Klarinet Archive - Posting 000357.txt from 2000/06

From: Audrey Travis <vsofan@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] This starts as a response to Joshua, Patty and Jess...
Date: Sun, 11 Jun 2000 11:20:25 -0400

Dear Joshua, Patty and Jess (teachers and student - though not each
other's)

This is report card time and as one measure of my students' assessment,
I have each student play the same exercise and I grade them based on
criteria I've discussed with them and demonstrated. In the lessons
previous to testing we review all the concepts and techniques they'll
need, we play the exercise several times, working on accurate counting,
steady tempo, dynamic changes, style of articulation, etc. No one is
absent. Everyone seems to be attentive. I give them an opportunity to
ask questions both during lessons and after (if they're shy). So here I
am, looking at the test results and they range from 'C- to A'. Why
should that be? They all received careful, even handed teaching!
Clearly, it's because every student, actually ever person on the planet
is different. Why did one student play his test without even
practicing? He told me he didn't when I asked him. That was my C-
student. He got that mark because he couldn't get past the first two
notes. Why did 4 students who were C- students in November now get B's
and A's?

Jess knows. Patty knows. Joshua - from all the responses concerning
your initial post, do you see a different side to the question now?

By the way, Patty - loved your description of how learning "music" makes
all the difference in a student's response. This is what I try to do,
even with my elementary school students and they (as a group) respond
beautifully (though some individuals may never get it). Last week one
of my groups was decimated by a Track Meet so the remainig students and
I sat in chamber music formation and worked on phrasing and dynamics for
Grieg's "Morning Mood". What beautiful music they made! And I made
sure they knew they'd done something quite extraordinary - they loved
it!

So the bottom line is that every student is an individual with different
needs and desires and family circumstances (as Jess pointed out from his
own section's diversity), and not every student learns in the same way
and at the same rate.

Jess, you sound like you're well on the way to becoming an extremely
fine clarinetist. You certainly have the love of the instrument and the
drive for excellence. At this point, if you can afford it, professional
lessons would really be a great idea. Since you're the best in your
class, you now need a pro to help you refine and further develop your
own playing and take you to a much higher level. Also, if you find the
right teacher (and this is trial and error) that relationship you
develop can become one of the most rewarding and fulfilling
relationships you will ever have. Don't miss out on it. Do as many
lessons as you can afford. You won't ever be sorry.

Okay, I'm off the soapbox now - air was getting a little rariefied for
my taste anyway....

Audrey

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