preece@ccvaxa.UUCP (09/12/85)
We have used a wide range of strategies to keep our daughter practicing, ranging from simple coercion and browbeating to blatant bribery. The most successful attempts have been by (1) being clearly involved in the practice with her, (2) making it fun (diversity, accomplishment, illicit sneaking past what the teacher has said she can work on), and (3) honest discussion of why we want her to do it and why she just has to do it, no matter how she may feel about it. Nothing works all the time, all of them work some of the time. Mostly we progress... -- scott preece ihnp4!uiucdcs!ccvaxa!preece
suze@terak.UUCP (Suzanne Barnett) (09/16/85)
> > We have used a wide range of strategies to keep our daughter > practicing, ranging from simple coercion and browbeating to > blatant bribery. The most successful attempts have been by > (1) being clearly involved in the practice with her, (2) making The reason I most disliked practicing was that I always got an audience of my mother, my brother & occasionally my father. They came into the den while I was making these terrible efforts to learn a piece, sat down & STAYED. It embarrassed me terribly. I'd have invited them to listen if I'd wanted them there. Sure, when I had learned a piece, I'd enjoy them hearing it, BUT NOT TILL THEN! Of course, each child reacts to things differently, some are sure to DESIRE their parents there during practice. I didn't. -- Suzanne Barnett uucp: ...{decvax,ihnp4,noao,savax,seismo}!terak!suze phone: (602) 998-4800 us mail: CalComp/Sanders Display Products Division (Formerly Terak Corporation) 14151 N 76th street, Scottsdale, AZ 85260
jp@faron.UUCP (Jeffrey Picciotto) (09/17/85)
> We have used a wide range of strategies to keep our daughter > practicing, ranging from simple coercion and browbeating to > blatant bribery. ... > -- > scott preece > ihnp4!uiucdcs!ccvaxa!preece I must admit that I'm confused. While there are some obvious benefits to encouraging a child to practice and work to achieve something difficult (esp something that requires determination and long-term comittment) why must it be something the child dislikes? If coercion/browbeating/bribery are necessary to get the kid to practice, perhaps a different activity is in order? As a kid I was "forced" to take piano lessons. I didn't like them. I did not practice. The result was that many years (and $$) later, I was still relatively terrible. So who, save the teacher, benefited from this fiasco? I think that the time/effort/$$ could be better spent trying to find an equivalent activty that the child will enjoy. Jeff Picciotto sdl@mit-oz.arpa id.jeff@mit-xx.arpa ...!decvax!linus!faron!jp Disclaimer: I am not a father. I never have been. I do not know how to spell. I don't mind. My employer doesn't care what I think.
preece@ccvaxa.UUCP (09/20/85)
> If coercion/browbeating/bribery are necessary to get the kid to > practice, perhaps a different activity is in order? ---------- The problem is that she DOES like playing the violin, sometimes. She does fine and enjoys herself when (a) she's making progress and (b) practice s part of daily routine. But any interruption of that routine is a problem. When she hasn't practiced for a few days she sounds much worse and she knows it. Practicing becomes a big deal and work and an effort and she doesn't want to. I have exactly the same reaction to running, but I'm old enough to understand it and make myself do what I know I have to do to get to the result thatI like. She's not. If she weren't promising and didn't enjoy it a good part of the time, I'd give up: I'm into preparing her so she has the base to do as she likes later, I'm not into gratuitous torture. -- scott preece ihnp4!uiucdcs!ccvaxa!preece