Getting the best out of every lesson happens with a student that is in the zone and eager to learn. This student will rise to the challenges during the lesson and overcome things that seem difficult at first.
You can help stay motivated by going over what you did during the lesson or what you've been asked to in preparation for the next lesson. It doesn't take long at all - as little as 2 minutes per day is all it takes to impress your teacher. (yes, that's me!)
If you don't like enjoy any part of the lesson it's a good idea to try and understand why. We all learn faster when we are studying material that we like, rather than what we are told to like. I have plenty of educational music at all levels in all styles, so if you want to play different songs, be sure to let me know.
Since I only do home visit for school children, this is a message for parents: making sure your child is prepared for the lesson - sitting down with music stand, music books/sheets and footstool - will help them prepare mentally and help them get the very most from every lesson.
Children who aren't prepared for lessons invariably progress much more slowly.
The best way to prepare your budding superstar is to give them the responsibility of setting up their lesson area 10 or 20 minutes before lesson time. Then encourage a few minutes of practise with the material from the previous lesson, by asking questions about it. By the time I get there, they should be in the zone and ready to go.
Not all children have learned how to tune their guitars fully, but it's a good idea to encourage them to have a go at it before the lesson starts. It doesn't matter if they go wildly out of tune trying, because children will invariably pay more attention to the tuning process if they have been trying to do it themselves. I will have to tune the guitars anyway when I get there.
I keep a Student Lesson Notes document for every student. These notes help me to keep a track of how the lessons are progressing, as well as share ideas and information with students and parents of the school children I teach.
This is the information that I maintain in each document:
Students that practise between lessons will get a lot more out of the next lesson because the teacher can move on to new material rather than go over the previous lesson to consolidate it. If anything doesn't make sense or you are finding it too difficult, make sure to write that down and let me know. Remember, if it isn't difficult, you are not learning - but if it's too diffucult you won't be able to do it yet anyway.
Children who begin learning to play guitar will make much faster progress in guitar lessons if they are already familiar with some of the language of music. For example, children who have been born with musical parents begin to learn this language from birth, simply by seeing and hearing musical instruments being played at close range. Even the somewhat awkward mechanics of playing the guitar can become intuitive through watching a guitar being played at close range.
The world-renowned Suzuki Method is widely used by parents and teachers to educate very young children in the language of music.
Children who become familiar with nursery rhymes during the first year or two of life, find it much easier to learn to play this music on instruments years later.
One very effective thing that every parent can do to get more from their child's expensive music lessons is play, clap along to, or sing music around the house more often. Specifically, songs that the child may be learning during guitar lessons. Hear a song, sing it with your child and have fun with it - they won't forget it.
if you would like to chat to me about this subject or any other related topic, please feel free to contact me.