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Belief in the Student is Essential

Playing a musical instrument is not something inherently fun.  A student may be interested at first because everything is new.  This newness eventually wears off and the real work must begin.

It is absolutely crucial to understand that frustration or a lack of interest in practicing is NOT the same thing as a lack of interest in the instrument itself.  This is also where belief in the student and not belief in the student's interest becomes essential.

Do you think your child can play an instrument?

Do you think your child can learn to talk?  Or use a pencil?  Or learn algebra?  All of these skills are not something a human being is born doing naturally.  They are learned skills.

Playing an instrument is a learned skill.  It is also a skill that takes years to learn.  If you have an unfailing belief that given enough time your child will learn to play just as they learned to speak or use a pencil then they will learn.  As soon as the parent starts to lose that belief, the student begins to fail.

So believe in your child.  There's no timetable for music.  Who cares if it takes your child a year to learn Twinkle?  When you watch an orchestra play do you know exactly how long it took every member to learn their early pieces?  No.  What's important is that they play beautifully.

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