Figure 1.-- With so much going on at school, there are often temptations to skip practice. The school commonly have a music building or section with small practice rooms. Not all schools are as well equipped. Some children practice in various spots around the school durin rest hour or other approriate times, but here they can be more easily distracted. |
The schools face the same problem as parents at home, getting the children to practice. Practices are mostly done in what would otherwise be the children's free time. With so much going on at school, there are often temptations to skip practice. The school commonly have a music building or section with small practice rooms. Not all schools are as well equipped. Some children practice in various spots around the school durin rest hour or other approriate times, but here they can be more easily distracted. Times are schuled for the children, but it is not possible to check each child's practices. Thus the temptation is there for the children to skip a practice. Some children are stronly encouraged by the children to do instruments and there is a varying commitment. Many are quiet enthusiastic and very contientous about their practicing. Others much less so.
One of the most impotant thing the resident music staff do is to help the musical boarders with their practising, and all the music teachers keep an eye on their day pupils' practising records. We are concerned that some musical boarders don't make good use of the school's practice facilities. Pupils are given specific practice times and are seen, heard, helped and their names ticked on a chart. they do however have to remember to come. The difference between the best and worst practicers is very marked. The latter has often been in a weekly detention period but this is hardly a remedy for the problem. In future we shll try to inform any prent whose child is practising inadequately in any three or four week period.
We gave prizes at the end of last term to the best musical boarders, those who had averaged five or six practices a week: R. Barnes, C. Sweatman, P. Morrow, J. Handy, A. Robson, followed by V. Millar, B. Line and R. Clifford. A. Scott-Gall excelled in the previous term while several of our junior boarders has done particularly well: N. Williamson, P. Newell, C. Watson and E. Cottrall. Well done all of you!
We ask all day pupils to keep an accurate record of their practising on the sheets provided and to hand them in the last week of term when requested. Well done the twenty who did this, but what about the others? (parents please note).
SJH, Great Walstead Magazine 1987.
