Take a “Play-cation” with CYM!

Take a “Play-cation” with CYM!

Summer seems like a good time for a break, doesn’t it? Take a break from the routine, but not your instrument, with a CYM Summer Practice Tip! It’s a “play-cation” for you and your child. No car trip (or luggage) required.

Tip #1, Review Bag, from CYM Teacher Tanya Satteson. This exercise can be adapted for any instrument.

1.       Write each of your child’s review pieces on an index card and put them in a plastic baggie labeled "The pieces I know".

2.       On another set of cards, list various goals and place them in a "Focus Points" or "Goals" baggie. Postural, or tone goals usually work best (like correct left hand posture, correct bowhold, squared fingers, relaxed right shoulder, good body alignment, bow in lane 3, straight bow, steady tempo, correct bowing etc.)  Think of goals that you have worked on throughout the school year with your teacher.

3.       Set the timer to 10 or 15 minutes (or an appropriate review length for your child) and pick one piece card, and one goal card. Work on the piece and goal until some degree of mastery has been gained (an example might be playing the entire piece once while trying to achieve the goal, and then just the first line 5 times correctly while maintaining the goal perfectly).

If you only cover one piece before the timer goes off, that's fine. Just keep choosing pieces/goals and working on those goals until you're out of time. I like this game because it makes the assignment more emotionally neutral -- the assignment is chosen randomly. Also, it focuses review work and gives you just one practice point to work on for each piece.

Of course, be very careful to allow your child to focus completely on the goal he/she is working on, and restrain yourself from picking out other issues outside of the current focus point. Focusing on one goal at a time is more productive, and is infinitely less stressful for both you and your child during your practice sessions!

Thank you, Ms. Tanya!