Is learning supposed to be "fun?"

[Bob]

Or maybe just enjoyable?

Or work?

I hear people say, "Learning should be fun," but I wonder if it's supposed to be.


An open-ended question.

[pianistimo]

for very young students - fun = bribes (unless they're really musical)
for more mature and self motivated students fun = practice
for adult students who are half crazy  fun = 1/2 practice 1/2 talking on forums (or 3/4  on forums)
for performing artists fun = practicing all the time

 i now have  clown mask (made in art class by my daughter) to wear when i am not practicing.  the deterioration in my skills is growing day by day.  i must go back to practicing more and stop having so much fun on piano forum.  this is almsot as much fun as practicing.

[ingagroznaya]

Learning should be learning, Bob. Sometimes fun, sometimes not so.
No one bribed us in Russia, Pianistimo. My first teacher would throw my books at me and sent me home to practice. I would come back for more abuse each time because I wanted to LEARN what she knows.

[thalbergmad]

When i was very young, i had to be bribed to practice.

I got 1 custard cream every half hour.

It worked.

Thalx

[pianistimo]

i admire your courage, ingogroznia.  in the public schools, if you threw a book at someone (literally or figuratively) it might be construed as child abuse.  maybe kids need some challenges that aren't so easy (as with someone being disappointed and showing it, when they don't practice).  that was the old days here. 

thal, you always make me laugh.  custard cream?  mmm.  but EVERY half hour? 

[henrah]

I would prefer borbons.

Mmmmmmmmm,
Henrah

[thalbergmad]

I would prefer borbons.

Mmmmmmmmm,
Henrah

Thats inflation for you.

Thalx

[bearzinthehood]

A while ago a came across a book which I believe was called, "A Theory of Fun."  Its basic premise was that what is fun (in certain contexts) is learning in a controlled environment.  Perhaps it's an oversimplification and the book wasn't about piano, but it's an interesting and surprisingly accurate concept nonetheless.

[tac-tics]

To me, practicing is just plain better than being bored.

[steve jones]

When i was very young, i had to be bribed to practice.

I got 1 custard cream every half hour.

It worked.

Thalx

Lol, thats funny cuz my mother used to force feed me one custard cream if I DIDNT practice!

SJ

[m1469]

The ideal, in my opinion, is for the lessons we learn to be meaningful, and that can happen whether it is fun during the process of learning or not.  Sometimes it's fun to learn certain lessons, and sometimes it just plain sucks to learn others.  Ultimately, what I want for both me and/or for my students is to have growth taking place, and for the lessons being learned to provide confidence/wisdom toward future endeavors.


m1469 Fox

[gorbee natcase]

Its fun when its going well and you are progressing/Work when you come to a near standstill

[alwaystheangel]

Learning should be learning, Bob. Sometimes fun, sometimes not so.
No one bribed us in Russia, Pianistimo. My first teacher would throw my books at me and sent me home to practice. I would come back for more abuse each time because I wanted to LEARN what she knows.

My piano teacher throws books at me too, but it's good for me, and after being hit in the head with one of those, you sure learn quickly.

 For children, piano has to be fun or they will never learn it, it isn't instant gratification like everything else, so teachers now have to work harder to maintain students.

Classical music is a dying art. Simple as that. we have to do whatever we must to save it

[penguinlover]

I think learning should be fulfilling.  Sometimes it is fun, sometimes it is challenging, sometimes it is just hard work.  But  the end justifies the means,  if you are pleased with the results, it is fun. 

When I was a kid, my parents disciplined me by "taking away" my practice time!  That's sure a twist from the normal, but it worked (usually).  I hope that classical music isn't a dying art, sometimes I fear it is too.  I sure hope we're wrong about that!

[stevehopwood]

Depends what you mean by 'fun', I suppose.

That apart, I love the bribery stories here.

I use Cadbury's Heroes chocolates to bribe my child pupils. Ok, so the official term is 'positive reinforcement', but 'bribery and corruption' is really a more accurate descriptionn

Steve 

[mike_lang]

I don't know if fun is the word, but I suppose sometimes that can be the case.  It is more of satisfying a curiosity.

[alwaystheangel]

why are so many people determined that you cannot learn piano and have fun at the same time?
Did you struggle through lessons (as everyone has) and now must make it like an everest for others that are interested in learning.
Learning can be fun if you make it fun.  Piano can be fun if it's made fun.  I sing, dance clap and play with my students and they learn and they ENJOY it, it's fun and they learn about m usic too. They are young and the only way to keep their attention is by making it as fun and entertaining as possible, there is nothing wrong with that, if and when they decide that they want to be serious with piano, it will happen, but they are norml kids and normal kids like to enjoy themselves. there's no reason why classical music in particular have this aversion to fun.  Maybe that's why some are so odd, they've had the fun sucked out of them by fun-suckers and they've become fun-suckers themselves.

[penguinlover]

You are so right.  I think if the teacher has fun, the student will have fun.  I do much of the same things you mentioned.  It IS fun!

[bearzinthehood]

Compared to electrical engineering, piano is fun.  It's all relative. 

[Tash]

i don't know if it should necessarily be 'fun'. like not everything is fun. however it should be inspiring, like it's a challenge, and may frustrate the hell out of you,  but you want to do it, and want to learn more. you should be learning something. teaching everything so it's fun might not get the students learning much. like we had a lecturer for ed psych last week, and he was funny and stuff, but i personally learnt bugger all (perhaps because the topic had bugger all in it!). eg. i don't believe bribing makes something fun, the kid just wants the food, but that doesn't mean they care or are learning anything productive.

[keyofc]

I don't think learning should be fun or unfun.  If you can make it fun, great!
But you shouldn't focus on fun.  That's when the kids stop learning and just have fun.
And then at your recital they all have fun but you dont'.....

[stevehopwood]

I don't think learning should be fun or unfun.  If you can make it fun, great!
But you shouldn't focus on fun.

My feelings too. I keep the mood in lessons light; there is usually a lot of laughter. Sometimes the lessons are good fun too; it all depends on the context and content of the lesson, and the nature of the child.

Some children respond to humour very well. Some do not; these are nearly impossible to have any fun with 

Steve 

[cora]

I don't know if learning should be fun for the student, but I know it has to be fun for me the teacher. If it's fun for me, there's a good chance it's fun for them.

[alwaystheangel]

I don't know if learning should be fun for the student, but I know it has to be fun for me the teacher. If it's fun for me, there's a good chance it's fun for them.

That's very true.  Teaching can get really repetitive and boring if you're not careful.

[keyofc]

I do try to make lessons fun if it works.
But why not just revert back to our learning experience?
Was it fun?
I learned the most from people who did not try to make it fun, but made the concepts interesting.
Sometimes it was very hard - the only fun was when I finally got through it.
I think it is better to be encouraging as one progresses than to be worried about them having fun.
You need a lot of disicpline to play well - and practice right.

[chocolatedog]

But I think kids these days are different - they are growing up in a technical world where everything is big and bright, and concentration spans are less than they used to be, and we have to compete against that. To an 8 year old boy, which seems more interesting - piano practice, or time on the playstation?? The number of older people I have spoken to who told me they had to practise because if they got it wrong in the lesson, their teacher would rap them on the knuckles with a ruler. Do you think that's preferable? Definitely not. You wouldn't get away with that these days, so instead of fear, you have to make it fun and stimulating to get their attention away from playstation, and football etc. If the lessons are fun and enjoyable, and you teach them ways of making practice more enjoyable (eg ideas from the practicespot website) they will be more likely to want to practise.

[joyfulmusic]

I tell all my students first lesson I have only one rule, "It has to be fun or we don't do it".  That is immensely practical.  Piano lessons are optional.  So why would anyone continue if they didn't like the music or the teacher or the darn piano?  Do I cajole, do I act silly sometimes, yep!  I'll pick up a hand and "talk to the finger" (usually finger number four) and say S'llright, you play now s'allright?, s'allright.  I can't keep up with the demand for my teaching.  And my kids are kicking some serious butt on the piano.  I think forcefed learning is a crock.  Just my opinion.

[alwaystheangel]

I agree whole heartedly!  Kids won't do it unless their parents force them if lessons aren't fun.  They can totally learn and have fun at the same time.

I find I learn far more in an interesting and humorous lecture than a dull monotonous one.

[sportsmonster]

my best fealing ever on the piano, is to stuggle and practice a piece for a long time (often beeing fustrated) and the afterwords finishing the whole piece. What a great feeling. knowing that you have overcomed a great challenge. And making evrything worth it.
That is fun, but i do admit that sometimes i dont bother to practice, and just play the same pieces over and over again just for pleasure

[alwaystheangel]

but I hope you realize that being an adult that is a "fun" feeling, kids don't find that fun.