 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Meri
Date: 2002-01-23 23:44
In almost three months of lessons (he was an absolute beginner), one of my students has made incredible progress--solid basic technique, solid basic sense of rhythm, and incredible self-displine, especially for a 12-year-old. He's already into the clarion register, and is able to maintain his good sound there. His parents are encouraging yet not pushing him, and I have already played a couple of duets from the first Voxman duet book. (the one with the yellow cover). He is clearly doing it for himself, and not to please his parents or anybody else, and has recently taken over the principal clarinet chair in his school band--from a grade 8 student, and he is only in grade 7. He asks really good playing-focussed questions, and has begun to bring his own material to work on from what he learns in school. (which often has playing issues we can discuss)
The question is, should I reward him for his incredible progress, in the form of a small clarinet-related gift? There was a neat book about the clarinet's history especially designed for kids (also includes puzzles) at the conservatory, which goes for about $10 CDN, and I know he can handle the reading level.
Meri
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Author: SWTSUClarinet
Date: 2002-01-24 00:01
Meri-
I personally don't see anything wrong with rewarding a student for accomplishing so much in such little time, but be sure it's something that keeps his interest going. I was taught by the same teacher for about seven years, and each year he gave me something that tickled my interest in the clarinet or made me smile and want to play even more, from a free box of reeds to Osborne's Rhapsody for Clarinet. When I graduated, his gift was a BG fabric ligature that I still use in rotation with my shoestring he got me hooked on as well.
All in all a gift may be a good idea to keep him going, though he obviously is a driven student. The gift you described would probably please him very well while also keeping in line with his parents' "encouraging yet not pushing attitude."
My take,
Jose Garza
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Author: diz
Date: 2002-01-24 00:21
Rewarding a student for excellent progress is good. I had a "demanding" teacher in my student years, she only ever made a comment about what I did wrong, regardless of the fact that I got to diploma level in around 4 years. For me, positive reinforcement might have made me work even harder ... I say go for it. Music or clarinet related sounds like a nice idea.
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Author: Kat
Date: 2002-01-24 03:16
Every year at the holiday season, I dub a tape for my students which includes clarinetists and music which inspires me. I own many many cd's from which to select, so they usually get some really interesting stuff, and since most of them are much less motivated than your student seems to be, they wouldn't look for this on their own.
Katrina
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