tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8950455008838951010.post6997346659191746193..comments2023-09-26T05:39:02.759-07:00Comments on The Wise Serpent: Learning How to LearnThe Wise Serpenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00860854687943261931noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8950455008838951010.post-60507284037445624232016-03-01T10:58:47.648-08:002016-03-01T10:58:47.648-08:00Those are good ideas. I try to teach kids how to p...Those are good ideas. I try to teach kids how to practice, but I think it's hard, especially with middle school students. They don't have a good understanding of being methodical and precise. <br /><br />I think the sports analogy is good, but not all kids play sports, or play them well. I can't tell you how often I emphasize careful, deliberate practice that focuses on solving problems, only to find students playing through pieces instead of working like I ask. It's frustrating. One student I wrote SLOWLY on her music in huge letters, in hopes that she'd work carefully and slowly. Sadly, she did not. The Wise Serpenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00860854687943261931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8950455008838951010.post-31704557341998484542016-02-29T09:25:49.014-08:002016-02-29T09:25:49.014-08:00As a general rule, I spend the majority of my time...As a general rule, I spend the majority of my time in lessons helping the student with "how to practice" the piece they're working on. This includes discussion and demonstration from both the student and myself. <br /><br />I emphasize the difference between practicing a performance (playing through) and problem solving. Problem solving is a very focused effort addressing a specific problem the student is having with a passage, phrase or small section of a piece. <br /><br />The idea is to focus only on the problem. If the issue is a two measure syncopated phrase, then we break down those two measures, get the sequence of notes correct, and then loop the phrase (playing it like an endless repeat) at a tempo they can get it correct, speeding it up until they're up to or just past the speed they need. Then we work on the transitions into and out of the phrase. <br /><br />I emphasize with them that they make this an exercise (like a proficiency or warm up exercise) for a while so that it "takes". <br /><br />My full explanation is that there are three things they need to practice; Proficiency, Performance and Problem Solve. <br /><br />I often use a sports analogy with them to help them grasp the concept. If they've ever played in a team sport they will be aware of the different activities, usually general strength and agility training (proficiency), scrimmages (performance) and drills (problem solving). <br /><br />I read an article a while back about behavior of top athletes that hit home for me. One example was a basketball player fixing a problem with their hook shot. He was having a problem with his release; how the ball rolls of the fingers. To address that issue and get the most out of his available practice time, he removed all the activities that don't fix that problem, like dribbling, extra moves and fakes, and bringing the ball up the court. He would carve out some time every day standing basically in one spot and practicing his release over and over. Focus on the problem and solve it, then move on. <br /><br /> Bill Chttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04656631875219207716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8950455008838951010.post-67613681024584496332016-02-28T21:36:02.199-08:002016-02-28T21:36:02.199-08:00Ahh, the trap of "playing straight through&qu...Ahh, the trap of "playing straight through" is the worst! I tell them to play slowly, isolate the difficult sections, but then they go home and play it straight through! Then again, when are they ever taught to focus on the difficult problems at school? In most classes and on standardized tests, they're taught to answer the questions they know and skip the ones they don't. What a terrible way to learn!The Wise Serpenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00860854687943261931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8950455008838951010.post-8806446123578087382016-02-28T16:59:06.154-08:002016-02-28T16:59:06.154-08:00I have them identify the more difficult spots in a...I have them identify the more difficult spots in a piece and have them isolate those measures so they don't get in the habit of playing straight through. I want them to go over and over the hard spots and then put them back into the piece. For the little ones (beginners) that's usually getting from an open string back to, say, third finger on the string below. Really hangs them up. <br /><br />You're right...they certainly don't 'learn how to learn' in school.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02839233615681060828noreply@blogger.com