Klarinet Archive - Posting 000274.txt from 1998/04

From: Roger Garrett <rgarrett@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: lesson motivation
Date: Mon, 6 Apr 1998 23:07:45 -0400

On Mon, 6 Apr 1998, Gary L Smith wrote:
> But if someone is really fundamentally not interested, what duty do we
> have to somehow *make* them interested? How would we do it in any case?
> When a student doesn't practice, we owe it to them to discuss what is
> standing in their way, and if it's a technical matter offer advise, but
> if they don't practice they can't progress, and we can't make them
> practice.

We do not have a duty to force kids to practice or care.....we have a duty
to show the possibilities......if they choose a different direction, so be
it. All of my private students know that I believe that should always try
their hardest.....if they do and still have difficulty, no problem. But
if they do not try their hardest and achieve minimum.......they know it -
if not by self-awareness, then because I discuss it with them. My
approach is that they can study with whomever they like, but if it is with
me, they will try their hardest to be the best that they are cabable
of....and no one can fault them for that.

Roger Garrett