Klarinet Archive - Posting 000489.txt from 2002/12

From: "R. Williams" <rwilliams@-----.net>
Subj: [kl] RE: problem
Date: Fri, 20 Dec 2002 10:53:16 -0500

Rebecca:
You didn't say what age you are, but there comes a time when you have to
stand up for yourself and take responsibility for what you allow to happen
to you. Let's look at this in a slightly different light.

You've had your regular teacher, a professional military band director, a
university professor of clarinet, your own band director all tell you your
on the right track and doing fine. Then someone who doesn't even play the
instrument tears you apart, wrecks your confidence, causes you to miss
practice and when you complain about his methods, he calls you names. What
if any special credence should you give this person? Simply put, this guy
doesn't work for you and since it is your money, take it elsewhere and
write it off to a life learning experience.

I've been involved in adult continuing education for better than 20
years. I'm not a teacher by profession, but I teach and there are many
professions that have a school of thought that you constantly criticize and
if you will work harden the student. Medicine comes to mind
immediately. In the ideal world, all teachers would immediately be able to
identify what method works best for each student, but this guy probably has
had success with his way of doing things with some students and is unable
or unwilling to change for you or anyone. What is not acceptable in my
mind is when a teacher resorts to name calling. Rebecca, you never have to
put up with that. This person is assuming some level of trust that would
allow him to make such a comment and I don't see that he has earned that
right!

Best
RW

>From: "Rebecca Brennan" <rjbrennan1221@-----.com>
>Subject: problem
>
>On my all-state pieces I have has 5 professional opinons on it. My private
>teacher, my band director, an army band commander, and the clarinet teacher
>from Marshall University who all say I do an excellent job at it. Then there
>is that guy I have been going to. Every measure I play he stops and says
>something. To three of the people I just listed I cross the break very
>smoothly on the Rose study, but to this guy he says it sounds like I am
>chopping it to death. It could be that every time I have a lesson with this
>guy that I have a nervous breakdown and cry my eyes out and can't play for a
>day or so. I get very nervous around him and everything just goes blank and
>it is like I forget everything I know because he was so harsh on me at the
>first lesson. He also puts down my private teacher who plays with the West
>Virginia Symphony and whom is a very good teacher. Then today I learn that
>he doesn't even play clarinet at all

<snip>

>When I told
>him how I felt and that I didn't want to take lessons with him anymore he
>called me a baby.
>