Klarinet Archive - Posting 001086.txt from 2000/01
From: "Jay D. Webler" <webler@-----.net>
Subj: RE: [kl] Why?
Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2000 09:52:57 -0500
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From: LeliaLoban@-----.com]
Subject: [kl] Why?
Richard Bush wrote,
>The most painful part of teaching some of these players who have long=20
established bad habits is getting them back on track. To me, this is a =
lot of=20
wasted time, and represents taking one step forward and two back.>
Leila
<It would depress and discourage me to think that I'm a waste of a =
teacher's Time.>
I don't think Richard was trying say teaching a student is a waste of =
time. I think he was merely trying to express the difficulty in undoing =
bad habits. The only students I have had that might be considered a =
waste of time are those who never listen and never practice.
<How many teachers want to teach adult amateur students?>
I have an adult percussion student who is in his 50's. I find it a =
pleasure to teach him because he is hungry to learn. The difficult =
thing about teaching an adult is the fact that the have a better I deal =
about how something should sound and may remember a time that they could =
play it better. They may be tempted to try to progress to quickly and =
get frustrated. A good treacher will recognize this and just patiently =
bring them back to reality.=20
<Would teachers prefer to concentrate on promising young musicians?> =20
Promising young students can have their own problems. Just because =
someone is gifted doesn't make them any easier to teach. They may be =
less likely to listen to sound instruction because they just think to =
highly of themselves. Give me a student who listens and practices what =
is taught, any day.
<What fulfills you as a teacher?> =20
Seeing a student become inspired to want to play better out of a love =
for the instrument. Watching the joy in their face when they finally =
accomplish something that has given them a great deal of trouble. When =
they achieve this they develope a greater appreaciation for hard work =
and dilligence. They begin to understand that not everything in life is =
going to be handed to them on a silver platter.
<Why do you teach?>=20
I enjoy sharing what I have learned with others. I enjoy watching a =
student grow.
<What are your goals for your students?> =20
To be the best they can be within the limits they have. It is not my =
goal that each one be the best player around. The difficulty is =
determining what those limitations might be. Some students want to give =
up to easily. My job is to help them past that point. Others will =
never be great players. Then I must help them to accept these =
limitations and enjoy what they have been given. =20
<To what extent do students' choices of goals and students' progress =
toward their goals affect your self-respect?>=20
My self-respect is not linked to what a student does or does not choose =
to do. Some students will listen and grow, others are just plane =
stubborn. Linking your self-respect to the goals of your students sets =
the possibility of extremely tense times in the lesson session.
=20
<Here are some of the realities that occur to me about teaching adult =
amateur musicians....
Some of us are clarinet beginners, but we aren't children. We won't =
respond well to teachers who treat us like children. >
Teachers won't respond well to adults who act like children either.
Frankly children don't respond to well when they are treated like =
children. =20
<Most of us have more patience and self-discipline than children, along =
with a better work ethic and a better ability to understand =
instructions, but we learn more slowly than children. We are less =
malleable than children. >
Recent studies of the adult brain would not support the believe that we =
are unable to learn as we did when we were younger. If we continue to =
stimulate our brain as adults new neurons will continue to develope. =
What keeps most of us adults from continuing to learn is an =
unwillingness to continue to learn. I am 47 years old and I have =
learned more in the last 15 years than I did in the first 32. If we use =
the patience and diligence then there is no reason we cannot continue to =
learn. Perhaps the rate might slow down, but that shouldn't keep us =
from trying.
<We think we know what's best for us. There is no parent or other =
authority to whom you can report us if we fail to follow instructions. =
If we decide not to cooperate, you can't make us. If reasoning with us =
fails, all you can do is terminate our lessons. >
Unfortunately, this is true. In the long run the adult student loses if =
they adopt this philosophy. The teacher is there to help facilitate =
learning to those who want to learn. If we really do are job well then =
we will help the student to want to learn. But, as I said before, some =
people are just plane stubborn.
=20
<As teachers, do you find yourselves bored and frustrated with adult =
amateurs such as these? Do we seem like hopeless cases and lost causes? =
Does it seem like a waste of time to teach people you know probably =
"won't go anywhere" with our music? Do you accept us as students for =
the income, even though you=20
would rather not bother with us?>
The only thing that bores me is a student who makes abosolutely no =
effort at learning the instrument. I have students who spend as little =
as 10 minutes a day and I see progress. If they go 30 minutes a day I =
see major leaps. The idea is to practice smart not more. When I was a =
percussionist in the Air Force I would spend 3 hours practicing after =
all day rehearsals. I can accomplish more now in 45 minutes because I =
have learned to practice smarter.
<Is there anything adult amateurs can do to make ourselves more =
attractive students so that teachers will focus on our lessons instead =
of sleepwalking through them?>
Come to your lesson prepared and enthusiatic about learning.
Jay Webler
Jay's Clarinet and Percussion
=20
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