Klarinet Archive - Posting 000239.txt from 2000/04

From: "Don Platter" <dplatter@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Studio teaching and the Band Director
Date: Thu, 6 Apr 2000 23:34:23 -0400

Mr. Jones,

I do indeed offer my services to other school districts, who respond by
filling my studio for me. Word of mouth and results have eliminated the
need to line my pockets with money from my own students. I never had the
need nor the desire to to that anyway- my private studio is out of a love of
teaching, not a desire to line my pockets. Please do not miss that point.
I only have a couple of students from my own school, and I have to fit them
in at times inconvenient to me when they inquire about lessons. Does that
sound to you like I recruit them or they feel pressured? Please don't fall
on that 'impressionable' label unless you are aware that there are some of
us who do indeed have scruples. I do indeed and without apology try to
have students reconsider who they study with if the results are not
forthcoming. That is educationally sound. However, with a plethora of fine
teachers in our area, finding a choice for a student is not a problem.
Perhaps there are areas that the choice is not as easy. Perhaps we could
hear from some of them.

Don Platter

----------
>From: "Sam Jones" <yighway@-----.com>
>To: klarinet@-----.org
>Subject: Re: [kl] Studio teaching and the Band Director
>Date: Thu, Apr 6, 2000, 10:27 AM
>

> Amen, Laurie!
> This thread will certainly open a can of worms. Mr. Platter and
> Ms.Schwaegler, I think you fail to realise that middle and high school
> students are very impressionable. Even if you don't say to them, "you must
> take private lessons with me" , they may still feel obligated because you
> are their band director.
>
> Consider this. If all those clarinet students you teach decided to take from
> another studio teacher, wouldn't you feel inclined to pressure the student
> into re-considering. Wouldn't you admit, at the very least, that you would
> be tempted to persuade them to change their minds? Students in Middle and
> High School are very impressionable and they will pick up on your
> frustration, even if you don't say anything about it to them. because they
> sense your frustration, they will reconsider taking private lessons with
> you.
>
> You, nor any band director, should teach private lessons to your own
> students. It violates the teacher-student boundary. Of course, you are
> probably going to defend your position because it means $$$ for you.
>
> Why don't you recruit students from music stores or from schools other than
> your own? This way you would be competing fairly, in the free market, with
> other studio teachers.
>
> Laurie - I believe that this deplorable situation is unlikely to change
> because too many band directors are lining their pockets with private
> lessons fees from their own school students. Band directors have too much
> to loose by establishing a code of conduct in regards to matters like these.
>
>
>>From: "Don Platter" <dplatter@-----.net>
>>Reply-To: klarinet@-----.org
>>To: klarinet@-----.org
>>Subject: Re: [kl] Studio teaching and the Band Director
>>Date: Thu, 06 Apr 2000 08:43:02 -0400
>>
>>Laurie,
>>
>>This string is likely to open a can of worms for you, but I am a middle
>>school band director. What I do is post a list of all teachers I know of
>>by
>>instrument, location, and phone number. I put the names of the teachers I
>>know to be better and whom I have had success in bold type for convenience
>>of choice. I do include my own name in that list. When a student in my
>>own
>>school indicates that they want to study with me, I am very careful to
>>indicate to the parent that if they perceive a conflict of interest on my
>>part that I would prefer that they choose another teacher.
>>
>>In order to become better known in the area you choose to set up your
>>studio, I would consider doing some clinics in local schools for free, and
>>offering your services for sectional rehearsals, etc. In that way, you
>>will
>>become better known and more likely to be recommended.
>>
>>Good Luck!
>>
>>Don Platter
>>
>>----------
>> >From: "Laurie Pestoni" <lpestoni@-----.com>
>> >To: klarinet@-----.org
>> >Subject: [kl] Studio teaching and the Band Director
>> >Date: Wed, Apr 5, 2000, 10:50 PM
>> >
>>
>> > I have taught private clarinet lessons for about 15 years in several
>>sates
>> > (mostly in the southern U.S.). I have learned (the hard way) that in
>>order
>> > to get clarinet students you usually have to "get in bed" with band
>> > director.
>> >
>> > It has been my experience (and perhaps yours as well) that band
>>directors
>> > always pick a favorite teacher, even if there are several studio
>>teachers
>> > who submit a resume to him. This means that the middle or high school
>> > student is only told about the favorite private teacher. In some extreme
>> > cases, I've seen band directors actually pressure young students into
>>taking
>> > with one teacher even though they are already taking lessons with
>>another
>> > private teacher.
>> >
>> > The worst case is when a band director (or their spouse) gives all their
>> > clarinet students private lessons after school. In this case, there is
>> > absolutely no chance of teaching private lessons to the students of that
>> > school.
>> >
>> > Surely I am not the only one on this list who has had this problem.
>>Perhaps
>> > some of you on the list would like to discuss this.
>> >
>> > Do any of you think it is ethical for a band director to refer a private
>> > teacher above other qualified private teachers who have submitted their
>> > flyer to that band director? Do you think it is ethical for a band
>>director
>> > to teach private lessons to their owns students? Is there anything
>>that
>> > can be done in a situation like this?
>> >
>> >
>> > Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
>> >
>> >
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>
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>
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