As a vocal coach, you want your students to improve their singing skills and achieve their musical goals. But how can you motivate them to practice regularly and consistently, especially when they face challenges or distractions? In this article, you will learn some tips and strategies to help you develop a student's work ethic and commitment to singing practice.
One of the first steps to develop a student's work ethic is to help them set realistic and specific goals for their singing practice. For example, instead of saying "I want to sing better", you can help them define what "better" means in terms of vocal range, tone, pitch, expression, or technique. Then, you can break down the goal into smaller and measurable steps, such as "I want to sing this song with correct intonation and dynamics by the end of the month". By setting realistic and specific goals, you can help your students focus on their progress and achievements, rather than on their weaknesses or frustrations.
Foster a strong work ethic in students by setting clear goals, creating a consistent practice schedule, and emphasizing the importance of discipline. Encourage commitment by highlighting the connection between regular practice and skill improvement. Provide positive reinforcement, constructive feedback, and celebrate small achievements to motivate ongoing effort. Cultivate a supportive environment, fostering a sense of responsibility towards personal growth, ultimately nurturing a dedicated and committed approach to singing practice.
Some of the ways to get started on this are: - setting aside a time each day (or whenever practice day is) to focus on these broken down steps - realise that all practice is practice! Even if today isn't sounding the best, at least you practiced and therefore will have made changes - understand that you can practice singing anywhere. Don't let a change of routine get in the way, practice in the new place - the kitchen, bathroom etc. We always recommend voice warm ups in the shower
Another way to develop a student's work ethic is to create a practice plan and schedule that suits their needs and preferences. A practice plan should include the following elements: a warm-up, a main activity, a feedback, and a cool-down. A warm-up should prepare the vocal cords and the body for singing, such as breathing exercises, vocal exercises, or scales. A main activity should focus on the skill or the song that the student wants to improve, such as singing along with a backing track, recording themselves, or performing for someone. A feedback should provide constructive and positive comments on the student's performance, such as what they did well, what they can improve, or what they can try next time. A cool-down should relax the vocal cords and the body after singing, such as humming, yawning, or drinking water. A practice schedule should specify the frequency, duration, and time of the practice sessions, such as three times a week, 30 minutes each, in the morning or in the evening. By creating a practice plan and schedule, you can help your students develop a routine and a habit of singing practice.
A third way to develop a student's work ethic is to use positive reinforcement and incentives to reward their efforts and achievements. Positive reinforcement can be verbal or non-verbal, such as praise, encouragement, feedback, applause, or stickers. Incentives can be tangible or intangible, such as certificates, badges, trophies, or privileges. For example, you can reward your student with a certificate of completion after they achieve their goal, or you can grant them access to a special song or a video lesson after they complete a certain number of practice sessions. By using positive reinforcement and incentives, you can help your students feel valued and motivated to continue their singing practice.
We ask our young people to send in their voice recordings to us. This way, they can record their voice without pressure and know that they are sounding their absolute best. We can then give feedback based on that relaxed recording/rendition of the song. We focus on allowing them to hear their own improvements rather than certificates but they can be given if this is best for the student.
A fourth way to develop a student's work ethic is to monitor and adjust the practice according to their needs and progress. Monitoring can involve observing, recording, or assessing the student's performance, such as listening, watching, or using a tool like a tuner or a metronome. Adjusting can involve modifying, adding, or removing elements of the practice, such as changing the tempo, the key, the difficulty, or the feedback. For example, you can monitor your student's pitch accuracy by using a tuner, and then adjust the practice by increasing or decreasing the pitch intervals or the range of the vocal exercises. By monitoring and adjusting the practice, you can help your students overcome challenges and avoid boredom or frustration.
A fifth way to develop a student's work ethic is to foster a supportive and fun environment for their singing practice. A supportive environment can include yourself, other students, family members, friends, or online communities, who can offer guidance, encouragement, or inspiration. A fun environment can include games, challenges, or surprises, that can make the practice more enjoyable and engaging. For example, you can foster a supportive environment by creating a group chat or a forum where your students can share their progress, ask questions, or give feedback to each other. You can foster a fun environment by introducing games like karaoke, sing-off, or guess the song, that can challenge your students to sing in different styles, genres, or languages. By fostering a supportive and fun environment, you can help your students feel connected and excited about their singing practice.
Singing without even knowing that you are working on your voice is absolutely the best way to learn. Having fun, smiling, laughter....all of these aspects are key to the best learning.
A sixth way to develop a student's work ethic is to encourage self-reflection and evaluation of their singing practice. Self-reflection and evaluation can help your students identify their strengths and weaknesses, set new goals, and plan their next steps. You can encourage self-reflection and evaluation by asking open-ended questions, such as "What did you learn today?", "What did you enjoy today?", "What did you find difficult today?", or "What do you want to improve tomorrow?". You can also provide tools or templates, such as journals, checklists, or rubrics, that can help your students organize their thoughts and track their progress. By encouraging self-reflection and evaluation, you can help your students develop a sense of responsibility and ownership of their singing practice.