Motivation: The Importance of Feeling Capable

This Post is third in a series on keeping students inspired and motivated. You can read the first two posts here: Overview, Why Students Need Help Seeing Progress. 

“I can’t do this!” “It’s too hard!” “I’ll never get it!”

Comments like these (or trying to avoid practicing a specific practice task) are strong indications that a student does not feel they are capable of something we are asking them to do.

Some students may not even be able to verbalize these thoughts and simply act out or seem to lose interest in studying their instrument.

To keep our students motivated it’s important to to address these feelings. Feeling capable and seeing that it is possible to accomplish something plays a huge role in staying motivated.

I’d like to suggest 4 ways to help students feel capable & would love to hear what you think works the best for your children or students.

1. Set students up for success – How we run lessons and practice sessions as adults can have a huge impact on a child feeling successful, or not. Providing numerous opportunities each time a student comes to the instrument for them to feel confident in their abilities and to see that they are making progress is so important!

Students who have their shortcomings pointed out to them over and over are likely to lose interest and feel frustrated. If instead, we as adults run these sessions in a way that makes students feel successful  – they are much more likely to stay motivated.

2. Break tasks down into tiny measurable steps – One way to make this happen is break down practice tasks into tiny steps. A student may not be able to play through a whole piece without a lot of challenges, but 4 – 8 notes (one one phrase) at a time might help them master a piece with success.

The best teachers I know break things down into smaller and smaller pieces until a student can be successful and then slowly build from there.

In practice you may find your child can get through a small section well. Start by focusing on lots of repetition just on that part of the song and then add a few more notes. If that doesn’t work and becomes frustrating – go back to a smaller section again.

This is how more advanced students practice problem areas and although it may seem slow or tedious, it is the most effective way to improve something during a practice session and to keep your child feeling like they are capable at the same time.

3. Observing others and hearing their experiences – Anytime I set out to learn something new as an adult, and get frustrated about the process, I seek out people who have already done it and find out more about their experience.

Recently I have been writing more and when I feel stuck or that I surely I am the only one who struggles with it, I read about authors and their process and it always makes me feel better. Authors like Ann Lamott and Ann Patchett have written great books about the process they go through when writing and the feelings of self doubt they may experience during the process and it’s very comforting to know that great, experienced writers struggle too.

Our students and children need those same reassurances. If there is an older student in the studio – ask them to share if practice was ever hard for them, if they remember first learning how to make a bow hold, or play twinkles.

Find well known musicians that your child admires and read more about their childhoods and when they were first learning their instrument.

Ask your teacher to share about their own experiences and if they ever struggled when learning their instrument.

Learning an instrument is hard – if students don’t understand it’s hard for everyone, they can get frustrated and feel that they are the problem. It is important to reassure them everyone struggles sometimes.

4. Focus on progress and positives – I think the most encouraging and helpful thing a practice parent can do is help their child focus on the things that are going well in practice. Point out all the things that are getting easier and used to be hard. Point out what they are doing really well – whether that is focusing, being cooperative, improving their tone, or mastering a new piece of music.

Sure, there are most likely many things to improve and work on too. However, pointing out the positive keeps motivation high.

If students can both work on something they are trying to improve and feel positive about all the progress they have made it is a powerful combination. As teachers and parents this should be our goal.

What would you add to these points? How do you think they affect your students or children? I’d love to hear your thoughts!