I had a student this week who was almost in tears.
They felt overwhelmed and frustrated that they weren’t perfect.
They couldn’t remember their notes despite having worked them out 5 mins before.
Students need to be shown how to get out of this mind trap… and the way that I do it isn’t to reason with them or start explaining how the brain works...
I ask them in a friendly and non judgemental way to just pop their violin down and to follow me. It’s an invitation.
We then work on bringing in big movements:
Swinging arms
Rolling shoulders
Stretching
Jumping jacks
Dancing
Marching
Of course, when I use the Stringosaurus Hub resources, we have stories and songs to aid this.
Movement can be stress busting and certainly worked in my lesson this week. I regularly incorporate movement into lessons.
We recently had a Stringosaurus Hub community discussion about using a stretchy band as a tool to learn and move.
Young children have a developmental need to move!
Movement is the antidote to your student's overwhelm and brain fog.
Don't be afraid to put instruments down and stretch and move.
