[TPIN] Private Lesson Questions

[David Arndt]

OK, I'll venture my 2 cents.  

I taught for about 10 years, privately and in parochial schools around
Philly. Also taught in South America, while playing with one of the
orchestras down there.  I never considered myself to be great teacher -  but
I did learn some things and got better as time went on - and noticed common
attributes among those teachers who were truly "great". You know... The ones
who can get a 'brick' to play well, and practice...

My (truly humble) experience/observations:

1. First and foremost: Students MUST believe that you care about THEM.  Not
how well they play or practice - THEM.  Given that you cannot fool kids
about feelings, this boils down to TRULY caring about each student.  If the
student doesn't think you care about them, you will never be able to
motivate them.

2. Music is the adjective.  Education is the noun.  It's about teaching kids
to teach themselves how to learn.  Music just happens to be the vehicle for
development of the self discipline required for a student to train
themselves.  If they experience success learing through music, then they
will be hooked on being a musician.

3. The less disciplined the student, the more focused the objective needs to
be, and the more praise for progress that is required.

4. The better the student, the broader the material should be (and less
liberal with the praise - they sense the gratuity).

Another interesting thing I learned about myself when teaching in South
America:  I taught better when I talked LESS.  Because of the language
barrier, I had to optimize my ideas into a single short phrase, facial
expression - or demonstrate.  When I realized I was having more success down
there than up north, it struct me that it was the absense of talking that
helped.  (!)

These are just my observations.  But one thing is clear: kids don't usually
give a hoot about the horn (if they do, then your job is done for you) -
they care about what the experience does for their self image and integrity
- and they want to have FUN.


-----Original Message-----


<I have a studio of about 16 students, mostly middle school and high school
aged players (12-16 y/o). I am finding it increasingly difficult to listen
to these lessons as the majority of the kids are not practicing their
assignments,