Description
This book is for instrumental music teachers who are interested in methods for teaching their students how to practice. The materials are designed to be particularly relevant for teachers who work with novice, intermediate, and advanced learners in school settings (e.g., band or orchestra students in, roughly, grades 4 through 12), however, we believe those who work in other settings (e.g., private lessons, piano or guitar instruction, practice supervised by knowledgeable parents) will find the ideas to be valuable for their teaching as well. The book includes three chapters. In the first chapter, we (a) describe how self-regulated learning theory could be used as a conceptual framework for describing key elements of effective practicing, (b) explain how learning by observing a model occurs, and (c) summarize selected examples of recent research on music practice. In the second chapter, we provide an overview of general pedagogical strategies for (a) teaching students how to practice and (b) helping students generate and sustain the motivation to want to practice. Last, in the third chapter, we present a collection of concrete practical examples for incorporating practice instruction in rehearsal-based learning contexts that are suitable for novice, intermediate, and advanced learners.
Linda Thornton –
Miksza and Prichard’s Teaching Kids to Practice is an excellent, much-needed resource for teachers who wish to support effective practicing strategies. The book provides accessible alternatives to the time-only practice approach, with clear examples supported by quick-reference summary tables. From explaining the foundational theories, through teaching strategies and ideas for accountability and assessment, the authors have created an invaluable resource for instrumental teachers.
Linda Thornton
Professor of Music Education
The Pennsylvania State University
Chris Grifa –
Teaching Kids to Practice is the essential guide to effectively teaching our students how to practice. It covers the what, how, and why of teaching practice using proven, research-based methods. This book is a must-have for music educators regardless of your student’s age or skill level.
Chris Grifa
Clay Middle School
Carmel, Indiana
Deborah Confredo –
In reading this text, one might exclaim, “Of course!” or “Wow – why has it taken until now for someone to write a book like this?” Teaching Kids to Practice shows us how to develop systematic and effective practice strategies that are understood by musicians at various stages of accomplishment to help them systematically move forward in the musicianship journey. It organizes tenets from extant research into a useable compendium of achievable practices. The familiarity of the processes, coupled with the strength of research support, makes this text a resource that has immediate application for all instrumental music educators.
Deborah A. Confredo
Professor of Music Education
Temple University
Todd Nichols –
Peter Miksza and Stephanie Prichard’s Teaching Kids to Practice is a unique and refreshing new method of conquering the age-old issue of teaching young students how to practice properly and efficiently. The content of this book is concise, logical, and very well organized. Included are creative and engaging sample exercises that provide invaluable strategies and countless opportunities to incorporate individual practice into the music curriculum at any grade level. This book is a must-have for the music educator’s tool kit!
Todd Nichols
Director of Bands
Rutgers University