Klarinet Archive - Posting 000717.txt from 1998/07

From: <Cheddar99@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] Re: klarinet Digest 22 Jul 1998 02:34:49 -0000 Issue 293
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 1998 23:41:52 -0400

I never said that teaching was an easy job, I know that from experience. I was
just saying that it's a major problem when students get turned off to music
because of the carelessess of a bad director. It's not too much to ask to take
5 seconds from your day to give a little advice or encouragement to a
strugling student. Even just an occasional "good work" would be great! Maybe
If more teachers did that, less people would quit band. Not all band teachers
are bad. I never said that. Just every teacher i've had... teachers who scream
at you for playing a wrong note, or yell if you get off a beat even when it's
their poor conducting that caused you to get lost. I've had chalkboard erasers
thrown at my head for squeaking, my music was ripped up once becuase I was
writing a reminder on it and the teacher thought i was writing bad stuff about
her. My junior high band teacher is the worst teacher I have EVER had. My high
school teacher is a lot better but it's not good enough. yes, teaching is one
of the hardest things in the world, but is giving a compliment too much to
ask? I have never heard a nice word out of my band director's mouth. He only
critizses and punishes us for trying our hardest. That's what I mean about
band teachers needing to try harder. members of my band have literally burst
into tears after some of the things we've had said to us. good compliments go
a long way and it's a lot easier to teach a class when the students actually
like the teacher. ( I've yet to find a student who actually likes my band
teacher) All it takes is a little compliment, and this is comming from a
student who knows what it means to recieve one, and a teacher who knows how
dificult it is to teach.

<not to get an attitude or anything>

Karen D
Los Altos, Cali

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