Parent’s Role in Developing their Child’s Musicianship

Parents play a crucial role in development of their child’s musicianship especially for children who are 12 years and below. At Encore Piano Academy, we encourage our student’s parents to attend their child’s piano lessons at least once a month especially for our younger students.

Students who are below 12 years will usually need parental supervision at home to ensure that they practise regularly and incorporate the methods taught during their classes. Most students often show an initial interest towards learning an instrument but become discouraged over time as learning an instrument requires discipline, patience, and lots of repetition. It is crucial for the parent to ensure that their child continues their lessons and practises regularly to make progress. The classes are meant to serve as a place where the teacher can assess, teach, guide and help students on their technique, playing style, concepts, etc and shouldn’t be used as the only place where he/she practises. Practising at home plays a vital role and should be prioritised just like completing school homework or school project. Having a conversation with your children about what they learnt during their lessons and what they enjoy about it is another great way of reinforcing what they learnt and also showing them you are interested in their affairs. Students who receive this type of parental support at home make the most progress.

Parents can get comfortable with the methods shown by attending lessons, making it easier for them to guide their child at home. It is important, however, not to take the role of a second teacher in a lesson. Your role should be that of an observer and should be a positive experience for the student. The piano teacher will advise you whether you need to continue attending lessons thereafter. In certain instances, the teacher may suggest that for a reason a student works more effectively without the presence of an adult. Flexibility is required in this area. Please note that teacher’s recommendations will always be in the best interests of a student.

Check out this separate article, where I talk about other things parents can do for their children to cultivate an interest in music.

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