Klarinet Archive - Posting 000572.txt from 1998/01

From: lanewhite@-----.com (Lane G White)
Subj: Re: Beginner Beginner teacher questions
Date: Sun, 11 Jan 1998 21:30:42 -0500

On Sun, 11 Jan 1998 15:49:18 -0500 "Karl Krelove" <kkrelove@-----.com>
writes:

>Yes. Always keep in mind that you can't MAKE the student do anything.

>If the
>consequence of any technical problem (poor hand position, poor
>embouchure
>formation, poor breathing habits, or poor anything else that you as an
>observer can see) annoys the student enough, he/she will tend more to
>try
>your solution the less autocratic and agressively insistent you are
>about
[etc]
Karl

I realize you may have written your message in the spirit of "IF the shoe
fits, wear it," so I'm trying not to take this personally, but I must say
that being "autocratic and agressively insistent" is not my style. In my
teaching, I suggest, encourage, praise what's going *right," all that
sort of thing. When problems arise, I don't "blame" or even use terms
like "wrong," "incorrect" etc. with the students or parents.

I would hope that the fact that I'm seeking additional ways to
communicate a teaching point and looking for different options in this
area would be evidence that I'm not the sort to "blame" a student when
progress is not being made in a given area.

Gary