Inspiration and motivation for all music pupils,
and all instruments
I Love
Music Practice
Now I Love Music Practice
Ron Ottley
8 ins x 5 ins approx
192 mm x 127 mm
94 pages
SBN 978-
There is plenty of good advice and practise tips available on how to do music practice.
This book barely touches on how to practise. It focuses on why practise. For many children this is the first question that needs to be answered.
Ron Ottley is a piano teacher in Dunedin New Zealand. more
Seven of every eight who sit the ABRSM grade one piano exam give up before they get to grade seven.
All teachers and music schools experience a similar loss and the main cause is a dislike of practising.
‘practice’ or ‘practise’
In the USA and elsewhere practice is always spelt practice.
In the UK, New Zealand and elsewhere practice is a noun and practise is a verb.
In the USA and elsewhere you usually find students.
In New Zealand and elsewhere you usually find pupils.
As someone said these are more examples of different countries being separated by a common language.
Is it possible to persuade a music student to practise by bribing them?
Motivating music students to persevere with learning and practising has been a challenge for parents and teachers for centuries, but it is probably a bigger problem now than it has ever been. There are so many activities competing for a child’s attention, and so many demands on their time.
But we music teachers and parents who know the huge rewards for those who persist with their music education, do all we can to encourage our students. We know that one day the student will be very pleased that they did keep at it. Making music can bring great satisfaction, pleasure and enrichment for a whole lifetime.
These are some common strategies we use to persuade our students to practise:
- We praise and encourage them.
- We threaten them.
- We bribe them.
- We blackmail them. (Sometimes we get desperate)
- We coax them and try to jolly them along.
- We make deals.
- We offer rewards.
- We try to make it fun.
- We try convincing arguments.
Although these methods can help, there are two problems with this kind of approach.
Firstly, these methods usually don’t work for long, especially with a reluctant music pupil, and sometimes we have to keep increasing the incentive to keep it working. A child will go through the motions to earn a reward, but if their heart is not in it they will soon give up.
Secondly, these methods require constant effort and time from the parent or teacher. It can reach the point where the student relies on the parent to see that some practice is done, and sometimes it just result in conflict, stress and unhappiness.
Profile of an ideal student.
We would all like our students to be self motivated and practise because they want to. We would like them to take responsibility for themselves. We would like them to understand and appreciate how essential practising is. We would like them to be more aware of the big picture. We would like them to be satisfied with intrinsic rewards without the need for stickers or gimmicks.
In short, we would like our students to have a good positive attitude to practising and to their music education.
This is the ultimate solution for an unmotivated or reluctant student. If we can instil and foster a good positive attitude in our students the problem is overcome. Students with a good positive attitude will not only succeed, they will enjoy the process.
As Sondra Anice Barnes said,
“It’s so hard when I have to, and so easy when I want to”
So, how do we go about developing a good positive attitude in our music students?
How do we go about changing a students attitude if that is what is required?
We should first of all acknowledge that it probably won’t be easy, but we should also acknowledge that it is certainly possible. Many factors, some quite subtle, can influence our student. A seemingly small event can trigger a large change in attitude, and even a small change in attitude can trigger a large change in behavior.
If we understand that it is the student’s attitude that we are focusing on that will affect how we relate to them and how we treat them. It will be apparent, for instance, that nagging them to practice will not help.
One of the most valuable tools available to help develop a good attitude is Now I Love Music Practice. It was written with precisely that goal as its aim.
Now I Love Music Practice focuses on . . .
. . . UNDERSTANDING
The book uses stories and analogies to clearly explain to children how they learn to play a musical instrument. Understanding is a key ingredient that is necessary before children will accept and embrace learning and practising.
. . . LOGICAL APPEAL
The book presents persuasive and compelling reasons to persevere that children will relate to.
. . . EMOTIONAL APPEAL
The book includes a strong emotional component. It appeals to the head and the heart. Emotions are often the trigger for change and an emotional connection to music (or anything else) can create a loyalty and a commitment to it.
. . . SELF RESPONSIBILITY
Now I Love Music Practice promotes self responsibility and intrinsic motivation. It is designed to be read by the student, although it is also a great music teacher resource.
This best selling book has been warmly and enthusiastically received by music teachers, parents and students. It costs just $14.95USD with free worldwide shipping.
Although written for children of late-
The tone of the writing is consistently upbeat and encouraging, emphasising the great benefits and satisfaction that learning music can bring throughout a lifetime.
This is an excellent book which achieves its aims by neither talking down to nor
over the heads of its intended audience. Its practical common-
A review from
STRETTO.
the magazine of Australian and New Zealand Cultural Arts (ANZCA)
“Filled with common sense”
“Ron Ottley writes in simple persuasive language which cannot fail to convince everyone to go and ENJOY their practice”
“A delightful approach to the old problem
”A review from
PIANO PROFESSIONAL
the European Piano Teachers Association magazine
A review by Nadia Lasserson BMus, GRSM, ARCM, ARAM“
Clearly presented and easy to read for the specific age group of 10+ this delightful
little volume should be in every music teachers library to show and recommend to
their students, -
A review from
THE STUDIO
the journal of the Music Teachers' Association of New South Wales, Australia.
A review by Dr Rita Crews
Clearly presented and easy to read for the specific age group of 10+ this delightful
little volume should be in every music teachers library to show and recommend to
their students, -
Clearly presented and easy to read for the specific age group of 10+ this delightful
little volume should be in every music teachers library to show and recommend to
their students, -
From the
International Music Teachers Group newsletter.
A review by Jeanie Willis B.Mus, Dip.Tch
I'm so impressed with this book! It seems quite revolutionary. It is written for students to read and is aimed at making them responsible for their own practice and ultimate success. This seemed a fantastic idea, but I wondered if it was aiming at an ideal that in reality would be impossible.
As I began to read my scepticism dissipated. It was very easy to read, has a very positive approach and yet a wonderfully refreshing straight talking honesty that I think students would respect and relate to really well.
It really gets at the psychology behind why students don't want to practice. The book uses a number of Aesop's fables to help illustrate and explain different points of learning an instrument and practicing. It has an incredible amount of information packed into it.
I think I have several students who will benefit from it.
Clearly presented and easy to read for the specific age group of 10+ this delightful
little volume should be in every music teachers library to show and recommend to
their students, -
A review from
RITMICO.
the Institute of Registered Music Teachers of New Zealand magazine.
A review by Elizabeth Noffke LTCL, LRSM, Lmustcl, FIRMT
A surprise awaits the music pupil when they begin reading Now I Love Music Practice. I found the book easy to read and interesting. It is designed to encourage, support, and inspire all music pupils.
It should encourage pupils to take responsibility for themselves and for their own progress.
Ron Ottley has put a great deal of thought into writing the book. It has delightful short stories and fables for young people to enjoy. Teachers and parents will also enjoy reading it.
Clearly presented and easy to read for the specific age group of 10+ this delightful
little volume should be in every music teachers library to show and recommend to
their students, -
A review from
AMERICAN MUSIC TEACHER The Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) magazine
A review by Dr. Steve Allen, Professor of Piano, Brigham Young University-
I received my copy of Now I Love Music Practice yesterday and I absolutely love it!
My masters degree is in music therapy, so I clearly understand the non-
I am also very interested in using stories to reach the subconscious part of our brain that is involved in learning. I plan to share some of these stories with my students and parents at our upcoming recital.
I also like the fact that the authors ideas and teachings don't involve "gimmicks,
games, and extrinsic rewards". Like him, I subscribe to the belief in self-
Barb Steenrod Piano Teacher
"Now I Love Music Practice by Ron Ottley is a great read, all children should have
a copy -
Peggy Melville Piano Teacher
I like this book! I like its construction, its material, its illustrations and oh, its language.
George Middleton Pianist
This book is an inspiration to me, not only in my teaching but in my personal life. Thank you.
Dorothy Chamberlain Piano Teacher
Now I Love Music Practice is published by Eileen Margaret Publishing
48 Every Street, Dunedin, New Zealand 9013.
contact eileenmargaret@xtra.co.nz phone +64 3 4545103
(Ron Ottley can be contacted at ron.ottley@xtra.co.nz)
Some reviews and testimonials
Ron Ottley has put all his many years of experience teaching music into a motivational book for music students and it is also suitable for teachers.
Peppered throughout the pages of the book are wonderful quotes, which help to reinforce the message. The chapter on ‘Desire, Understanding, Knowledge’ is particularly helpful and explains the process of successful music making and practice in a clear, easy to grasp manner.
I do feel that many of our students (even the motivated ones!) would find this book an interesting read and at the very least provide them with a fresh understanding of why they should take practice seriously!
A review from
THE MUSIC STAND
May/June 2010, the journal of the Music Teachers' Association of South Australia
Review by Daniel Pereira