“I think I’m going to stop requiring practice charts in my class,” said one music teacher to band director Darren Johnson. “The kids who are going to practice are going to practice, and the ones who aren’t going to practice aren’t going to practice. I don’t think practice charts do any good.”

Johnson begs to differ. Haunted by the conversation, he decided to help his musicians by improving their practice habits. In his article “More than just Minutes: Using Practice Charts as Tools for Learning” in the March 2009 issue of Music Educators Journal, Johnson suggests that:

1. Effective practice is goal-oriented.
2. Successful practice is multifaceted.
3. Effective practice includes a variety of problem-solving strategies.
4. Successful practice includes reflection or self-evaluation.
    

In a “Tips for Success” sidebar in the article, Johnson advises:

• Post excellent examples of completed practice charts in your room for reference.
• Demonstrate how to correctly fill out the chart during class.
• Model practice strategies explicitly in class during your rehearsals.
• Provide written feedback to help refine students’ use of goals and strategies.
• Talk to students about the strategies you use when practicing your own instrument.
• Stick with it. Students may be resistant at first, but you are using practice charts because you care about your students and want them to succeed.

Read more tips and see a variety of effective practice charts in Johnson’s article, “More than just Minutes: Using Practice Charts as Tools for Learning,” in the March 2009 issue of Music Educators Journal, vol. 95, no. 3, pp. 63–70.

MENC member Darren Johnson is a band director at North Thurston High School in Lacey, Washington.

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Coming in two weeks: Stay Tuned!

—Paul Fergus, April 29, 2009, © MENC: The National Association for Music Education (www.menc.org)