Klarinet Archive - Posting 000609.txt from 1998/06

From: Rich & Tani Miller <musicians@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Beginner students
Date: Thu, 18 Jun 1998 18:32:45 -0400

If you feel so strongly about public school programs in general, do something to
help improve them. Verbal criticism on a listserv doesn't help children.
Hopefully, you'll discover that there are quality programs with quality teachers
as well as poor ones. Most school music programs these days are surviving
through very creative means because we have to. The option would be for these
programs to no longer exist.

Incidentally, comments like "I feel that this approach - as opposed to private
instrument study - eventually destroys a child's ambition to study music on a
higher level." is really not what makes for success in a school music program.
It's not the approach, it's the teacher and the environment that the teacher
creates. You either have an environment that involves students in active music
making which will cause them to learn and grow, or you don't. In the United
States in general, music is for everyone, not just for those who may choose music
for a career.

If you go back and reread my list posting, you'll see that I suggested specific
ways for the original teacher to address the needs of all students, advanced and
beginners, within the setting she/he described.

One of the things that occasionally happens on this listserv that I particularly
don't care for, is that people don't criticize in a professional manner.
Imagine what a better world it would be if people could be involved in
discussions where opinions could be given without fear of negative criticism.
It's okay to disagree--just do it in an open-minded manner. The world is not all
black and white . . .

Oh well . . . that's enough of that.

Tani

GTGallant@-----.com wrote:

> In a message dated 98-06-18 12:50:21 EDT, you write:
>
> << Having a group lesson is a great opportunity to learn through ensemble
> > music rather than the traditional method of going straight through the
> > lesson book. You just have to stop teaching like a traditional teacher.
> >>
>
> This sums up the attitude among most school music programs nowadays. I feel
> that this approach - as opposed to private instrument study - eventually
> destroys a child's ambition to study music on a higher level. Lets face it,
> how many music "educators" on the 1-12 grade levels can actually play their
> OWN instrument, nevertheless teach ALL instruments? Most school music
> teachers I've run across can't play their way out of a wet paper bag! This is
> a real upsetting topic for me because the students will probably never
> understand or realize what levels of technique and musicianship are available
> in the world (without the proper instruction). The level of playing by the
> music education majors at the local university (and other top conservatories
> I've been around) is a horrendous joke. The level of mediocrity schools are
> willing to accept is amazing and befuddles me.
>
> IMHO, music is not a career one can just "do" like teaching math or shop,
> accounting, etc. There are many underacheivers is all areas of life, but art
> is more personal. Group lessons at a low level do nothing to address
> individual issues on a given instrument. If a child gets serious about music
> later on, the new teacher will have a hard time reprogramming him/her and may
> never succeed in alleviating bad, ingrained habbits. Be part of the solution,
> not the problem.
>
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