Students today are receiving more homework than ever before and are more overscheduled than ever before. Balancing homework, extracurricular activities and practicing can seem daunting, but it is possible. Here are some tips on how to manage time:
Implement a "practice rotation"
For every hour of homework, practice for a half hour. Or, for younger students, for every 20 minutes of homework, practice for 10 minutes. Not only do you fit in the practicing, the student's brain receives a much needed break and will retain the information from the homework much better.
Studies show that alternating physical activity with studying results in much better retention of the study material.
Little bits add up
For example, if the recommended amount of practice is an hour, but there just isn't a free hour in the day, divide it into six 10 minute intervals, three 20 minute intervals, or two 30 minute intervals.
Efficiency!
10 minutes of concentration is better than 10 hours of mindless playing.
Practice without the instrument
There are many technical exercises that can be done either silently or without the instrument entirely (bow exercises with a pencil during a lull in Study Hall). Be on the lookout for opportunities to sneak these in!
Make the instrument accessible
Sometimes just getting the instrument out of the case is enough to discourage practice, however silly that may seem. Designate a safe place, out of the reach of pets, younger siblings, windows and air conditioning/heating vents, to keep the instrument during the day. That way, all you need to do to practice is just pick it up! But make sure to put it away in its case every night to avoid drastic temperature and humidity changes.
Implement a "practice rotation"
For every hour of homework, practice for a half hour. Or, for younger students, for every 20 minutes of homework, practice for 10 minutes. Not only do you fit in the practicing, the student's brain receives a much needed break and will retain the information from the homework much better.
Studies show that alternating physical activity with studying results in much better retention of the study material.
Little bits add up
For example, if the recommended amount of practice is an hour, but there just isn't a free hour in the day, divide it into six 10 minute intervals, three 20 minute intervals, or two 30 minute intervals.
Efficiency!
10 minutes of concentration is better than 10 hours of mindless playing.
Practice without the instrument
There are many technical exercises that can be done either silently or without the instrument entirely (bow exercises with a pencil during a lull in Study Hall). Be on the lookout for opportunities to sneak these in!
Make the instrument accessible
Sometimes just getting the instrument out of the case is enough to discourage practice, however silly that may seem. Designate a safe place, out of the reach of pets, younger siblings, windows and air conditioning/heating vents, to keep the instrument during the day. That way, all you need to do to practice is just pick it up! But make sure to put it away in its case every night to avoid drastic temperature and humidity changes.