Christine Goodner

On this week’s podcast we’re talking about music practice, motivation and how sometimes practicing music looks like being a kid with Elementary Music Educator Bryson Tarbet. 

Bryson Tarbet is a PreK-6th grade general music teacher just outside of Columbus, Ohio. He received his Bachelor’s of Music in Music Education from Ohio Wesleyan University and is currently in the process of completing Master’s of Music in Music Education with a Kodály emphasis at Capital University.

Bryson spent his first year out of college as part of an elementary school intervention team and he fell in love with working with students with exceptional needs. Due to this experience, Bryson feels very strongly about advocating for sensory and emotionally-inclusive classrooms.

Bryson started That Music Teacher with the goal of sharing different perspectives on issues pertaining to the lives of music educators across the country. He also hosts That Music Podcast, available on all major podcast platforms.​

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Christine’s Top Takeaways: 

1. Meaningful, focused practice is key (and much more important than any arbitrary times we may be assigned to practice). 
2. Sometimes practice looks more like being a kid than following an exact method, and we have to let go of some of our preconceived notions about it 
3. Look for ways to gamify practice, especially for young students. This builds motivation and works with the way their brains work and learn. 

On this week’s episode, we are speaking with Dr. Shu-Yi Scott. Dr. Shu-Yi Scott holds a MM in cello performance from Penn State University under Dr. Kim Cook and a DMA in cello performance from the University of Texas at Austin under renowned pedagogue Ms. Phyllis Young . She became a registered Suzuki cello teacher trainer in 2019.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Shu-Yi has given more than 50 online courses for teachers, students and parents. Teaching beginning students from the age of 3 to advanced high school cellists, her expertise and patience helps students from all musical backgrounds excel.  She uses her knowledge of child development to creatively target the needs of her students, keeping them motivated and growing.

In this episode, we talked about practice, parenting, and how young musicians develop their own voices. I hope you enjoy this conversation!

Highlights Include:

“I want all this cello learning to Become a part of a rich life, and survival skill kit for my kids to be able to apply to other things.”

In this episode we are talking with Laura Sinclair about creating a laboratory for learning in our practice rooms and studios. Laura is a performer, an educator, and is passionate about making practice with our children easier by understanding how the brain and emotional regulation affect us in the practice room. You can listen through your favorite podcast platform, or through the link in this post (below).

Laura Sinclair is an active performer and Suzuki teacher in the South Florida area. She can be found on the concert stage with ensembles like the Atlantic Classical Orchestra, Boca Symphonia, Symphony of the Americas and the Kravis Center Pops Orchestra, in the pit with visiting National Broadway tours and the Miami City Ballet, and at private events with Elan Artists. A former public school strings director, Laura is the curriculum consultant and music coordinator for the Volta Foundation, providing educational training and support to their teachers and a diverse repertoire sequence. Laura firmly believes that music can be a powerful tool for breaking down barriers,building good citizens of the world.

As a self proclaimed Suzuki fanatic, Laura is registered through Book 10, in addition to many supplemental courses in Pre-Twinkle, Group Class, Suzuki in the Schools, Spiccato, Priority Teaching, and Energy work. She blends high level teaching with her interest in neuroscience and attachment parenting. She shares this with her vibrant home studio, and parents and teachers worldwide. Learn more at https://linktr.ee/lauraksinclair.

Christine’s Top Takeaways from this Episode

1.      Young children may ask, or even beg, to play an instrument but they don’t always know what the process involves when they get started.

In this episode, we talk to Rebecca Lane. Rebecca is the director, founder, and owner of Lane Music School. She co-hosts the Kids Q the Music Podcast with her daughter Zara and coaches teachers and professional musicians in their businesses. She is a violinist, a teacher, a mom and we talk about embarrassing practice stories, practice with our children, why we teach and how the fun is had once we’ve practiced and gained the skills we need. 

Some Highlights Include:

“It was kind of a love at first sight situation. I don’t remember specifically
when I said I want to play the violin, but it was always the one for me.”

Calida Jones is a violinist with her Masters in Violin Performance and Suzuki Pedagogy from the Hartt School. She has taught in a variety of music settings including Suzuki and El-Sistema-inspired programs. Calida is an activist, consultant, and speaker. She is the former Director of Engagement at the Hartt School and has just begun a new role as Vice President of Planning and Capacity Building for the Arts Consulting Group.

We talk about how she started her journey as a musician (which I’m sure you can relate to if you are a musician or are supporting one), what practice was like for her growing up, what led her to teach, and how we can make a difference where we are and see that more students have a chance to learn music and see themselves reflected in the leaders around them. 

Here are some of my takeaways from this episode:

1. Let go of the expectation that your child will “want” to practice.
2. Take stock of the actions you are taking to help create change. Start doing something!
3. Students need to see themselves represented in the role models they see.
4. Review, Review, Review – There is so much benefit to learning things deeply… Especially skills on our instrument. 

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Highlights include:

How can neuroscience help us with practice? Why is it necessary to make mistakes when we’re learning? What can we learn about effective practice that might be a new perspective and really different from what we thought good practice was?

Dr. Molly Gebrian is a violist who teaches at the University of Arizona’s Fred Fox School of Music. She is a performer, teacher and has a unique background in neuroscience research as well. I’ve seen Dr. Gebrian speak at a few professional conferences including the American String Teachers Association Conference (ASTA) and the Suzuki Association of the America’s Conference (SAA) and I always attend her lectures whenever I get the chance. She shares great information and delivers it in a down-to-earth, relatable style.

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Three takeaways from this episode:

1. It’s so normal for young students not to love the process of practice. If this is what you’re seeing in your household, please don’t worry!  

I am excited to share a new podcast episode with you – We’re talking to violinist Kimberley Wong and you can read more about our conversation below and listen to the full conversation through the links provided at the end of this article.

It‘s always been my passion to support parents, caregivers, and other practice partners ever since I learned how challenging practice can be with my own children many years ago. I think it’s so important to know we’re not alone if practice isn’t easy and to talk about practical ways to make practice sessions run more smoothly. 

This is why I am such a fan of Kimberley Wong and her work and reached out to have a conversation with her about practice and how we can make practice sessions less stressful and more effective for everyone.  

Kimberley Wong a violinist and Suzuki teacher from London who teaches children from age 3 all the way up to adults. She is passionate about helping parents and families make music practice less stressful for everyone involved. We discuss how important it is to have community and not feel alone, Kimberley’s 3 E’s for practice, and what studying music when we’re young gives us as adults.  

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Here are three takeaways from my conversation with Kimberley Wong:

1. We need community as both teachers and parents and to know that we aren’t the only one’s going through frustrations and struggles. 

In 2018-2019 I cohosted the Beyond the Music Lesson Podcast with Abigail Peterson a violinist, teacher, and parent of two young violinists. Recently I had the opportunity to catch up with Abigail and hear what music and practice at home have been like for her and her family for the past eighteen months. We also discussed motivation, learning what keeps each child interested in practice, and the importance of keeping high standards but giving lots of grace. 

Abigail Peterson is a violinist, Suzuki teacher, and parent from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She performs, teaches in her own studio, practices with her own two boys. I love how she describes herself on her website as having a “big heart for teaching students about the importance of education, community, and individuality.”  

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Here are some of my big takeaways from this episode:

1. Having something to practice FOR is so powerful. 

“There’s a world of difference between insisting on someone’s doing something and establishing an atmosphere in which that person can grow into wanting to do it.” – Fred Rogers.

This article on connection is part of a series on three mindsets we can develop as parents and caregivers working with our children & teens during music practice. You can read the intro article here and the article on growth mindset here.

When we talk about the mindsets that adults can adopt to make music practice with their child successful, this quote sums up my goals for home practice. 

Practicing an instrument is hard work. It takes complex planning and thinking skills. Practice can be frustrating and sometimes overwhelming to students who haven’t yet developed into effective, independent practicers. Not to mention the patience it takes to work on the technical skills themselves that we need to play and make music.

As adults helping with practice each day, developing a connection mindset for music practice is a key component to successful practice sessions.  

Feeling connected to an adult, who is helping us figure out how to practice, makes a huge difference.

Part of what we are doing as the practice coach is helping spark the desire for learning. We help by working through the process together. The teacher maps out how to get to the next step in our lesson, and we help coach our child through the steps involved. 

Of course, the teacher can’t do the actual day-to-day work for us. Students often need help to make the assigned steps from their lesson easier. They need assistance to remember all the details involved.

Helping our children do this effectively can feel like a big responsibility. Some students need more guidance and help than others and we tend to find this out through trail and error as we learn to work together.

A challenge: It’s easy to see practice each day as an intense time of getting things done. We may focus only on checking off boxes on a to-do list if we’re not careful. For some students, only accomplishing tasks without the human connection in practice can get in the way of learning.

This article on teamwork is part of a series on three mindsets we can develop as parents and caregivers working with our children & teens during music practice. You can read the intro article here and the article on growth mindset here. 

Why a Teamwork Mindset Helps

Of all of the mindsets I am sharing in this series, this is the one I wish I had understood when I was a new Suzuki parent. 

I was a new Suzuki teacher around the same time I started practicing with my oldest daughter. I was determined to do everything “just right,” and she was, and is, very determined and head-strong. This determination has served her well in life but made it very challenging to practice together. 

To make matters worse, I mistakenly thought it was my job to “make” her practice and do the assignments for the week. This approach to practice set up a relationship between us that made us rivals more than teammates. 

Practice often became a mental wrestling match that often left both of us feeling frustrated. 

What I learned the hard way, and what has helped many parents I have shared it with, is setting up a practice dynamic that involves teamwork instead.