Klarinet Archive - Posting 000022.txt from 2002/06

From: w7wright@-----.net (William Wright)
Subj: Re: [kl] Teaching the 'students' of today
Date: Sat, 1 Jun 2002 12:31:47 -0400

<><> Forest=A0Aten=A0wrote:
students, parents and administrators want public school music education
to be entertaining [snip] Many kids (and their parents) enter into
band thinking that they are going to be entertained (fun, fun, fun).
When they find out that it involves work [....]

Without disputing anything that you have posted.....

Teachers and institutions should remember that all people --- regardless
of age or the topic --- learn more and retain it longer when they're
enjoying themselves. Negative reinforcement can be effective, but
positive reinforcement applied in equal intensity always wins.

The issue is that often it's easier for a teacher or person in authority
to follow the negative path, and hence the perception arises that it is
'more effective' to be strict and demanding, when really what's
happening is that there's less overhead involved and this has great
appeal when resources (such as time and salaries) are limited.

There is a reason why many counselors and psychologists offer their
clients a candy bar just for showing up and participating.

Cheers,
Bill

=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D

If I had Stadler's mouthpiece, would I play better? Or do I need his
ligature also? Or perhaps he and I are different persons? If I had
Mozart's pen, would I compose better?

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