Play, Don't Practice: The Key to Effective Learning
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Understanding the Power of Play
At the start of summer, my girlfriend Chin-Fei, a flute instructor from California, visited me. During her stay, she shared an engaging story about one of her young students—a 9-year-old girl who struggled with consistent practice. Despite knowing that regular practice would lead to improvement, the girl found it challenging to commit.
At the conclusion of a lesson, Chin-Fei proposed, “Could you practice for just 10 minutes a day? That’s all I ask, but please do it daily.” The girl paused, then requested, “Can you repeat that?” When Chin-Fei asked again, she suggested, “Change the word practice to play.” After a moment of thought, Chin-Fei asked, “Could you play for just 10 minutes a day?” The girl enthusiastically responded, “I can definitely do that! Yes, I can play for 10 minutes.”
This moment left a lasting impact on Chin-Fei. Inspired by this interaction, she began encouraging all her students to focus on playing daily rather than practicing.
The Shift from Practice to Play
Often, adults face pressure to perform perfectly right from the start when learning something new. However, treating the process as playing allows for exploration and the acceptance of mistakes. Mistakes are, in fact, a crucial part of learning.
Children naturally embody the spirit of play, which allows them to learn without fear of failure. In contrast, adults often burden themselves with the need to practice diligently and achieve perfection, which can stifle their ability to learn effectively.
As a movement and posture coach trained in the Alexander Technique, my role is to foster a supportive learning environment for my clients. I encourage them to explore, experiment, and, most importantly, play with the concepts I teach.
Laughter is a vital element in this process. Genuine laughter signifies an openness to not take oneself too seriously, which is beneficial for learning.
A Lighthearted Approach
Even as a coach focusing on posture and movement, I advise my clients to adopt a more relaxed attitude towards their posture.
In the spirit of this philosophy, I’d like to share one of my favorite quotes:
“It’s a happy talent to know how to play.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson
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This video discusses how playing instead of practicing can enhance your musical skills and enjoyment.
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