Three Ways You Can Support Your Child While They Take Online Flute Lessons
Online music lessons are a relatively new way to learn an instrument, but extremely useful and effective for many students! Especially for those without access to quality teachers locally, it can be a game changer for taking your child’s musical abilities to the next level.
That said, there are some unique challenges that come with online music instruction, so I want to tell you about a few ways you can help your child overcome those challenges and thrive in an online learning environment.
Create a Supportive Space
First and foremost, it’s important that the student feels supported during (and between) their lessons. With that, they must have a quiet space to be able to have their lessons, but also a quiet, clutter-free practice space as well. Many parents try to be nearby in case students run into any technical difficulties, but it can be helpful to teach your child how to use programs such as Zoom in case they run into trouble.
Having a quiet, distraction-free area to take lessons in is important. This means that they shouldn’t be in the kitchen or living room where all the action is happening. The TV should be off and they should be able to focus on the task at hand. Sure, online lessons don’t have to be quiet save for playing - we do lots of fun and vibrant activities in the virtual space, but they must be able to focus.
Outside of the lesson, they need a dedicated space to practice in. That could be their bedroom or another quiet room in the house. While I don’t recommend mandating practice time, I do think it’s important to provide a space and make time for them to practice, as well as gently encouraging them to do so. We don’t want music to become a chore or an obligation - we want it to be a good outlet for many years to come. So, creating a quiet space and ensuring your kiddo has some downtime during the week or weekend can help ensure they’ll get lots out of their lesson time!
The environment can make or break a musician. If they’re frustrated because they’re constantly being interrupted (even by you! ahem ahem), then they’re likely to associate those feelings of anxiety and frustration with their flute playing, and we don’t want that! So, even if they haven’t finished their chores, if they’re in that downtime and space, try not to interrupt them. Positivity is key here!
Encourage Regular Practice
Here’s the thing - encouraging and mandating are two very different things. Requiring your student to sit down and practice every day from 4-5 is going to create resentment and burnout. Accept that some days may not be practice days, but encourage them to practice during those times you have carved out for them. Saying things like “hey, I haven’t heard you play that pretty piece yet today” or “wow, I love hearing you play while I’m making dinner” can be the motivators necessary to create a habit. Even just asking how it’s going can be the nudge they need to go practice.
Try to avoid phrases like “go practice” or insinuating that they’re wasting your money in lessons if they haven’t practiced. Again, that’s going to associate negativity with practice and lead them to not want to do it.
Communicate with the Instructor
It’s so important to have open communication with your child’s flute teacher. You need to know when there’s a problem. Some teachers do regular check-ins with parents, but others simply don’t have the bandwidth, so it’s important to proactively reach out!
Actively engage with the instructor to help track progress and find new opportunities to help support your student - like extracurricular activities in your area, masterclasses, competitions, etc. It’s also helpful to preemptively purchase music for them including methods books, repertoire books, and more. This will help you keep your finger on the pulse of potential burnout, things to celebrate, and more.
You can effectively communicate with your students’ teacher however they prefer, but a simple “How are things?” goes a long way! Most online teachers do allow sit-ins (I do!), but others don’t prefer that and would prefer to chat at other times. Be careful about chatting between lessons as they may not have much time to reset between students. If you want to do a face-to-face check-in, I would recommend setting up a virtual coffee date.
Bonus: Show up with Enthusiasm
When you pick your kiddo up from their lesson, ask how it went! Ask what they learned, what they achieved, and how they’re feeling about their journey. Asking questions goes a long way and helps build their enthusiasm. Kids look up to their parents for approval, so if you’re excited about it, they likely will follow suit!
Finally, the little things can go a long way. Did they just play their first band concert? Bring flowers and/or go out to dinner afterward. Make it a big deal! Did they earn first chair in their band or win a seat in All-State or another competition? Reward them with something meaningful like an experience or a trinket to signify what they have achieved! It’s a big deal, so don’t let them forget it! Hard work deserves to be rewarded, and even if the “prize” was the chair placement or the medal, a reward from YOU can go a long way. Also, don’t hesitate to let their teacher know about it too! Some students don’t want to brag about things like that, but they’re still amazing and deserve praise from their teacher, too.
To Recap…
Create a supportive space for your student - one that’s quiet and conducive to learning.
Encourage regular practice by keeping a space open or using encouraging language like “I love hearing you play while I do X.” Be careful with demanding practice or setting a schedule for them. This can lead to burnout.
Communicate with the instructor via email or by setting up a periodic virtual coffee date.
Show up with enthusiasm and celebrate their wins!
