It's About TIME! We Value Time and Balance

It's finally summer and you may find yourself with lots of time to fill, or you may find yourself over-scheduled with dozens of summer activities to plan!  As you sit by the pool, take a moment to read about another of our Core Values at Let's Play Music: We value the efficient use of time and maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Time In Class

Marianne Barrowes practices Ear Training using Echo Ed.

You may have noticed that your Let's Play Music teacher squeezes a LOT into the short lesson time: she pre-plans activities to be presented in specific order, and carefully notes of key points she wants to emphasize. She smoothly transitions between games, and without a pause the class is suddenly singing "Let's Say Goodbye!"  

Class time flows swiftly, but you may not realize exactly how carefully timed and balanced the activities are. We value the time you have given to come to class, and we value our time with your child, so we've planned every minute for its best use. Your teacher always takes time before class for a practice run through the lesson to make sure precious minutes won't be lost!

Ann Cue gives each student a chance to sightread

The National Association for Music Education identifies a host of skills comprising complete musicianship, the essence of what we offer at Let's Play Music.  A typical carefully-structured Let's Play Music class touches upon many elements, giving your child a broad education in musicianship.  Here are some skills you'll see, artfully presented within our limited time together each week:

• Singing, alone and in groups, a varied repertoire of music.
• Performing on instruments, alone and in ensemble, a varied repertoire.
• Improvising melodies, accompaniments, and variations.
• Composing and arranging music.
• Reading and notating music.
• Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
• Evaluating music and music performances.
• Understanding music in relation to history and culture.

Repetition is necessary for mastery of these concepts and skills, so semesters are carefully constructed so each skill or activity will be repeated just the number of weeks optimal for learning while allowing for layering complexity into songs and activities as they become familiar. 

You can walk into class and declare, "This is going to be time well spent!"

Time Out of Class

By 3rd year she's practicing 30 minutes

Your commitment to Let's Play Music doesn't end when we sing, "Let's Say Goodbye."  We value your time at home and want YOU to have a healthy balance with other activities, too.  Weekly homework and practicing assignments are thoughtfully planned to help your child retain material and master new skills without becoming overwhelming.

Our commitment to making music practice fun and making music part of daily living is a strategy for helping your family enjoy music while getting the most from your time spent at learning.

During the first year, it's a smart investment of your time to do something each day touching upon music class lesson, so that students don't regress in what they learned at class.  Perhaps you'll chose to do the homework, play a game from class, listen to the CD, or perform a puppet show together.  Practice is informal; the goal is to infuse music into your daily family routine.  These small, happy, moments are time efficient and fun!

At the beginning of the second year, time at the piano takes only 2-5 minutes, and eventually builds to 15-20 minutes per day.  We've found that it's just not worth your time to ask a very beginner to sit at the piano for any longer: you don't achieve more by forcing it.  Once his finger dexterity has caught up to his mental ability and ear-training practice, he'll be more interested in working longer.  Instead, an effective use of home time continues to be puppet shows and playing games from class, including our Alphabet Pieces games.

During third year, a smart time investment continues to be for you to sit with your child during the first few practices each week to make sure he understands the tricky bits.  Practice time grows longer and more intense, so starting on a good note on Monday means you've paid your dues and can listen from the distant kitchen on Friday.

Time Of Our Lives
Many parents ask, "Is it worth my time and effort to learn everything my child is learning?" By the end of second year, and definitely in third year, that will probably require some practice time of your own at the piano. 

I tell my clients, "Congratulations! You've won a wonderful scholarship! Even though you are only paying for lessons for your child, we have granted you a scholarship to have music lessons for FREE!"  It's a wonderful gift, so be sure to think carefully before turning it down.  You have already invested the time in attending class with your child, and you already sit with her for at least a few of her practices each week.  Your teacher sends emails that explain the theory and logic behind exercises (which are not often shared with the students up front) and she's available to explain it again if you need extra help.  

Parents in Katie Wilson's studio have invested the time to come to class with their children.

You've already put in 75% percent of the commitment; this is the sweetest opportunity you're going to get to finally learn to play AND it will give you a chance to bond with your child over music.  Ask HER to show you how to play a tricky part, and then play a duet together!

Nevertheless, it is strongly recommended that you invest the time to master the second year material.  These skills will be invaluable as you help during home practice.  If you fall a little behind during third year, we understand: you need some life balance!
After three years of Let's Play Music, you and your child will have amassed hundreds of hours of memories spent enjoying class together, working at a new skill together, smiling, laughing, and bonding.  Yes, your child will have become a musician, and she'll have the experience of getting there with you, and that's time well spent. Time For Our Teachers
The majority of our teachers are mothers with young families to care for, households to run, dinners to prepare and carpools to drive! We want YOU to have a happy, focused, sane teacher when class time begins, and we want HER to be energized by seeing her students each week.  We value her relationships with her children as much as we value and strengthen your relationships with your children. This is why we make great efforts to coach our teachers on balancing work and family life. 

Each year in June, we host a weekend teachers' symposium filled with workshops, planning, and playful time spent with fellow Let's Play Music enthusiasts.  In 2012, our theme was It's About Time; the entire weekend was dedicated to strengthening our teachers by helping them manage their studios alongside their precious family commitments.  

A strong network of connection and support is in place to help teachers efficiently master the workings of a studio and quickly manage business details so they can stay balanced in all aspects life.  If you've been considering using your talent for music and teaching to start a business, Let's Play Music provides a warm and nurturing that cares about YOU and your family.


Thank you for taking the time to learn more about our Core Values.  They define how we operate and who we are as a community.

-Gina Weibel, M.S.
Let's Play Music Teacher

Parent Involvement is Key

Let's Play Music has something different from any private piano lesson or even any group piano class: parents are part of the class every other week (every month in year two.)

We establish music as a venue for parents to play with, love, and bond with their child.  A child who perceives music study in this positive light flourishes!

Why? The Research

A recent thesis examined the value of parental involvement during music class. Some excellent reasons for attending music class with your child were quantified:

86% of young students benefit from parental encouragement in music-making during class. They are willing to get involved when you show them how. 

Parent involvement during music class helped students feel more competent.

Parent involvement during music class fostered a strong bond between parent and child. They began to communicate and relate to each other in a more meaningful way as a result of shared music class participation.

Parent involvement coupled with a musical home environment improved music retention, plans to pursue music, music achievement, and music aptitude. They learn more because you reinforce it!

Participation in music classes enhanced the musical home environment.

Who Can Persevere?  

An additional survey published in 1996 by Jane Davidson showed that musical achievement is closely linked to high levels of parental involvement. Davidson and her colleagues found that parental involvement is the crucial factor determining whether a child persists with music lessons or gives up.

Davidson also showed that the highest-achieving children were ones who received the most support from their parents, up to the age of eleven. 

Thereafter, children are increasingly driven by an intrinsic motivation to practice regularly by themselves. Davidson goes so far as to suggest that high levels of musical achievement are likely to be unattainable without a positive emotional atmosphere and the support of parents. 

The most crucial determinant is not a parent’s musical literacy, but the time commitment they are willing to make. Successful learning, after all, is a group effort involving parents, teachers and the student.

In Class

At Let's Play Music we've designed parent-day classes specifically to foster parent-child interactions and boost the benefits of your attendance. You're not just here to watch!

Wondering what you can do to get the most from time in class?


Be an example of musical enjoyment. Modeling enthusiastic participation and respect, because you're being watched and copied! Be the best student in the class and sing along.

Connect with your child.  Look into her eyes, smile, give frequent hugs, rock her on your lap. Show her that this is an event you enjoy attending.

Endorse the spirit of playfulness. Laugh at appropriate times, get a little silly, play the games and make faces during the puppet show.  Skip, dance, be silly!

Encourage listening. Train your child to listen to the teacher's instructions by refusing to repeat them to your child (otherwise you'll train her to ignore the teacher and wait for you to interpret each instruction! oops!). Turn off your phone to show that you are fully present and you expect your child to be fully present, too.  Don't chat with other parents to teach your child that she should stay focused, too.

Give encouragement. Accompanying a group of singers can be scary. When your child plays the harp, echoes Ed, or plays a piano solo, give her a big smile and hug at the end.  Use non-verbal ways to give praise and encouragement for trying new things.  Reward effort, not just results!

Enjoy being with him. Your child's first experience with music will delight him because he sees your delight in being with him.  He will sing when he sees that you enjoy singing, that you enjoy hearing him sing.  This factor will do more for motivating him to make music than all the theory he learns in class!

Parents' Commitment

Your child will rely heavily on your nurturing and shared enjoyment to motivate him to study music for several years.  Research showed that until age 11 it is parental drive that usually keeps students in music lessons.  Around then, students discover their own joy in creating music, and blossom into a lifetime love of music.

I have had a few parents say to me, "I'm not sure if I should register Billy for class.  I really understand the benefits of music, and I really want us to enjoy music, but I don't know if he is ready to commit. He's so young! How can he decide?"  

I tell this Mom I've heard enough to know that Billy is perfect for my class. 99% of the time it is the parent's excitement, attitude, and dedication that will determine Billy's success.  I don't think I ever met a 4 or 5-year-old who could comprehend the commitment of a 3-year program. They can't remember anything that lasted 3 years!

You can maximize results at home when you:

Tailor practicing to your child. We know children come with unique personalities.  In our post on Child Whispering, I share how different personalities might enjoy practicing differently. You know your child best.

Maintain the spirit of fun. We value play as part of the learning process. Provide an environment where it's okay to make mistakes and learn from them. It's okay to be imperfect and learn at your own pace. Creating music is a fun, lighthearted, and happy activity.

Do it together. Sing along with the CD and your child. Take turns playing the bells. Play a duet at the piano.  Learn along with your child as he learns new skills. He will love music because he'll know it as something that strengthens your relationship.

Maintain your commitment. If Billy sees that you've lost interest in helping him practice, turning on music, getting out puppet shows, and attending class, there's a good chance his practice habits will waver, too. Students have their own personalities and some enjoy practice more than others, but they universally need some level of support from parents.

Enjoy spending special time with your little musician, and check out other blog posts written to help you find fun ways to play and practice music.

-Gina Weibel, M.S.
Let's Play Music Teacher