I started out taking notes in the lesson assignments notebook of what we practiced each day, so I knew what we haven't done enough of, and I can also see a clear pattern of what my child wants to practice more of. After a few lessons, I was losing track of the early assignments from the first couple weeks of lessons, esp without flipping back in the notebook a bunch. I decided to make practice cards. They are like little index cards cut in half. I split them up into exercises with the guitar, and finger exercises we can do anytime anywhere. Rather than sitting my kid down at a set time each day to go through all the things, I now keep the "with guitar" cards in the guitar case, and go through them when we take the guitar out and have designated practice time, and I keep the finger exercises cards that can be done anytime/anywhere in my wallet that lives in my pocket that I can pull out and do with her anytime we are out somewhere waiting for a minute or two (in line at grocery store, sitting and waiting for story time to begin at the library, etc). Even on days we don't actually take the guitar out (if it was a busy day and we just weren't home much), we still got some practicing in. And the next day we just make sure to go through all the guitar practice cards, cuz she's already worked on the fingers and hands skills the day before.
We also have 1 card that is "with a group" so she can practice her group class stuff too. We reserve that for play date days when enough friends come over that we can do the group activities with. We might just get enough of her friends interested in learning Suzuki guitar that there will be a Pre-Twinkle group formed. Right now she's in the regular Suzuki group class with the Book 1 students. Or maybe her friends will want to learn Suzuki violin from me. Either way, getting more kids interested in music and wanting to learn how to play is great, cuz we'll build a community of little music lovers who can encourage each other as they grow.
We also have 1 card that is "with a group" so she can practice her group class stuff too. We reserve that for play date days when enough friends come over that we can do the group activities with. We might just get enough of her friends interested in learning Suzuki guitar that there will be a Pre-Twinkle group formed. Right now she's in the regular Suzuki group class with the Book 1 students. Or maybe her friends will want to learn Suzuki violin from me. Either way, getting more kids interested in music and wanting to learn how to play is great, cuz we'll build a community of little music lovers who can encourage each other as they grow.
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