Klarinet Archive - Posting 000343.txt from 2000/04

From: "Major.bam" <major.bam@-----.se>
Subj: SV: [kl] student motivation
Date: Sun, 9 Apr 2000 05:14:45 -0400

A parents view on the student motivation for playing an instrument.

I have hesitated to participate in this discussion, because I do get =
intensly angry when I see music teachers who requires hours of training =
every day. Not because it is not needed, but because it is virtually =
impossible at least in my country (Sweden) to find time to do just that, =
so here goes.

My daughter Astrid started to play the clarinet, a choice of her own, =
already in the first grade. She is today in the 8th grade and she has so =
far been very successfull. But she leaves home for school at 7.15 every =
day which means that she is out of bed at 6. She is never home before 5 =
in the afternoon. She has home work to do which would require at least 1 =
hour work every day. Training clarinet will also take time. Every =
wednesday she has training with her wind orchestra between 7 and at =
least 9.30 and dinner that day will be served at home no earlier than 11 =
o'clock in the evening. At least once a month there are public concerts =
which will require time and eventually extra rehersals (the orchestra =
has to finance themselves by playing). Sometimes she is also required to =
participate with solopieces when the general music school is showing =
their (in her case former) pupils. Added to that she will have to go to =
Stockholm once a week to visit her clarinet teacher.=20

After the 9th grade she will enter the high school, which in this =
country has several programs. In order to get into the program she wants =
to study, she has to get good points from 9th grade, otherwise she might =
not get in at all for that matter. Getting into high school and get good =
points there, is a prerequisite for getting into any academical studies =
including music. She will never ever be considered for auditioning for =
any of the conservatories unless she has the minimum points required for =
higher studies according to the law. This means that when she has passed =
in to the high school there will be even less time for clarinet training =
since spending less hours on home work and school is not a viable =
option, and it is difficult enough as it is. Schooldays will also become =
longer. There is of course no time for any other activities like =
horseriding or basketball or whatever in this type of schedule.

In order to help her we try to drive her to almost all places where she =
is playing. 75% of the mileage on our car is actually spent for her. I =
have seen what it means to youngsters when the parents are not (or =
cannot be) as supportive as we are. Since I drive her around since the =
age of 10, I do know how many of them that really struggles with all the =
requirements we as an adult society puts on them. It means that the kids =
that are really good and committed stop playing because we as a society =
puts a burden on them that they have really difficults to coop with!

We do not force her in any way to have this kind of a program. She =
enjoys it. But we as parents are worried about her possibilities of not =
only becoming a good clarinet player but a good human being with social =
abilities as well. That we believe is a necessity in the whole of her =
life. In order to carry out the program she has had to have a diary =
since she was 10 years old in order to have a well organized day so that =
there will be time for all activities. Imagine a 10 year old girl =
struggling with the diary in order to find time to play with her =
friends, that has been our reality.=20

Still we have also met teachers of music that complains about kids =
including Astrid not training enough hours a day and that the earlier =
generation was much better. I wonder from what planet they are coming? =
Certainly not from the same planet as I do.

Sorry for a long letter, but I had to get this of my chest

Bert Amten
Vaxholm
Sweden

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