• April Practice Chart picture of umbrellas
    practice chart,  violin pedagogy

    April Practice Chart

    With Student Day and Solo Celebration for the Okaloosa County Music Teachers Association is this month, my students are highly motivated to practice and they may not need this April Practice Chart. But, the monthly practice chart is giving them the visual reminder of practicing. I also am really loving these practice charts as they are giving me insight into the amount of practicing. In The theme for this month’s blocks is based on the rhyme, “April showers bring May flowers.” So download and print the practice chart and get to practicing so you can color an umbrella! April Practice Chart Download Here

  • March Practice Chart
    practice chart,  printables

    March Practice Chart

    My students have finished their February Happy Heart Practice Charts and we are marching into practice with this March Practice Chart. What has been helpful about these practice charts is that I actually see how much my students are practicing. No amount of creative teaching ideas can replace daily practice. I fall into the trap of not inspecting what I expect, or not communicating my expectations clearly. So, this teaching aid has helped me see what is happening outside the lesson.  Why Practice? A couple weeks back I had a student who was really frustrated because he couldn’t play his music. He kept complaining that this song was too hard…

  • education,  printables

    Practice Chart February 2023

    It’s February 2023 and if your students are like mine, they are tired of recess inside, cold weather, rainy weather, homework… With Valentine’s Day this month here is a Practice Chart for February 2023. Each day they practice they have to draw a face in the heart reflecting what their heart was like while practicing.  You can get creative for your student. Some of the ideas I do with students. Weekly Goal: If they practice ___ days each week, they get _________ Month Goal: If you practice _____ days each week for every week of February, you get ______. OR If you practice every day (5 minutes minimum on the really…

  • practice written in scrabble letters image for practice journal
    printables,  violin pedagogy

    Beginning a Practice Journal

    This semester I have had one of my students begin a practice journal. We have kept it really simple. It’s not even a journal of all of her practice. It’s just one part of her practice. I want her to start being very intentional and observant during her practice. I have found that most of my tween and teen students ca: 1. Tell me what they did incorrectly. (Identify the problem) 2. They can tell me how to fix it. BUT THEY DON’T! They don’t really need a teacher! So, why do wait until their lesson for me to tell them what they already know?  I’ve asked them why? And I…