As a parent, what can I do to help my child’s progress?
This is a really critically important aspect of your child’s musical development and one which is not well understood. I think it is obviously self evident to most parents that the child should be supported with the basics such as the supply of an appropriate instrument, the required books and other required accessories (metronome etc.), a good environment to practice regularly as well as ensure that fees are paid as required.

However, there is an equally important aspect to ensuring your child’s progress and that has to do with positive encouragement, empathy, support and the loving involvement in the process. This means that parents need to be involved to a far greater extent than simply monitoring how regularly your child practices or providing ‘pep talks’ when they appear to be reducing their effort.

Indeed it means providing unconditional love and support as well as acquiring the difficult skills of how to influence, motivate and gently encourage your child while maintaining the structure they need to succeed with their dream of playing their chosen instrument.

McPherson’s Research project

So in my search for information that I thought might be helpful for parents in this regard, I would like to refer you to the study completed by Professor Gary McPherson at the University of Illinois in 2008. This research is now ongoing with 160 children in Australia. I would like to refer you to excerpts below provided from McPherson’s research that I hope you will find illuminating and helpful with regard to this issue.

Gary McPherson, the Zimmerman Professor of Music Education at the University of Illinois specialises in the psychological aspects of musical behaviour and giftedness and talent in music.

In this study he focused on ‘why and how some young music-learners develop into accomplished musicians while others do not. He believes parents play a key role in determining the outcome’. He came to the conclusion that the “The parents’ role is absolutely crucial, and the emotional climate in the home is very important”. I share this viewpoint whole heartedly.

“We’ve found that parents of successful kids tend to provide support and encouragement for them during the early stages of musical learning and that this tapers off as the children become hooked on music and more independent with their music learning,”
In contrast, children who give up playing tend to come from homes where there is little parental involvement during the early stages, but greater amounts of parental pressure to practice during the teenage years, when it is obvious that motivation is waning and when the parent tries to make a last pitched effort to keep the child learning.” The overarching message for parents is, he said, “Never, ever give up.”

“McPherson’s own extensive longitudinal study with colleague Jane Davidson, focusing on 160 children learning instruments, supports that conclusion. The continuing study, the first and most substantial of its kind, has documented the musical development and practices of 160 Australian schoolchildren since 1997”.

“Among other outcomes, McPherson said, the research indicates that “it is almost impossible to predict which children – in the first couple of years of learning – will eventually turn out to be the most successful musicians.”

“The key factor again is parents,” he said. “Parents who provide early encouragement and gentle ongoing support, are far more likely to see their child succeed with music.”

And, he said, contrary to what some might think, those students who have excelled aren’t necessarily from musical families.

“Many of the most successful learners in our studies have come from families where neither mum nor dad had any musical experience whatsoever,” McPherson said. “But in the early stages of learning, these children had opportunities for intense praise, such as when they played to a delighted grandma or when their parents made it clear to them that they could do something they couldn’t. They had loads of opportunities to feel special.   “One of the main problems we see in music learning is that very early after the child begins playing, parents begin to make judgments of whether they believe their child does or does not have what it takes to succeed musically,” he said. “So, if a child doesn’t seem to be making progress right from the start or has periods where he or she isn’t practicing, it’s not uncommon for parents to reduce the level of their involvement and support or even stop issuing gentle reminders to practice altogether.”

I hope this information has helped you, the parent, better understand the importance of your role in ensuring success for your child. The interpersonal dynamic between the parent and child clearly has a huge impact on the child’s eventual success or failure.

For those parents who would like to read the entire article published by Gary McPherson’s, please access the link provided below.

I would also like to extend an invitation to parents who might want to confidentially discuss some aspect of your child’s ambitions, challenges or dreams with regards to their music studies, to please feel free to contact me at 0425 304 530 or ron@guitarteacher.sydney

Gary McPherson’s article : http://news.illinois.edu/news/08/1113musician.html
M: 0425 304 530 E: ron@guitarteacher.sydney