. See above website page for Zeswitz. 

Q: Will their lesson/rehearsal be on the same cycle day and time each year?
A: Probably not. My schedule changes often to suit the needs of each school. 

Q: Do I need to sign my child up for orchestra again in (Ex: 4th grade if they played in 3rd grade?)
​A: No! I keep them on the list from year to year to make your lives easier. 

Q: My child is having trouble with reading the music, what do we do?
A: Check out the "Note Reading" page on this site! It has exercises for them to practice their skills anywhere they go! They can also ask me for more copies of worksheets they can do, or ask me for extra help. Please also let me know this so that I know they will be asking and I have the materials/ideas ready for them. 

Q: What performances will my student perform in each year?
A: Concerts will be announced via e-mail each year, and posted on the school's calendars. 

Q: Are you sending e-mails to parents? I don't receive them!
A: Please let me know this so that I can fix my error! I will gladly add you to my list for my e-mails I send to parents. 

Q: How much should my child be practicing their instrument?
A: A little bit every day! 10-15 minutes is plenty each day, but 5 minutes is better than 0! But, I do understand that some children have busy/complex schedules and so I leave that up to you/them to find a way to fit practicing into their schedule as it is possible. I also understand that some children play a band instrument as well, and so I understand that they need to divide their time between both. As long as they are practicing and achieving successful results, I am happy and so are they!

Q: Wait, is my child allowed to play in the orchestra AND band??
A: Yes, your child can play both instruments if they desire, but only in grade 4 and up. Families & music teachers typically decide together if they think two instruments is doable for the student.

Q: But do parents really let their child play two instruments??
A: Yes! Many do.

Q: How do I get my child to practice?! I have to nag!
A: It is a process for a child to learn to practice independently; that is part of their training her in school and at home at this age and stage in their musical experience! It is normal for you to have to remind them. The easiest way is to make it a "regular" part of their day with homework. Think of this as the most fun part of homework! Someday, your child WILL be able to practice on their own without being reminded, but we must teach them. PLEASE reach out to me if you need help/strategies for this (check out all of the above practice strategies!). I'm always here to help, better now than when it is "too late" (which is never: it is never too late to get into a better practice routine!).

Q: What if my child is losing interest?
A: Contact me ASAP so I can help!! The sooner you keep me in the loop and make me aware, the sooner we can help your child!

Q: What if my child wants to quit? Help! 
A: See above, and know that you probably should have already reached out to me (hopefully you did...)! Playing an instrument is a commitment just like any other activity you do outside of school, but this one is IN school! The goals for them is to have fun, make music, and to continue playing through the year. Giving up mid year is a disruption to lessons/rehearsals/class time/even your child's regular classroom and classroom teacher, causing confusion and can teach the wrong lesson to your student. Typically, children think they want to quit because they are having trouble or need to rekindle their interest which is NORMAL. I should be contacted ASAP so that I can help you with strategies and find ways to help your child. 

Q: What things can I get my student involved in outside of school but are orchestra related? 
A: Private lessons, other orchestras, the list goes on. As Miss Hoffman for help finding what is right for your student. 
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Q: I/my student needs help tuning my students instrument, what do we do?

A: Please reach out to me via email, and we can set up a Zoom meeting or a meeting at school to tune the instrument. 

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Is your question not above? E-mail me and ask! I'm always happy to help. 
 

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