When is it time for my child to progress to the next size instrument?

A too large instrument is difficult to manage.  I compare it to walking a difficult dog.  A big dog on a leash can or will pull a person down the street, the dog is walking the person.  A small dog might pull too, but it won't pull you over.  Cellists need to be able to hold the instrument with their legs, be able to reach around with both arms and touch the bridge.  When the instrument is too large the cello hand must stretch to meet the wider intervals, the body of the instrument is harder to hold onto and can create extra tension in the arms and back.  Even a too long bow will create tension in the bow hand and the student will have difficulty creating the desired phrasing and technique. I like the idea of keeping kids on a smaller size instrument until the endpin is almost fully extended.

When is it time for my child to have a longer lesson?

Book One students only need a maximum 30 minute lesson.  This may seem like not enough time for older children who are starting out but the reason is there is a lot of fine motor skill technique that must be mastered.  One skill is taught at a time, mastering the first skill is critical to understanding the second.  At times it can feel like painstakingly slow progress, but total master of the skills presented in book one are key to learning to play well and with confidence.  

Once a student has progressed through Book One and can maintain their attention span and endurance through the lesson time then we can consider a longer lesson time.

Why isn't my child progressing as fast as others in his/her age group?

Some kids need more time to be able to digest information and master skills.  In all subjects kids learn in spurts just as they grow in spurts.  There are a couple of studies by Lohman, "Understanding and Predicting Regression Effects in the Identification of Academically Gifted Children" (American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, 2006) and "Gifted Today But Not Tomorrow?  Longitudinal Changes in ITBS and CogAT Scores During Elementary School" (Journal of the Education of the Gifted, 2006) that show higher test scores in Pre-K and Kindergarten grades doesn't predict higher test scores when tested again in third grade.  They don't claim that the children who tested high and were labeled as "gifted" suddenly got dumber, or the parents failed to keep up the high standards, but the researchers made the conclusion that the kids that scored wells were tested during a time of peak cognitive performance.  In the study, by the time third grade rolled around, the students who had performed worse on the earlier tests statistically performed at or above the kindergarten "gifted" children.  From my own observations, intrinsic motivation and enjoyment of the activity is a better indicator of long term success than technical ability and intelligence alone.  In short, they'll get there, continue to encourage them and remind them to practice and listen to recordings, and they'll get there.

How much should I be helping my child, or should I just let them try things first?

Playful experimentation is the mother of all learning and intelligence.  If they are willing to test, try and find out things for themselves then enjoy their innate love of learning.  But also remember that as a Parent, you are the Home Teacher and your support and guidance is essential to the learning process.  Set practice times and routines, direct the child on activities meant to be done together and on their own.  Children rarely read their own lesson notes and can always use a friendly reminder about what will be expected of them at their next lesson.

My child gets angry with me when I offer feedback.

Sometimes the things we say get "lost in translation."  Try taking a photo or video of the problem and let the child review it by themselves.  If it continues to be a problem, write it down in the lesson notebook and ask the lesson teacher to address it with the child at the lesson.

Why is it that we must practice every day?  Sometimes we need a break!

I would like to take a break from brushing my teeth, or taking a shower.  The world won't end if I do that, and it's ok.  But if I repeatedly skip brushing my teeth or taking showers, I start to undermine the habits that an essential part of my daily routine.  Missing a day of cello practice here and there won't be as detrimental to my personal health and well being as skipping oral hygiene habits.  Skipping out on one day of practice makes doing the chore the following day will be more difficult to initiate practice.  Playing cello can be physically demanding, so on days when you need a break spend extra time listening to the CD, go to a live music performance, or do some other music related activity such as read a book about music instruments, composers, history or music theory.

I think learning an instrument is great, but...I don't want to pressure my kid.  I don't expect them to be a professional.

Only a student who wants to become a professional can become a professional.  One of the foundations of my teaching philosophy is that everyone has the potential to be a great cellist.  I teach everyone to be the best cellist they can be. Professionalism is just a choice one makes along the way.  Everyone learns math in school, but not everyone will become a mathematician.  Everyone learns to write, but not everyone will become an author.  Not everything we do and learn has to produce professional results, sometimes its ok just to have fun in life.

Playing cello is not physical or social like athletics.

Unless you're performing a concerto, it's unlikely to bring your heart rate up in the same way that time on a treadmill would.  You're also not in danger of getting a concussion like you might while playing football.  But physical injuries do happen to musicians.  It's important to learn how to sit with proper posture and use good, relaxed technique while playing cello.  It's also essential to never play through pain.  Although it's rarely taught in private lessons, many musicians stretch or do yoga before and after practice and rehearsals.  

On of the important aspects to school athletics is the fact that it helps kids communicate and function as a team.  Ask anyone who's played in an orchestra or ensemble if they're socializing and communicating with the other people in the group and they will answer: absolutely!  On stage and in rehearsal there is not the same kind of socializing you'd find on the field with parents, coaches and fans scream and shouting, but everyone in an ensemble is communicating, and learning to communicate through music.  One of the ways to be a good communicator is to be a good listener and learning to listen with attention is at the heart of music education.  

My child gets nervous, upset and doesn't want to perform in recitals, I don't want to make them do what they don't want to do.  

It's very hard to "force" a child to do something that they don't want to do.  The more we push, the more the resist.  But just as we make children get up in the morning, get dressed and go to school when they'd much rather stay at home, there are several reasons participation in recitals is essential for all students at all ability levels.  The first reason is meaningful preparation of a piece for performance.  In order to perform well we must understand the music to the best of our ability.  To do that we must spend extra time practicing with the intention to improve our skill.