Buffy Andrews Music

Tips for parents

For the Parents: How to best help your child learn the violin!

Attend

Being present in your child’s lesson is a great chance for you to learn about the violin and how to help your child practice at home. Even if your child is older and a more independent learner, being around to listen can help you encourage your child as they develop a better sound. For older students, I will often “fill the parent in” near the end of the lesson on what is new for the student to practice, so please be around!

Participate

I will have parent participation throughout the lessons, especially for beginner students. If you have a question, please ask, and ideally, I’d like to teach all parents how to hold the bow, violin, play a simple song and know how to tune the instrument. Your involvement in the lesson is vital, as it is preparation for your practice environment at home. I am only the “Teacher” for one day a week. At home, the parent is the “Teacher”! :)

Take Notes

Please take your own notes during the lesson so you remember best what happens during the lesson. Please don’t hesitate to record lessons with audio/video using your smart phone or other device for your own personal use. This is especially helpful for other caregivers who may be involved in weekly practice time, but can not attend the lesson.

Communicate

If you are feeling frustrated with how to make practice time enjoyable for you and your child, please tell me so we can work on ideas together! If you come up with a great idea that works with your child at home, share it with me and other parents!

Leave Distractions outside the Teaching Studio

Your child’s lesson is short and full of many things to remember. Please turn off your cell phones and refrain from using them unless they are being used for recording the lesson or taking notes.

I am happy to have siblings attend the lessons, it is a fantastic way for other siblings to learn about music and possibly start learning an instrument. Older children are free to play upstairs but remind them that your attention should be devoted to the child taking the lesson.

Home Practice Environment

For your child to thrive during practice times, it is not enough to just tell them to “go practice”. I hope to include the parent more in lesson activities, so the student is comfortable with having their parent guiding them through their practice time. Learning the violin is a commitment from the student and the parent equally, so please be prepared to put in some work!

The environment your child practices in at home will help contribute to their success. It is important to have a quiet, consistent space away from other siblings, telephones, tv, pets, etc, not directly involved in the practice time.

Listen

Even before your child can play a piece on the violin, they should be listening to the assigned recordings daily. When you and your child know and can sing their upcoming pieces, it will make learning to play them so much faster and more meaningful. Listening to pieces is not optional and please find ways to make it part of the day, by having a copy of the CD in the car, on an iPod, iPhone, etc...

Catch Them Doing Good!

There are always things about your child’s playing that can be seen as “wrong”. Be careful to “Catch” them when they do something right and be quick to praise them. Before helping them fix something, comment on the things they are doing right so your child feels affirmed during practice time at home.

Have Patience

I know you’re very excited and anxious for your child to play their first piece so you can show them off to your friends and family! Please keep in mind that there are many, many small steps leading up to being able to play a piece on the violin. I’m just as excited to have your child play a piece, but I know that if I leave out some important steps in learning to stand, sing, hold the bow, learn rhythms, etc...I wouldn’t be doing my job well. Repetition and Review are so important to learning and get excited for your child as they improve in the “small” things about learning the violin that an outside observer may not notice.