I can't believe that I haven't done this sooner, but in my string classes I have sent home three homework assignments this year - two for the beginners, one for the second-year players. Of course, we all expect our students to practice, and some of them do. Actually, many of them do. But what exactly do they practice? I do my best to point out ways to practice during class. But unlike my private students, I do not write in a notebook for them to refer to, nor do I write in their music any helpful hints (like starring the trickier bits for "bead practicing."
So, three weeks ago, I handed out a page that said something like this:
___ 1. Play this orchestra piece three times in a row with no mistakes
___ 2. Play this orchestra piece for a parent or guardian. Parent initial ____
Today I gave a quiz to the students, and not only did most of them turn in their homework, most of them showed a remarkable improvement from the first time they played for me independently. The only student who could play nothing did not turn in her homework. ...
I asked them if this homework was helpful, and this is what they said.
"Yes! Now I am practicing every day." "Yes, I am getting better." Then I asked them if they enjoyed playing more than before, and they all were emphatically enthusiastic about it (except for my one student...)
You can be sure that I will be fine-tuning this new procedure for future success.
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