Correction through Praise

I have been surprised at how effective it can be to use this tool I call "correction through praise".

The underlying principle is choosing to focus on the positive, rather than the negative.

If a child is doing something 90% wrong and just 10% right, focus your attention on that 10% right and you will find that it will increase at a faster rate than if you choose to focus on the 90% wrong.

That which we give attention to thrives and grows. So, simply ignore the 90% wrong for now, and start by giving your attention to the 10% (or even 1%) right. Encourage that little bit of right, praise it sincerely (be specific), and watch how it blossoms. Just as a flower blossoms only when it is ready (and not through pressure or insistence), be patient as you wait for the results of this technique.

Here are some practical examples:

• A new student is having a lot of trouble relaxing his fingers: they are sticking up most of the time with much tension. Find the one place they looked more relaxed than usual, and say, "I noticed that on the last note all of your fingers looked very relaxed, just resting on the keys. I think your fingers are starting to learn how to stay relaxed when they play. Very good!"
• A child plays a song quite sloppily with many missed notes. Find a measure that was played accurately and praise her for this. "The thing I liked about measure 3 was that you played every single note 100% correct--my ears loved it! You must have been very careful when you learned and practiced that measure."

Please always feel free to share you own ideas and reactions, success stories (and mistakes, too!). I'd love to hear from you.

Happy practicing!