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Re: teachers

Author: WhitePlainsDave
Date: 2016-05-15 00:29

Jo--first off--I appreciate the challenges you and your daughter face.

With that said, many factors are unknown by us, which quite frankly you may not want to offer on a public venue regarding where on the [Down's] spectrum of intelligence you daughter lies. I would guess her extremely high functioning simply by virtue of her ability to play clarinet at all.

(If I may take a step backwards for a moment, allow me to assume that your daughter's cardiologist has "green lighted" her for such activity given the concomitant heart defects often found in Down's patients and the aerobic nature of this venture.)

It's very hard for me to gauge whether the current teacher fills lesson time with banter because *he* feels your daughter can only take in so much, or whether you simply need a more effective teacher....although regardless one would have to acknowledge limited reason for his tendency for banter when its your turn for lesson time, assuming your daughter not a distraction.

I have a friend who I gig with (in NY) this Sunday with her doctorate in music programs for special needs students. Her focus is on brain injury from trauma and age but I'll ask her about finding other teachers in your Central PA area. The bboard's David Blumberg, out of the greater Phili area, albeit a distance from you, is a wealth of knowledge. You may want to reach out to him if he doesn't chime in.

As for teachers: it's your money Jo. I understand this is a complex situation where finding a teacher with the right temperament is challenging. On your side is Skype (David does Skype lessons). The ability for lessons to occur with the best people for this task, even if they are across the country, is in our hands now thanks to technology.

Feel absolutely nothing but it not only being your right, but your obligation to get your money's worth out of lessons--again, to the level that your daughter can handle.

It sounds to me like if she's finished Rubank Intermediate that her abilities are far exceeding this teacher's willingness to not only take her to the next level, but that level is well within her reach to grasp.

All the best. I in no way profit from referrals to David.

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teachers

two toots

2016-05-14 18:28