Repetition

What is your response to the word repetition?  Many Americans have a disdain for the action of repeating something.  Whether it be memorizing for a test, flossing teeth everyday, or practicing a phrase in a piece of music, we tend to equate repetition with boredom.  Not all cultures view repetition this way and that is apparent when we compare our children's test scores in this country to test scores in other countries. 

What if we use some psychology when we help our children learn the repetition of tasks and studying?  Shinichi Suzuki, the great Japanese teacher, observed that small children love to repeat words; that they love to learn their "mother tongue".  No matter what country or culture, children love to learn and repeat over and over, the sounds of their language.  And what do the parents of these children do?  They delight, they exclaim, they encourage, they affirm these children as they are learning.  It really is as simple as that.

Benefits Of  Repetition In Music

*It leads to a gateway of understanding a piece of music.  Once the student gets beyond the technical aspects and hurdles, they are free to interpret and creatively soar

*The act of practicing repetition of fingerings, measures, phrases easily translates to other forms of repetition--whether studying for a test or learning a different language

*Because the brain and the body are engaged, the student's right brain is communicating with the left brain

 

 Tips For Practicing and Enjoying Repetition

*Walking around the house while repeating a phrase or song on your instrument.  Bathrooms are a really fun place to play because of acoustics

* Set a number goal of repetitions before you begin practicing--this is much like counting the number of jumps while jump roping.  Then, when accomplishing the number goal, yell, "yay for me!"
* Use an abacus to move a stone over the wire everytime a repetition is made.  It's pleasing to touch the stone and hear it move
 

 Please remember as your children learn to play their instrument, learn to read music, learn to count music, you must always encourage them, in a specific and honest way.



Storytelling With Instruments

 

Listening and Interacting



Here's a fun idea for kids of all ages.  Tell a story in a musical way by using maracas, triangles, cowbells, rainsticks, etc.  You or someone else may write an original story or maybe you will just want to use a story from a well loved book. (i.e. The Ugly Duckling,  The Three Little Pigs)  Depending on the age of the children, you alone may want to use the instruments while you are reading the story; or, if the kids are able to listen, wait, and then play the instruments when cued, they may play the instruments, as well.

Some of the original stories I've written involved rattlesnakes (maracas), ponies galloping (tone blocks), and rain (rainsticks).  Kids also enjoy the interaction of helping tell the story by laughing on cue, calling for a lost child in the story, and cheering on the hero.

Have fun, stay on the beat, and keep it musical!