Amarillo Music Teacher's Association

Parents

"Where words leave off, music begins."
- Heindrich Heine

The role of the parent cannot be understated in the development of young musicians

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You don't have to practice every day, only the days you eat!

Dr. Suzuki

Founder of the Suzuki Method

Parents: Before You Start Ask These Questions

1. Who wants to learn?

  • If a child isn’t invested in the process, it will be difficult to motivate them to learn and grow as a musician. As harpist Stephanie Lacussen puts it, “motivation, curiosity, and drive must come from within the child.”

2. Why does your child wish to learn?

  • Not only is it important to ensure your child has a genuine interest in learning music, but it’s also imperative to determine what is guiding that interest. Discovering the “why” behind a passion for music will help find a teacher who can speak to that passion and continue to motivate the student throughout the journey.

3. How involved are you willing to be?

  • Every teacher is different and expects a different level of involvement from their students’ guardians. For instance, many teachers will expect a significant amount of parental involvement -- especially for younger students. Other teachers might be more flexible on expectations.

Helpful Parent Resources

Starting music lessons can feel overwhelming. We like what these fellow parents say about their own experience helping their children learn an instrument:

Why I Make My Kids Take Music Lessons (ScaryMommy)

  • [Excerpt] When my oldest son was in second grade, we signed him up for piano lessons. He wasn’t exactly thrilled about it, but he agreed. A few years later, we signed up his younger brother. For four years now, our kids have been tickling the ivories (or rather, awkwardly banging the keys). They aren’t musical prodigies by any stretch of the word, and they don’t exactly love music lessons, but we remain steadfast in our commitment.

People Share the Biggest Lessons They Learned from Music Education (BuzzFeed)​

What parents say and do matter

Research confirms the benefits of learning a musical instrument. It develops a life-long skill and offers children a means of enjoyment and self-expression.

  • Most young children enjoy singing and movement. Join in! Show your child that music is fun by having fun with your child making music.
  • Let your child see you practicing another musical instrument or having to work daily at a task. This shows this the importance of daily habits
  • Experience great music with your children. Take your children to see the symphony and introduce them to other older musicians that work will help them achieve their goals.

Practice Tips for Parents

1.

Practicing at the same time every day is the best way to create a habit!

2.

Instead of a time limit, set a “goal limit” – “I’m going to practice till I can play this section without one mistake…”

3.

Provide a quiet designated proactive enables regularly and privacy

4.

Never make negative comments about your child’s playing.  Instead, be honest and supportive of the improvements they show.

5.

Listen to music together – instruments you hear, if a section is happy or sad or if it tells a story.

Improve Memory and Brain Health

Compelling research shows the cognitive benefits of playing an instrument extended beyond tasks directly relevant for musical practice to also include improvements to general cognitive functions, such as attention, reasoning, and speed of information processing.

TED Talk

Talk to a teacher today

Deciding to enroll your child in music lessons is a big commitment.  
Reach out to AMTA teachers who are experienced and qualified to answer any question you may have.

Find a Teacher