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Helping Parents Practice: Ideas for Making It Easier

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Helping Parents Practice, Vol. 1

By Edmund Sprunger

Daily practicing with parents' assistance is an essential component of Suzuki violin lessons. It's as essential as having lessons with a certified Suzuki violin teacher. But, wait a minute... Suzuki teachers are certified, so where does that leave parents? Who teaches parents how to practice with their young violinist? After reading Dr. Suzuki's book, Nurtured by Love, I got a good sense of the method Dr. Suzuki recommended. I also get many cues from my young violinists' teacher. But what about the nitty-gritty, the daily grind, the nuts and bolts of practicing that we must do in the appropriate manner every day, so that our great Suzuki violin teachers' work is not undone by the time the next lesson rolls around?

The book, Helping Parents Practice, by Edmund Sprunger, is a great guidance resource for us brave parents who want continue Dr. Suzuki's wonderful method in our homes. Mr. Sprunger, a Suzuki teacher for over 20 years and active member of the Suzuki Association of the Americas (and also has degrees in psychotherapy from U. of Michigan), has realized that parents all over the U.S. begin to relax when find they are not alone in their struggles with practicing with their kids. Mr. Sprunger offers this terrific book as a reference book, and recommends "reading just the sections that address your immediate needs." Great news, he says, "You don't have to read the entire book for it to make sense...You're a parent. I know you're busy."

What does Mr. Sprunger address in his book? Practice basics: Keep The Focus on Making Things Easier; Talk About What's Working...And Repeat It; Shoot One Arrow At a Time; Ask-Don't Tell; Guardrails, Not Handcuffs; Don't Just Do Something, Stand There; Look For Opportunities t Play Games and Have Fun; Imagine Practicing With Your Parent...

Did he say "Imagine practicing with your parent"? That one really brought me to my kids' level!

Did he say "Play Games and Have Fun"??? I checked that section out and found it very useful. I have used several of his games, which can include a deck of playing cards or drawing with markers and paper (Every time he plays the passage correctly, the violin student gets to add a petal to the flower or a branch to the tree - my 7-year-old son loves this game!). Drawing during practice?? Yes, and it is so much fun. Fun - practice-- fun for the mom and the violinist? Yes!

Another method he recommends is the ticket method: Parent gets four tickets. During that practice time, any time the parent says something critical (in a very nice way, of course), the violinist takes a ticket. Once the four tickets are used up, the parent can only make positive comments!! This makes for a very happy practice for the violinist and is very effective as a bargaining tool when the violinist doesn't feel like practicing that day.

The book also has quotes interspersed throughout. The quotes are taken from a variety of people, including a pediatrician, a U.S. President, a Japanese garden designer, and even Fred Rogers! These quotes continue the loving, gentle and enlighteneing tone of the book.

I hope everyone who reads this review will purchase and use a copy of this book. Your violinist will love you for it, you'll love yourself for it, and your Suzuki teacher will definitely love you for it! (Mr. Sprunger will probably also love you for it!)

This book is excellent!!
I wish I had it with my first little Suzuki student instead of the fourth.
This book helps you get through the daily struggles and gets you to a new place of joy. He seems to know that somedays your child is laying on the floor (you know what I am talking about) and helps you get them back up.
Every page has hints, tricks and insight into your ultimate goals of daily practice. Trust me buy this book. It is worth every penny.

Let's be frank: supervising your kids violin practice can be stressful! This book has LOTS of helpful suggestions for making practice more fun, relaxing, and productive. I also find lots of Sprunger's advice to be helpful for parenting in general. Focus on what the child is dong right, rather than what is wrong. Pare down your comments. Let your child have some control. Written by a wise and gentle spirit.

I needed a little help in making practices more fun for me and my child. We'd tried all the tricks I knew and it was still a struggle. This book was a fantastic guide to helping make practice enjoyable for both of us. Great ideas!