Practice Toolbox – Adventures in Suzuki Parenting

Build Your Practice Toolbox

January 31, 2019January 31, 2019 by Jodie St. Clair

Do you ever feel scattered during practice? Does not having the right materials waste practice time? Today we are going to organize your practice environment and go over what tools you need at your fingertips. No matter what age of your child, it’s important to have a practice toolbox. When they are young, you are modeling how to keep your important tools in place. When they are older, you’ll just be helping them create and maintain their toolbox. What do I mean by toolbox? I’m simply talking about a basket or box where you keep any of the things that …

What is a Review Chain?…and why it works!

October 25, 2018October 25, 2018 by Jodie St. Clair

Need a fun way to boost your review? Do your review pieces need a little more focus? A review chain is a low prep way to help give your practice a little help. Watch the video below to see how it works and why. (Make sure to subscribe to get notifications about future videos!) We are going to make a review chain. This is so simple and easy to do, but the key is know why this simple trick is so successful! Strips of Paper First we need to cut strips of paper. No need to make this fancy, just …

Goal Setting

October 4, 2018 by Jodie St. Clair

Setting goals can really make it so we are thinking about the future and what we want to accomplish with our playing. Having direction in what we learn often gives us enjoyment in our accomplishments. Successful goals breeds more success! Join me in a discussion about how to set goals and tools to make them successful.

Mosaic Progress Trackers

October 4, 2018October 1, 2018 by Jodie St. Clair

A few days ago, I posted a picture to our Facebook page of the sticker mosaic we are using for counting practice days. Students get one sticker per practice day, and so far it seems to be a fun motivator. As they put the stickers up, a picture will start to reveal. Posting the picture prompted me to actually count how many squares there are. It’s 74 x 54. That’s 3,996 squares guys! So, I’ve changed my plan some since actually counting. Students will get one sticker for the first 4 days of practice. They’ll get 2 stickers for days …

Rewards…Do They Work?

December 11, 2018July 26, 2018 by Jodie St. Clair

There is a lot of confusing information out there about practice rewards and how to use them with our children. Some say don’t use them. Some give suggestions. I’m going to give you the honest truth about what rewards I’ve used, what worked, and what didn’t work with my students in lesson and my own children in home practice. Watch the video to find out about Kickstart Rewards, Big Goals and Visual Representation. Want some ideas on what rewards to use? Subscribe for a free list of possibilities! Subscribe to our mailing list * indicates required Email Address * First …

Practice Buddies: Practice Corner

August 9, 2018July 5, 2018 by Jodie St. Clair

I love practice buddies! They are a fun way to focus on specific things and create a neutral voice in your practice. What do I mean by neutral voice? That is when something else is giving instruction or telling your child what step to take next. I know, I know, you as the parent are the one controlling the practice buddy, but that’s not how it seems to the child. To them a fun buddy is the one giving the tip. Not only that, but often using a practice buddy helps you as a parent stay focused on only one …