Practice makes perfect!

Learning any musical instrument requires commitment. It is always fun to start with but the student will soon lose enthusiasm and be 'put off' if they feel they aren't progressing. For this reason above all, I encourage my students to take ABRSM or Trinity board exams for that real sense of achievement and success for their hard work, stimulating a thirst for learning that translates into all areas of schooling. It is no coincidence that many of my friends who applied themselves to learning a musical instrument always seemed to do well in school as well. 

For young beginners I ask for 10 minutes practise a day, no less than 4 days a week. This should not feel like a great work load while 'little and often' is a good recipe to improve. Getting a parent on-side who can supervise practise will make things progress so much faster, but it is also a good idea for the student to occasionally play independently and will help create a sense of self-discipline, which they will need if they are to thrive later on.

Finally, it's worth mentioning that learning a musical instrument can be extremely sociable as there are groups and orchestras everywhere, even for beginners. Playing together at any level is a great way to learn just from looking and listening, and the team effort experience is only positive. Had it not been for the friends I made in my first junior orchestra I would have given up well before I realised any of the benefits of learning the cello, but then again I'd probably be much better at my Nintendo...