Supporting Studio Parents in Home Practice

Now that I have a couple years of Suzuki parenting behind me, and two children in lessons, I’ve spent some time reflecting on how my children’s teachers have supported me as the practice parent and what I can do to better support the parents in my studio.

As a teacher, I sometimes forget that the parents and students I work with struggle with all the same things I do.

Just because a child is cooperative and happy in the lesson does not mean that’s how they are during practice at home.

Just because instructions seem clear in the lesson does not mean they remain so at home.

Practicing with a child is hard work, often emotionally and mentally exhausting. It saps all the energy I have some days.

Because I’ve been thinking about this, when I started the Suzuki Planet podcast, I made sure one of the questions I ask the parents is, “What does your teacher do to support you in your home practice?”

I’ve heard some really great ideas, and those ideas have spurred ideas of my own.

More and more, I think that it is immensely important for us teachers to spend some effort on supporting and bolstering the home practice efforts of our Suzuki partners. Most of the work we do in the lesson is for naught if the parent and child aren’t working well together at home.

What kind of mental support are you giving your Suzuki parents for their home practice?

1. Are you giving clear and concise practice assignments during the lesson?
2. Are you modeling what good practice looks like in the lesson? (ie. appropriate number of repetitions, positive feedback, etc.)

Here are a few ideas I want to implement in my studio:

• A lesson where I watch the child and parent practice together and give feedback. (A video of a home practice session may be a good idea too.)
• Have parents take a photo of their lesson notes so I can see what they are understanding.
• Share a video of me practicing with my own child, model what good practice helping looks like, and show that it’s hard for everyone. (This sounds terrifying, which is probably a good indicator that I need to do it.)

What kind of emotional support are you giving your Suzuki parents for their home practice?

1. Are you communicating that you are open/available for discussions about the realities of practicing with a human child? Do parents know how/when it is appropriate to approach you about practice struggles?
2. Are you creating a studio environment that is nonjudgmental where people can be vulnerable with you?
3. Do your studio parents have access to a community of like-minded and supportive parent peers?

Here are a few ideas I want to implement in my studio:

• Make a point at each lesson to invite parents to text or email if they run into, or are having, any practice struggles at home. (Thanks, Christine Goodner for this idea!)
• Host a parent discussion where we brainstorm solutions to practice obstacles.
• Refrain from passing judgment on parents when students aren’t prepared or aren’t well-behaved in lesson, or when they make parenting decisions that I wouldn’t.
• Hold a parent-teacher conference in the place of one lesson at least once each year.

How do you support your studio parents in their home practice duties? Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments!