Klarinet Archive - Posting 000763.txt from 1998/07

From: Rich & Tani Miller <musicians@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Re: mozart...
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1998 12:37:44 -0400

Jay, I really like your comments! Reminds me of things my mother said to me when I
was in school. Boy has life changed though!
Tani

Jay D. Webler wrote:

> Cheddar99@-----.com wrote:
> I've
> > had teachers that scream at you for making a simple mistake, teachers that use
> > learning theory as a form of punnishment (that's a great thing to get into
> > kids heads...) from my graduating class from my middle school, I am the ONLY
> > student who didn't quit band because of the bad experiences we had because of
> > the teacher we had there.
>
> I am afraid that you hit a nerve with me this time. As a father of 5
> children there is
> one thing I have always tried to get across to them. As long as it is
> not
> illegal, immoral or violates the Law of God than do what the teacher
> requests.
> We have become a society of people who only find worth in something if
> it
> happens to be presented to use in a manner which we like. I am glad to
> hear
> that you have stuck it out. You will go much further than those who
> decided
> to run from a bad experience. You will never find the perfect music
> teacher
> or situation. It won't be the last time you get yelled at for making a
> small
> mistake. Such is the way of life. If your teacher uses theory as a
> punishment than
> turn it around and use it as an opportunity. If your teacher is not
> giving you all the
> tools needed then seek private lessons. My teacher used to yell at me
> and the band and I
> still love and respect him. I know that he desired my best, even if he
> had a funny way
> of trying to achieve it.
>
> I remember once when my daughters had a new chorus teacher in Middle
> School. They came home
> one night with nothing but complaints. "She's having us sing stupid
> simple things that I did in
> the fourth grade", they would tell me. "She treats us like children",
> would be another complaint.
> I told them to give her time and that she was probably just weeding out
> the dead heads who took
> chorus to have it easy. I also told them that she may see some real
> problems and has decided
> that there needs to be a crash course in fundementals. After six weeks
> they came back telling me
> how much they loved their chorus teacher. When I heard the first
> concert I was amazed at the turn
> around that had taken place in the chorus. I heard much better music,
> sung with much better intonation by
> a groups of children who had a far better attitude then existed before.
> Four years later my daughters
> are in a different school but they still keep in touch with that "mean
> teacher who treated them like
> children."
>
> To all you young players out there, learn from the nice teacher and mean
> teacher. Don't walk out
> just because your precious feelings have been hurt. You will be a much
> better for it and you will
> be better prepared for the hard knocks that you are going to face in the
> real world.
>
> Jay Webler
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------

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