- When teaching a technique or skill, practice the skill in isolation until the learner has mastered it.
- Uncover and retrain when compensatory skills are masking the need for isolated skill development.
Confession, my students are masters at compensating for what they don’t know. Unfortunately, I am such a master teacher that I have learne how to make a good performance inspite of deficiencies. I am trying to reframe all my rehearsals to see them as preparation programs where I can “practice down” focusing on foundational musicianship and vocal technique skills. The fear is that students wil get board. I enjoyed reading once again about John Wooden how he would have the players practice without the ball. he felt they were too distracted to score and rebound, as in a game, when he wanted their total focus on specific skills. My new rehearsal mantra: PRACTCE DOWN. Through the literature, I want to break up the needed skills into bite-sized chunks, remove the distractions, and drill the fundamentals. I need to develop the skill in my self to see through the fog of compensation.