My Child won't practice!?
This is a very common problem, and one which I can identify with myself! Very few children (or adults for that matter!) find that the will to practice comes easily. As the day progresses the idea of practicing becomes more and more of a chore. The best thing that I have found through personal experience is to get the practicing over with as early as possible. Not only are you physically and mentally more alert at this time, but also the idea of practicing has not been put off all day and seen as a battle or ordeal (and who knows if the practice session goes well, there is plenty of time to do some more later on!)
As a child learning to play the violin I really hated practicing , but luckily I had a natural ability which enabled me to improve with the amount of practicing which I did manage to do. I now have a very talented pupil who is like this also. Basically the amount of practice depends on the individual. Some benefit from practicing 'little and often', and others find that they can get stuck into a long practice session. As soon as the mind begins to wander , it is better to take a break as 'over practicing' can do more harm than good.

Parental pressure rarely works, and this just creates tension. If an exam is looming however, then it is reasonable to expect a more committed approach to practicing, and the student will know that it is for a limited period only.
The more music the violin pupil is exposed to the better, and this includes pop, folk and jazz as well as classical music. If a pupil can hear a violin being played in a non stuffy way, then this is more likely to fire them up to play than anything else. Some good examples of music to try are ' The Corrs', Nigel Kennedy, Ed Alleyne Johnson and Vanessa Mae. You could also try taking them along to a concert which features a violin concerto, such as one by Brahms, Tschaikovsky,Sibelius or Britten. These are particularly dramatic and striking works, and when the violin student hears them live, the effect will be very powerful.

Peer pressure is often a reason why children give up, so the need to see the violin as a 'cool' instrument is important, especially for teenagers.
The violin teacher should also make an effort to be on the pupil's wave length and not impose unrealistic practice time tables. It is essential to show the importance of scales but also in relation to improvising. It is a good idea to encourage the pupil to play fast folk music to create a fluid relaxed bow hold and action. You can also arrange their favorite Pop music for violin, or encourage them to play along to their favorite songs by ear. If the child can relate to the teacher and enjoy the lesson, they are more likely to want to practice.
Another idea for parents is to leave the violin in a safe place set up and ready to play, sometimes the mere thought of opening up the case and setting up the violin etc can be off putting ( which is why most people find it easier just to sit at a piano and play ) The violin can be kept ready on top of a table, piano or in a spare bedroom, with a scarf or duster over it for protection. The bow can be left loose so that it can be quickly tightened when needed. Then at the end of the day it can be safely rubbed down and put back in it's case until the next morning.
To sum up, make it as convenient and enjoyable for your child or pupil to play. Ten or fifteen minutes before school while breakfast is being prepared can build up to a substantial chunk of playing by the end of the week. Parents - please don't laugh or tell your child it sounds scrapy (even if it does!) and avoid using the 'P' word (practice). The word itself strikes terror even into my own heart.

Practice Tips
Music training is a discipline that has many benefits, yet in the early years, a student has to be taught character by discipline and obedience throughout their years of training and consistency in practice. The Bible tells us in Proverbs 21:5 that “The efforts of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.”   In other words, “no pain, no gain.”   Learning an instrument is a fun and exciting experience; but it also requires patience, endurance, persistence, attention to detail and a host of other Godly attributes. All teachers agree, “You must practice only the days that you eat.”   Music practice should be as much a part of a child’s daily routine and habits as eating. Seven days a week of practice is preferable but in some families, because of active schedules, this is not possible.   Most teachers will agree that five or six days is ideal for most students.   If a child is under an intense academic regimen or is physically unable for any reason, a teacher may accept a minimal of four days. I usually tell the parents to back off as far as "forcing" the kids to practice... that is quite ineffective and also, can be detrimental in the motivation. I think if the kid is happy with what they are playing and doing well and having some real performances to do, that will motivate them. That being said, I think every teacher has to work around kids just NOT practicing enough these days. I try to make the teaching sessions intense to try and make up. I emphasize practicing RIGHT as being the most important. Practicing WRONG can be detrimental.   You may find your child, unmotivated in practice at times; do not be alarmed. It is a common understanding among even the most talented musicians that practice at home can be unmotivating. This is one reason why weekly lessons are a necessity for motivation of practice at home.   Music students will find themselves “plateau” at various points of their music training; but character persistence, proper encouragement, and the love of music will motivate them to continue on into the next skill level. Interestingly the greater the skill the greater the enjoyment of this beautiful instrument.   If you feel that your child is in a “slump” it is important that you talk to the teacher about it and find ways to motivate them together; it is a team effort. 2 Timothy 1:6 tells us to, “Fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you.”   Consistent daily practice is this “fanning.” A child’s practice session should consist of five basic elements.

1. Tonalization: This would be the two or three main music compositions the student is practicing; which can include classical and/or sacred music. The total concentration should be on the quality of sound (tone) in the piece of music. This is mostly controlled by the use of the bow.   It is has been estimated that 85% of the effort in learning the violin is invested in learning to use the bow properly.
2. Listening: listening daily to classical recordings (in general) is a must to developing a fine musical ear necessary for becoming a violinist. It also develops an appreciation for violin music in particular and expands a person’s ability to concentrate.   There is usually a direct correlation between tone quality and rhythm difficulties and the lack of listening. Listening is critical to helping a student FEEL the phrasing and dynamics of each piece. They acquire the ability to hear and produce pitch correctly, enabling them to play in tune; they acquire a strong sense of rhythm and beat; and they internalize music.
3. Review: the student should review from 2-3 selections of music daily. Review is NOT punishment; it is an integral part of learning and memorization. It often takes four times of review in order to properly learn a new technique; so it is not unusual for a child to review a difficult or challenging piece for a month..
4. New Piece: this is the most recent assignment the student has been given. Practice of this should include slow, careful repetition of difficult passages and techniques in addition to playing through the entire piece several times.
5. Special Music: This can be anything the teacher wishes to assign. It normally consists of something the child particularly enjoys playing such as a fiddle song, sacred song, or holiday music. It can also be a scale or exercises which are often called “games.”

REWARDS

Again the verse in Proverbs 21:5 is directly applicable, “The efforts of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.” Rewards and incentives can have both a positive and negative effect depending on the nature of the child. However, it is a fundamental educational phenomenon that learning increases exponentially (increased to the third and fourth power) when reward is given for learning effort. Unlike art, which produces tangible results, or football games which provides competition of winning and losing, the rewards of music are more ambiguous. A beautifully played piece of music brings temporary satisfaction because there is nothing tangible to “hold onto” after the song has been performed. Tangible rewards are wonderful for a child’s self esteem. In general it is good to reward students who are responsible, hard working, and dependable.

Incentives are often enough to motivate children to work harder. This is especially true with children who learn a bit more slowly than the children they began their violin training with as well as students who have been playing for several years and are beginning to think they want to try another hobby or activity or are simply wanting to take lessons but have lost interest in practice or performances. Below are some proven incentives used by violin teachers, parents, and students.

· Practice charts are strong motivation for many students. They feel very proud when they see the stars or stickers mount up.

· It is fun to use an abacus when practicing to count the number of times each piece has been played.

· Ice cream is always a motivation. If a child fills out his practice chart daily for 8 weeks he may be rewarded a gift certificate to his favorite ice cream shop. The parent could place the date on a calendar at home as a motivation.

· Special outings like a symphony performance, concert, or theme park or some special place in your area. The purpose of this would be to celebrate the hard work and reward your child for practicing diligently for a set amount of weeks.

· Music bucks can be earned and saved to be spent on a variety of rewards and prizes at the end of a given period of time. This motivates the student to save and not lose these coupons and to count them up in anticipation of the “prize day.” The more the effort, the more is earned and the greater the value of the item he would receive.

· Coupons & tokens can be a great incentive given daily by the parent for not having to remind a child to practice. Examples of these would be “Chuck E Cheese” tokens or loose change that would total $1-2 per week if the child practices seven days. A pill box with seven compartments filled with small toys, trinkets, change, stickers and various little surprises from the dollar store can be a tremendous motivator for daily practice. Be sure to wrap each item in a tiny bit of tissue so the child can’t “peek” ahead to see what their prizes are the next day! One parent will set seven of her child’s favorite candies along the piano; one for each day of practice.

· Prizes are an immediate reward motivating a certain number of days of practice weekly. These can include trinkets, stickers, candy, or any small items that are motivational. There are times when large prizes are suitable for competitions between students depending on the progress in practice and the value of the item he would have to earn.

· Trophies, Medals, Ribbons and Pins can be given to children at the end of the years for children giving 90-100% effort during the year.

Practice Makes Perfect—or Does It?

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