Practice, Practice, Practice!

So much of learning today is about practice, practice, practice. It is about setting up systems where children get regular practice and learning becomes embedded. .

The specific that make their soul sing
But there is a subtlety- and it is about having insight into the individual. It is about what particular thing is right for them to practise right now. It is about the very thing that will make their soul sing.

The specifics of this are what makes getting it right for children such a specialised craft. Whether we are teachers, early years educators, parents or in any other role around children many people can follow a script, know what the rule book says this child should be learning at this time- and there is some mileage in that. But finding the right thing and the specifics within it is what will make every child shine – and that is what my work is about. ‘Simply Brilliant’ tools techniques and training- so everyone can shine. Finding exactly the right fit – and when it fits, will make us all shine- and we will want to practise it all the more.

Recent reflections
I have recently done a lot of reflecting and realised seen that as much as I just love my consultancy and coaching, ‘ the right thing’ for me, for Ali the person – is singing.

Music has been a huge part of my life. I played piano from the age of five and, I am sad that I never got to thank my parents for prioritising my passion when pennies were tight, taking me for all those lessons, and for supporting me in every single concert and exam, show and performance for so many years.

As an adult, singing has been my passion, thanks partly to raising three lively boys and not having any waking hours to play the piano, but also to a very special singing teacher who has taught half of the West End, and I am privileged to still be singing with today.

I met Peter Roberts when I was a young teacher and before I had my family. Having time and summer holidays I went to a musical theatre summer school.

Singing in front of ‘Simon Cowell’
Everyone got a part, but everyone had to sing alone. It was nerve wracking – a little like singing in front of Simon Cowell… and it was just like that. I had rehearsed my song from City of Angels and stood by the piano.

I had only got a few bars in when Peter shouted, ‘Stop stop stop!’

You can imagine how I felt. I thought I was being sent home…

Instead, Peter did his thing. He heard that I had been practising my song, but in the wrong part of my voice. It turns out that I am not a soprano but a very low lady! ( No comments thank-you!) He worked his magic and moved the accompaniment down a whole five notes- and told me to start again.

I had always enjoyed singing but not everybody had enjoyed listening!
The sound that came out of my mouth, the way my whole body felt was so different. I had always enjoyed singing but not everybody had enjoyed listening (especially my family) . The sound that filled that room and filled my soul was so different. I became … a singer!

You see getting it just right for a child – of any age can change things. And it changed it for me. Now more than twenty years on I sing every week with my little ensemble in church, I run my fab little Songs and Beyond children’s choir, in the winter I share Sizzle and Sing with friends in my lovely Little Birdhouse.

Seventh singing heaven
Yesterday I was in seventh singing heaven. I started rehearsing for a musical review – with Peter Roberts as Musical Director. He had us practising- repetition of the right thing and he knows just how to get the best out of everybody. It gives us such confidence, we sing our little hearts out, practise at every opportunity and the results, even at first rehearsal were simply stunning. ‘Do you hear the people sing’? Well, you can! A shameless plug to prove that repetition of the right thing really works, join me and my friends in July at Godalming Theatre Group for – ‘For the Love of Musicals’

Repetition of the Right Thing
Take your fourth finger, your ring finger and imagine you are rotating a simple seamless ring. What have you practised that has helped you today? What is repetition of the right thing for you, for your family, for your team and of course, for the children you care for?

You can find out more about the FingerTips TALKING TOGETHER Five Finger Thinking framework, training and book from the links below and I would love to know, how it is working for you.