Helping Parents Practice: Ideas for Making It Easier, Volume 1

by Edmund Sprunger

Ideas for Making it Easier. Written in small, easily managed sections for the busy parent. The aim is to support and inform parents who want to maximize their usefulness and minimize their interference--but are sometimes unsure how to achieve these goals during practice. 270 pages.

Genres: Music, Parenting, Education, Nonfiction

272 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Veva Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great insights!!

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book for teachers and parents. Many ideas and insights on how to help your child learn the violin. Can be applied to any instrument.

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helpful, and designed to be read in little bits here and there.

[Kelsey Yates · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally finished the book. The first half is an excellent read for anyone trying to accomplish tasks with their child. The second half is about musicianship and rhythm. He has some nice quotes and references.
"Twenty years ago we discovered that computers can do things that seem very much like thinking, and we argued about whether they would ever become machines that would be as smart as we are. We now seem to be convinced that we, and possible our children, could never be as smart as computers are. We have compensated for this anxiety by turning our schools into institutions whose job is to download data into young, empty brains. It is a fatal mistake, because children are not computers." neurologist Frank R. Wilson.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a good guide for parents who don't understand their children, but are interested. The parents Sprunger is trying to help are out of control. You don't hit your children over the head with a bow and break it and end up inspiring a life-long love of music. If the parents feel that strongly about the music, then they should play the instrument. My kids both did Suzuki violin and one did Suzuki piano. My kids love music, but we switched to a different instructor when the teacher at school changed and I think they are actually learning better now. I have no objection to the book, but the case studies were out of proportion to rational parenting.

[Karen Koch · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an experienced parent and professional piano teacher I often get questions from families who want to encourage and develop their young children's musical abilities. This book offers specific suggestions which arise out of the author's extensive music teaching experience and psychotherapist training. He exudes a loving and encouraging philosophy, and offers entertaining and practical approaches to help families avoid practice stress and maintain harmony. An appendix of games to play is the icing on a very rich cake of a book.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not a book to read from cover to cover in a short period of time. I read it over nearly a year, reading a section or two several times a week. It's full of suggestions for parents working with their children practicing instruments. I think many of them could apply to teaching children any skill. I will continue to turn to it in the future as I struggle with the ways I can best help my children develop.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must-read for anyone with children taking instrument lessons. There are tons of helpful hints both for the practical matters of helping children properly practice rhythms, pitches, etc, but also for getting through practices without tears, yelling and other unpleasantness.

There's a lot of information so I found it easiest to read a bit at a time so I could implement different ideas slowly.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't think I'd ever appreciate this book as much as I have. I find myself flipping through the chapters again and again for help with new practicing (or parenting) issues. A bit redundant, but overall I'd recommend Edmund Sprunger to any parent.

[Amy]

not just a great book of inspiration and ideas for a parent with a kid in suzuki music - helps to set ideals that you can always strive for.
processprocessprocess . . .

[Lauri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have only read parts of this book for a Suzuki parenting class. I have liked what he has to say.

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic!!

[Raji]

Mandatory reading for our Suzuki program.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book, not just to help me help my children practice the piano, but also as a parenting book. I ended up buying it (it can't be found in libraries).

[Kierstin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent help for Suzuki parents helping children practice. Broken up like an encyclopedia. You can read straight through or find help by category. I ighly recommend.