Loving Practice, Developing Discipline

“steadman...has created something wonderful and meaningful. there’s insight and wisdom here that can only come from a perceptive, focused mind with a tenacious devotion to the flourishing of children—in the arts and in life.”

— dr. robert duke, director of music and human learning at the university of texas at austin.

“this is a wonderful book. i couldn’t put it down: i laughed out loud and i kept nodding my head ‘yes.’ it opened my eyes to new insights into my own performing and teaching, and it gave me realistic ways to implement these new realizations into my own life in ways that were not one-size-fits-all.”

— barbara kreader-skalinder, keyboard consultant to the hal leonard corporation.

An award-winning guitarist, Klondike Steadman also shares his passion for music as an educator, entrepreneur, and author. Klondike founded the Educational Outreach Programin 2001 as an outgrowth of the Austin Classical Guitar Society. The low-income high-school students who receive expert, private, free guitar instruction in this program go on to give public concerts regularly as soloists and in guitar ensembles.
In 2003, Klondike received the prestigious Studio Fellowship Award from the Music Teachers National Association and launched the Orpheus Academy of Music with his wife, Wendy Kuo. As the co-founder and director, he has built one of the most successful and innovative music programs for kids in the country. In addition to his line of method books,The Complete Guitar, he has also collaborated with Orpheus Academy faculty to create an approach to private music instruction called Adventures Through Sound that uses singing, movement and folk songs to teach guitar and piano students. Among the many students Klondike has taught over the years who continue to make music as adults, several have won prizes in national competitions, been accepted to prestigious music departments, and gone on to significant music careers in classical, popular, and folk genres. But these accomplishments are no more significant than those who have formed bands with friends, play regularly at church, or just play to relax after a hard day at work.

    acknowledges    xi

    Foreword    xiii

    

1    Introduction    1

 Different Paths. The True Benefits of Music. “Good Enough”  Parenting and Teaching. How to Use This Book.    

2    redefining discipline    16

Discipline Is Like Building a Fire. Discipline Is Like Saving for Retirement. Personalized Discipline. The Difficulty of Change and the Power of Discipline.  Music and the Development of Discipline. Ishaan’s Story.    

3    the three pillars of effective change    31

learner’s mindset. grit. deliberate practice. transferring music lessons to life lessons.    

4    the three stages of developing discipline    47

a parent’s story. the three stages.    

5    stage one: loving practice and    establishing habits    51

audrey’s story. love — habit — discipline. the three pillars. the importance of skill development. motivation vs. resistance. the six c’s of motivation. common roadblocks. 10 tips to help children love practicing. a word on rewards. emergency rescue tips! the three levels of motivation.    

6    stage two: developing discipline    99

markers of stage-two readiness. evolving conversations around discipline. joining a community to build discipline. co-creating habits of discipline. practice tips for  developing discipline.    

7    stage three: self-motivation        126

musicians’ stage-three stories. deliberate practice for older beginners. the three pillars in the later years.    

8    epilogue        135

Appendix A – Choosing the Right Teacher     137

9 things great teachers do. the right teacher (not the perfect teacher).    

appendix b – deliberate practice for the advanced student    144

advanced practice strategies for super-charging your motivation. advanced practice strategies for improving your overall musical and technical ability. advanced practice strategies for improving your pieces .    

bibliography        156

    

About the Author    158