I read The Outliers over the past summer and since then have found myself referring to some of the concepts presented by Malcolm Gladwell in my teaching. A discussion with my strings class today revolved around practising to become "experts" on their instruments. My own children have been playing the violin since the age of four. My oldest, who has completed 12 years of instruction, is now working on the Mozart Violin Concerti in Books 9 & 10 of the Suzuki program.
Gladwell believes, based on research, that 10, 000 hours of practice are required before someone can become an expert in their field. He gives numerous examples of sports figures, businessmen, musicians and others who are successful due to acquiring these hours. Of course, other factors discussed in the book must be considered such as being in the right place at the right time.
I did the math for my daughters, who practise every day for an hour, faithfully - they would only acquire 365 hours after one year of practice and 3, 650 hours in ten years. They would have to practise an hour every day for 30 years to achieve this goal or 3 hours daily for the next ten years to become experts on their instruments. Given the discipline and time commitment it takes for daily practice to occur, this would be an awesome feat. No wonder goals such as these are difficult to accomplish!
On the weekend, my girls performed at a wedding on violin and cello. The priest complimented them on their playing and mentioned that many parents do not realize the commitment and dedication required to succeed. I felt very proud to sit back and listen to my girls play after all the years of faithful practice and hard work they have done.
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