 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: TPSchettle
Date: 1999-01-26 07:43
I just started teaching private lessons and I'm green. I've been working with a boy for three months or so. He began band last year and found himself a year ahead for his age in his new school. Right after learning above the break, his grandma bought him a book of movie themes. He wanted to play Raiders March (Raiders of the Lost Ark). Since he already knew the fingerings and had reasonable command over intonation in this register, I explained the complicated rhythms to him and let him work on it along with his lesson book material.
I think he's been doing great, but he told me today that his band teacher doesn't like him playing it because it's too hard. Can working on challenging music hurt him? Admittedly, his sound sometimes loses focus over the larger intervals, but I've been very impressed with how he has mastered the fingerings and for the most part, he's in tune. His band teacher must have more experience than I teaching students his age, so I'm wondering if I should change my approach. Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated.
Additionally, how do you determine a proper balance between structured lessons and allowing a student to follow his/her interests?
Tina S
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Rick2
Date: 1999-01-26 14:50
I think you should just tell your student not to discuss your lessons with his band director, and tell him not to play anything but band music when he's in the band room. What you and he work on outside of school is your own business. If the band director doesn't know about it, he can't say anything about it. IMHO.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Kevin Bowman
Date: 1999-01-26 20:56
I agree with Rick2. I was in this same situation when I was a "beginner" - I was 2 years ahead of the band in 5th grade (started in 3rd grade). The band director didn't like me "showing off" in front of the other students. I did anyway
I don't believe any harm can come from working on difficult music. Keeping things fun for the student is half the battle. But I would encourage you, as a teacher, to emphasize that disciplined technical study is also important for continued success - long tones, scales, finger excercises, and etudes.
Kevin Bowman
Clarinet & Saxophone Instructor,
Rochester Conservatory of Music, Rochester, MI
and
Saxophones, Clarinet, & Keys,
B-Side Blues Project
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Nicole Y.
Date: 1999-01-26 23:13
WELL,
I admit I've only been playing for what will be two years. When I first came to the school where I am now, I could not play a note over Bb. Everyone else had a year of experience above me. I was thrown into harder music and notes with the register key without warning. I kept working at my tone, I made flash cards for all (and there were a LOT) of the notes I didn't know, I practiced twice as hard as everyone else to get that A in the playing tests, even to read the playing tests; I had to work harder. It paid off. Look where I am. 9th chair in Regionals. I did better than the kids who have a year of experience better than me. I often wonder what's the difference between me and the seventh graders. Now I know. It is the difficulty of the music you play that make your tone and ability as a musician mature. It is GOOD for your student to play challenging music. Do not discourage him. If the director feels it's too hard, it's his/her problem. He/she probably said this because the other kids were jealous or something. The challenging music will help your student. Do not discourage him from playing it, only if he shows off.
Good luck in everything,
Nicole Y.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Jim Carabetta
Date: 1999-01-27 13:07
I agree because I find myself in the same boat. In fact, most of my beginning students come to me because they neither get the attention or direction they need to seriously pursue the instrument, and quickly become disenchanted or bored. The band director's choice of music generally is something that all members can play, and instruction progresses only as quickly as the slowest student, leaving the aggressive players to sit there.
Since my student is getting a grade from the school, I make sure that some of each lesson is spent perfecting the school work; tone, embellishments, articulation, and in a variety of tempos. That done, we work on whatever interests the student in conjunction with whatever will contribute to the student's development.
Not to be selfish or cavalier, but we may be at cross-purposes; the school's job is generate a successful music program -- mine is to develop an individual clarinet player. That's not a knock on school music instructors -- they have limited time and resources against a potentially big demand. But my job is to cultivate that student to the best of our mutual abilities -- I'm not doing the student, or myself as in instructor, any favors by providing an environment for mediocrity. Cultivation of the desire to play and the talent for the instrument is why they came to me in the first place.
Don't hold back -- but, don't let your student(s) become a source of frustration or discouragement to the others who are just as interested but don't have the same level of talent, or the resources for private instruction.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Al
Date: 1999-01-27 18:40
One word of caution. Of course it's fine to let the kids go ahead and explore. Who can deny that?
The only caution I offer is, sometimes the student will go off and explore to such an extent that the structure and discipline of lessons are compromised; that is, the student "explores" so much that he/she loses the stability necessary for solid, progressive development. Let the kid explore, but always insist on learning the solid and orderly progressive you're trying to get across.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Merry
Date: 1999-01-27 23:59
I think it is great that your student has found challenging music that he/she likes to play. I have been teaching privately for a year and a half and finding music to keep the younger kids interested is quite difficult. I have been searching for a book of simple popular songs to give them a bit of variation and am still searching. They do grades which allows them to work at scales, etudes, studies, long notes etc but I feel they need some fun stuff as well. I like to finish their lessons off by playing duets with them which they all seem to enjoy.
As for the band teacher...I have had problems the local high school band teacher saying demeaning comments to some of my students (especially when they beat his at competitions - need I say more!). He has told one girl that he won't let her play the first clarinet part, despite being the second best playing in the school because HE doesn't like her embochure. I just tell her all the parts are very important and not to quit just because she has problems with him as I think that being part of the band is very important for her development as a well rounded player. At one of the local primary schools one of the other local clarinet teachers keeps turning non-inverted ligatures into an inverted position on my students clarinets. I don't mind extra input into their education because goodness knows I am still not that experienced and they may pick up some things I miss as long as I don't disagree with their guidance.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: mommaq
Date: 1999-01-28 12:45
Many students in the school systems do not have the money for private lessons. Instead, it is left to the band director or assistant to give 'private group' lessons to the students. It usually consists of practicing the music for performance and, when beginning, learning how to play. These groups could be 2-3 people to 6-7 and may last only 40 minutes. Here, your student comes in who has the money for private lessons and individual attention for, let's say, a half hour per week. This, of course, will probably blow away the other students who cannot afford this.
I know the band director/assistant is doing his/her best in teaching. It is a difficult job and hard to listen to all those beginner squeeks and squalks!! <<lots of aspirin needed here>> And, I also know than many students, whether they be young or old, do show off in front of a group to let them know how much more they know about their instrument. That is human nature...
SO....just give the student and his parents a word of caution NOT to show-off in front of the director and other band members. Don't even talk about what you're doing in your lessons. If he is much more skilled than the other band members, the teacher will undoubtedly see and hear this and may even feature him in a solo during performance.
You could also try the route of visiting/contacting the teacher to enlist her support. Ask, IF YOU WOULD LIKE, if she would like to have private lessons given by you at the building after hours...Many music departments offer conservatory/private teachers at local schools after hours to help the students who can't go to another town or big city for lessons. Lessons are then consecutive...one right after the other...and you might end up teaching more than those just in that building but more advanced ones. This will help build the comeraderie of students in the music program in the district, as well, and show your support too. Many schools have late busses so transportation for the students becomes less of a burden, and they get quality, personalized care from a caring teacher like you! Now, this MIGHT NOT happen, but it's an idea!
mommaq
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Tina S
Date: 1999-01-28 18:03
Thanks to all for your bits of wisdom and encouragement.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Melissa
Date: 1999-01-30 21:35
I think you should challenge your student. How else does his band director think he'll get any better? I have only been playing my clarinet for 9 months, and if my director hadn't challenged me and given me music he knew I couldn't play, and just given me simple little music, I wouldn't have developed my skills so quickly, and I wouldn't be second chair now. Everyone is very proud of me, but I wouldn't have done it if I hadn't have been challenged.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Dee
Date: 1999-02-02 01:40
Tina,
I want to add my support to the concept that students need challenging material that appeals to them. This helps maintain their motivation. Just be sure that the student also works diligently on their drills as you prescribe and you should have no worries about "harming" them. Of course you will monitor their response to your teaching and perhaps accelerate areas where they catch on quickly and require them to stay longer on drills where they are having a problem. No two students are the same. One will pick up lightning tonguing with no problem and struggle with tone. The next will have naturally gorgeous tone but can't seem to get the tongue moving. The next student might have small fingers and have extra trouble getting the holes completely covered. Again so long as you think of each student as an individual and address their respective needs, there should be no reason not to move them along as you see fit.
As far as the band director goes, the easiest thing is to convince the student to play only his band music when he is around the director or members of the school band. I do like the suggestion mommaq made about trying to get the support of the director although this would be much more difficult.
I do believe it would be wrong to hold a student back just because it would make the director or other students feel bad. I personally believe in the pursuit of excellence (even it we never catch it!). After all, if you hold him back you risk limiting his future potential. More importantly, he could lose interest and quit entirely!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Fred
Date: 2000-09-22 04:40
I'm a new beginning private teacher and I find myself forced to teach 2 at a time (beginner clarinet students) How can this be done most effectively?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
