For Current Students
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Occasionally I hand out charts to help students organize or plan what needs to be practiced when. You can access blank planning charts here. Other handouts are available in your Slack channel.
- 16-week Planning Chart (Su-Sa, Blank Calendar, for student and/or teacher to fill in)
- Weekly (6-day) Planning Chart (Blank chart, for student to fill in)
- 1-Week (Hourly) Planning Chart (Blank chart, for student to fill in)
- Suzuki Violin Books1-8 Review Chart (Repertoire list divided into 3 columns, 6 colors, chart for reference)
- The (average) effect of practice time for a Suzuki student (Chart for reference)
One way to use the Planning Charts:
- On the 16-week chart: fill in dates for each Sunday starting this week, putting the month name in the left margin on the week that a new month begins. Pencil in deadlines (things you need to be ready for) on the 16-week chart. "Deadlines" includes tests, auditions, project due dates, performances, all private lessons, all rehearsals or group classes, etc. Optional: make your own deadlines (for example: in 16 weeks, I want to be working on X. In order to start X 16 weeks from now, I need to be done with Y in 2 weeks and done with Z in 4 weeks, etc.) Consult your teacher(s) for help with making your own deadlines.
- On the 1-week hourly chart: Block out the average times that you spend on regular, weekly events. Be sure to include time spent sleeping, eating, at school/work, at sports practices, religious services, private lessons, rehearsals/classes that are not during school/work hours, commuting, relaxing/socializing, etc. Any blank spots left are to be filled with practice time (and homework time).
- In the margins of the weekly 6-day chart, list the things you need to get done during practice time (or homework time) THIS WEEK. In order to make this list, consult your 16-week deadline chart and ask yourself what needs to get done this week in order to be ready for your next 3 or 4 deadlines. Those things have top priority. Then list what needs to be done this week in order to be ready for the deadlines that come later: these things have secondary priority and may be moved to next week's plan if time is tight this week.
- At the top of each box in the weekly 6-day chart, write in the 6 days of the week that you will have time to practice on this week (Mon, Tue, etc). Also write the amount of time you will have to practice on each day. Consult your 1-week hourly chart, but also be sure to factor in any special events that are going on this week which are different from the averages you put in your 1-week hourly chart.
- Using the list you made in the margin of your weekly 6-day chart, fill in what you will do during each day's practice session(s). Be sure to factor in the amount of time you have on each practice day when listing what you will do that day. Look at this plan before you start each practice session!
- Don't be shy and use colored pencils, different types of pens, or crayons or markers, or small stickers, to make your charts look fun or strict or beautiful or whatever you like. Feel free to doodle in the margins, use fancy looking lettering, or change things to make it look the way you like. These are YOUR plans and they should make you happy, they should look and feel like you, and they should be changed to fit your needs. Freely customize the charts or make your own.