Three Easy Steps to Becoming a Great Practicer

What's the difference between soccer practice and a piano lesson? Let's see, we don't kick things at piano lessons. What else? How many days a week do you have soccer practice (or volleyball, or lacrosse, or basketball, or football)? Several, probably. How many piano lessons do you have each week? ONE.

At soccer practice, you likely practice soccer for the first time since the last practice. But your piano lesson definitely should not be the first time you practiced since your last lesson. There should be four to six piano practices at home between your lessons.

Be honest with yourself. Do you have your assignment book open to the current week between your piano lessons? Do you check off items as you practice them? If you do, great! You're on the right track, and you probably earn lots of practicing stars. If not, it's time to make a new habit. If you do some work with your assignment a little each day, it is pretty much guaranteed that you will progress quickly in piano and earn lots of practicing stars for it.

Your assignment sheet looks like this.
Do you check it at home?

A good way to build a good piano practice habit is to think of piano as part of your daily homework routine. Here are THREE EASY STEPS to help you build this habit:

1. As soon as you get home from piano, put your music books on the piano. Put your assignment book there as well, and make sure it is open to the current week's assignment.
2. Practice everything on the list. It doesn't have to take a lot of time. Just play everything on the list. After a week of doing this, your practice time will add up!
3. Save TV, game, or computer time until AFTER piano practice is done.

Are your books on your piano?
No? Run and get them out of your piano bag!