Klarinet Archive - Posting 000115.txt from 2008/11

From: John Dablin <jdablin@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Hands on teaching
Date: Mon, 10 Nov 2008 10:14:29 -0500

Since the murders of the two children in Soham a few years ago this
government has completely overreacted in an atmosphere of
hysterical paranoia. I am due to help (unpaid) at a music and drama
festival on Saturday. My job is solely to sit next to the
adjudicator and record the scores and prepare the certificates.
That's all, yet I have to provide two independent references in
case I'm a paedophile.

But we shouldn't be surprised. The only way this government knows to
solve anything is to pile on mountains of regulation and
bureaucracy, and assume everyone is guilty until proven innocent.
The only result will be that people become unwilling to volunteer,
or unwilling to teach children, and the only people to suffer will
be the children themselves.

John Dablin
Aylesbury UK

On Monday 10 November 2008, Keith wrote:
> It is more than a debate, it is a STRICT policy. In my pro-am
> orchestra (Spires Philharmonic of Coventry) we have some good
> amateur players from schools, who are under 18 (usually only
> just). We use our professionals to coach our amateurs. We have to
> have supervisors who are vetted by the local police (as does any
> organization which includes under 18s), a child protection policy
> and codes of practice, and base these on school regulations.
> These go to details such as 'the teacher may touch a finger in
> order to correct its position', but forget about placing your
> hand on a "child's" diaphragm or back to teach or diagnose
> breathing.
>
> I agree, the whole situation is way OTT.
>
> Keith Bowen
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: klarinet-return-94485-bowenk=compuserve.com@-----.org
> [mailto:klarinet-return-94485-bowenk=compuserve.com@-----.org]
> On Behalf Of Peter Gentry
> Sent: 10 November 2008 10:45
> To: klarinet@-----.org
> Subject: [kl] Hands on teaching
>
>
> A debate has opened up in the UK about whether it is appropriate
> for music teachers to touch pupils during instruction.
>
> This seems to me a horrid over reaction to child abuse issues. In
> my day instruction was a pretty rigorous process involving
> knuckle wraps and verbal tirades. Maybe that was OTT but can you
> properly demonstrate bowing without physical contact or correct a
> woodwind players posture and finger position without some
> contact?
>
> Are we seeing too many dragons where only a few exist?
>
> regards
> Peter Gentry
>

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