Is it possible to give a "complete" piano education?

[Bob]

Isn't there always going to be something left out?  Thinking in terms of the traditional lesson format.  There will always be more they could have learned, more you could have done, etc. right?

[m1469]

A "complete" education, in the sense that there is nothing left to be learned, simply does not exist.   For those who are seeking more, they will always be finding more.

Along these lines, it is not music that a teacher teaches (because Music itself is always the very teacher), but rather, musicianship.  Training a person how to efficiently read a map and use a compass are indeed possible and this is ultimately the function of musicianship.

Furthermore, the purpose of a musical education is not merely to afford the musician enough knowledge to work "independently" of a teacher or of other people, but rather, for the musician's demonstration to be ultimately dependent on only Music's guiding.  Every aspect of this is a lifetime endeavor and encourages continuos growth.


m1469

[Bob]

Because that means as a teacher I don't have to try to make it so "complete" then.

[m1469]

Personally, I do not ever feel truly exempt from responsibility, to my Creator, to Music, to Myself, and to my students.  I also don't think that anybody is truly exempt from the responsiblity to grow.  But we are all individuals, of course, and we all demonstrate life in varying ways.

Although I know I cannot teach anybody everything (and I don't know everything), the point is, teaching people "things" is not the actual function of teaching in the first place.  So, in that sense, no, it should also not be the aim.   Students need, more than anything else, navigational skills (which are not exactly "things").

The point is to help the students to recognize the map and the compass, and learn how to use them to get where they need to get (or more accurately, where they "end" up).  And ultimately, they are the only ones that can get themselves there.  No amount of teaching of "things" will actually put a person where they need to be, they have to learn how to use them (which also takes guidence). 

In one sense, teaching a person to use a map and a compass can be very simple, and can be "completely" taught.  However, what they use it for will be ongoing.  And when it comes to music, obviously it seems more complicated than literally looking at a piece of metal with a magnet in it to point us in the right direction.  There are several skills to be cultivated, which have primarily to do with the ability to recognize, digest, and use the information they as individuals are presented with.  These are the skills that need to be focused on, and sharpened.

So, things like listening, learning how to practise efficiently, reading, honesty, etc. need to be cultivated within the student.  And while these skills will continue to grow, a teacher can indeed help to lay a solid foundation from which the student can step off from. 

In this process, while learning will indeed take place for the rest of one's life, the qualities of vitality, effiency, depth, and comprehensive organization, are by no means excused.    More than anything else, I aim for these qualities and strive to express them more clearly with everything that I do, including teaching, because that is my responsibility.


m1469 

[lostinidlewonder]

I agree with m1469 that we cannot completely transfer musical knowledge to anyone we choose. We must dedicate our own PRIVATE time to sit down and study and physically practice music, if we don't we get no where and more importantly if we practice without keeping guiding points our teacher has given us, we might as well have no teacher.

The music teacher to their student is exactly like a coach to the soccer team. The coach cannot make the players play better than they actually can, the coach trusts that the team knows what they can do but makes sure that they keep on track, train in the most effective way, keep the mind set right. Music teachers are the same, I think the mindset is so important to set and something most teachers miss out on. You must motivate your student, get excited with their success and puzzle over and solve their difficulties with them. They know all the work that is set for them, to make them excited about it and push/guide them through "perfect" practice procedure while you teach them is what music teaching is all about.

I doubt I could complete the students musical education, although I would love to just sit down put on a music CD for an hour with a student and get paid for it. The listening experience and exploration into what music is out there is always left up to the student because they are guided by their interest or learn to appreciate and develop interest with their exploration. Also I don't think my nerves could handle babysitting a student through their daily practice efforts 1 hour a week is enough!

Students must realise that musical practice is practice in heaps of different disiplines at once. It is practice in commitment, continually refining practice habits, developing the musical ear and developing physical musical touch. If either of these fail or are ingored the student will not progress as good as they should. The more information that the student has the better I do not for one second believe I know enough to help a student, but I have a lot of stuff to tell students to consider, how they discover the answers to them must be through many many sources because my own personal answers are my own, what I find out works best for me, what I have learnt from other greater musicians than myself and transfered into my own methodology.

With music you cannot do something how someone else does it, It is not like using a mathematics formulae and applying it. How you breath while playing the piano is different to everyone else, more obviously how your hands touch the keyboard is always different to someone else, it might be similar but different. This forces us to discover the way ourselves by watching others and moulding the information to make it our own. This is impossible to teach, you are just contintually throwing information out to your students and hope that they use it to their benefit, you cannot actually get into their heads and force changes, although I wish you could sometimes.

[bernhard]

m1469 and Lostinidlewonder (as they very often do) took the words of my mouth!

( I love these slim books with titles that start “The complete book of…”)

I think that although as a teacher you should aim for completeness (always aim for the impossible), your job will be done if you achieve comprehensiveness.

Good luck!

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[abell88]

m1469 and Lostinidlewonder (as they very often do) took the words of my mouth!

That's rather unsanitary, don't you think?

[steve jones]

I think that if you can train and prepare someone to develop on their own, then you've done your job well. Ultimately, that is whats its about - teachering the student to teach themselves!

Just not to soon, as they dont like to pay as much when you're no longer instructing them 

SJ

[keyofc]

My two cents - or nickel.
  I teach piano and believe that I am offering something very valuable.  However, I also have two teachers at the same time - one to help me in advanced classical, and one to help me in jazz.
   It seems the more I learn - the less I feel I know.
   And yet I am amazed at how much I thought I knew 5 years ago.
   I don't believe anyone could ever offer a complete musical understanding.  I'm learning from these teachers, and they occassionally notice something I'm doing that they don't learn. 
    I think you just have to know what you are offering is good, is promoting music  in the studen'ts lives and helping them to develop in music skills.
   I'm not afraid anymore to say, "I don't know", if a question is out of my range of knowledge, and then this can really help them see that music learning never ends.
 

[keyofc]

I meant  they occasionally notice something I'm doing that they didn't know.
I'm not trying to teach them...

[stevehopwood]

Isn't there always going to be something left out?  Thinking in terms of the traditional lesson format.  There will always be more they could have learned, more you could have done, etc. right?

Always, but time is limited.

All we can do is our best.

Steve