This month, we want to focus on another of the “Four R’s of Routine” — reach. Reaching for goals is an important part of any discipline, whether you’re a musician or a football player. But unlike football, music doesn’t come with yard lines and end zones. That’s why it’s important to help aspiring performers set SMART goals. A popular acronym in the world of business, SMART stands for specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound. These five SMART elements are the key to making activities like rehearsing more productive. Here’s how to put them into practice. SPECIFIC A student may want to get better at guitar, but what does that look like? There are so many different elements that go into guitar playing that focusing on improving them all at once would be impossible. By identifying a specific area a student wants to improve — say, their chord progressions or their rhythm — you instantly give your student something tangible to focus on. That’s why our teachers end every lesson by asking, “So, what do you want to work on next?” MEASURABLE Even when a student knows what they specifically want to improve in a practice session, they need to have a way to track their progress. Thankfully, music is no stranger to measures. After a student tells us what they’d like to work on, we help them set a benchmark for what success looks like. Maybe that’s getting up to 80 beats per minute or playing a piece without mistakes. ATTAINABLE AND REALISTIC In setting these specific, measurable goals, students need to be careful not to overreach. A new pianist trying to master Chopin will be just as frustrated and directionless as a student practicing with no clear goals at all. That’s why it’s important to work with a music teacher who understands your student’s abilities and can set goals that will challenge and engage them. TIME-BOUND A goal can be specific, measurable, attainable, and realistic, but without a deadline, it still may never come to fruition. Setting firm but realistic timelines for meeting goals is important because it ensures practice time will be used effectively. Taken together, this SMART approach has worked wonders for keeping our students engaged. We always encourage parents to sit in on lessons, talk to their children about their practice, and journal how they are keeping up with their goals. WANT TO KEEP MUSIC PRACTICE ENGAGING? GET SMART!
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SEPTEMBER
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IS YOUR TEACHER If you’ve tried to make a schedule change recently, you’ve seen firsthand how full our teachers’ schedules are. If you are looking to make an upcoming schedule change, please read below to see if your teacher is sold out. Note: Teacher availability is subject to change based on enrollment. Please contact the front desk at (763) 432-9713 for up-to-date schedule information. SOLD OUT?
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