Good Practices for In Home Music Lessons

In-home music lessons can be a wonderful thing for families. You are in the comfort of own home in a familiar surrounding, and able to use all your own instruments and equipment for the lesson.  It is convenient to not have to deal with traffic and parking or finding childcare.  In-home music lessons are perfect for families with a very busy schedule and/or young children in the household and also tend to create a closer bond between the teacher, parent and student.  Your home is naturally nurturing, and the teacher starts to feel like a family member after a while.  Also, lessons in the home can inspire siblings, friends or even parents to decide to sign up for music lessons.  However, with an in-home lesson, the environment must be chosen and set up carefully, and it is easy to fall into bad habits due to the relaxed nature of being in your own home.  Below are a few tips and practices for parents of in-home students to help create a focused and productive learning environment.

• Find a place and time for the lesson where there will be no distractions. Although it may be helpful for parents to sit in on part of the lesson for younger students, it can be distracting to have parents and siblings present for the lesson or be in a space where others can be seen or heard nearby. The student’s comfort level is the highest priority and he or she should not feel on display during the lesson.  Find a room with privacy and without distracting background noise.

• If possible, create a special area that is designated the music room. All of the music equipment, books and notebooks can be kept in this room and this is where the student will have lessons and as well as practice time. This room should be kept clean and orderly.

• The temperature should be comfortable – if it is too hot or too cold in the room, this will impact both the physical ability of the student to play and the student’s ability to concentrate.  It may also have an effect on the sound of the instrument itself.

• If a student is hungry, he or she will have more difficulty focusing on the lesson, so make sure that the student has eaten or had a snack before the lesson.

• Certain types of refreshments may assist in the ease of playing for specific instruments. For a voice student, a cup of lemon or mint tea or a glass of water is helpful, and for brass or woodwinds students it may be a good idea to have lollipops or hard candy available. Due to the physical demands of drumming, a drum student should have a glass of water, Gatorade or other thirst-quenching beverage available.

• Make the teacher feel comfortable in your home with a warm greeting and offer of a drink or place to sit.

• Be ready for the lesson. Since you are in your own home, you may be more relaxed about being on time and prepared for the lesson than if you are going to a music school for the lesson. Respect the teacher’s time by making sure you are home, have all your books and equipment together, have eaten and prepared the space for the lesson before the arrival of the teacher.

• A parent should be home for the lesson if possible. The teacher will often have updates for you about what the student is working on, or questions about what to work on for the future. If a babysitter or other adult is home with the child instead of you, have them take notes so you have an idea of what the student is working on and can assist with it during practice time.  Also, keep in mind that the teacher, although most likely responsible and good with children, was not hired as a babysitter so may be uncomfortable if left alone with the student.

• Most importantly, have fun and enjoy this very special relationship.