Essentials for Teaching

[m1469]

I am just thinking.  What do you feel have been essential aspects/elements in helping you to develop your studio ?

Particular books ?
Particular experience/training ?

How have these things directly affected you as a teacher ?

Out of everything, I would say that one of the leading aspects for me has been my work with kids and people in various venues, prior to (and including) teaching music/piano.  I have done a lot of research on various other things, but learning how to relate with kids/people is probably what I consider to be the most essential element.  I think this way because it seems that if you can "reach" the individual at their level, no matter what the particular knowledge or skill that is trying to be learned, something will be gained during the process.  You can have all the knowledge and skill in the world, but without the ability to "reach" an individual those former things are useless.

[m]

I am just thinking.  What do you feel have been essential aspects/elements in helping you to develop your studio ?

Quality of teaching, I guess.

[m1469]

Quality of teaching, I guess.

ha ha... fine, but then what makes it/has made it the "quality" that it is ?  How does a person truly develop the quality of their teaching ?

(sorry, can't seem to help myself from asking )

[m]

ha ha... fine, but then what makes it/has made it the "quality" that it is ?  How does a person truly develop the quality of their teaching ?

Lots of learning and thinking, I guess  .

[m1469]

Lots of learning and thinking, I guess  .

arghety 

[nyonyo]

The ability to recognize the ability of your students. Some are talented and some are not. You have to adjust to their ability and also their goal.

The adjustment, however, should go hand in hand with your goal. If you want to be known as a piano teacher who produces great pianist, first you have to be selective in choosing your student and also in forcing them to follow the regimens that you believe will produce a great pianist. But if your goal is to provide services to all kinds of people, you need to be much more flexible.

There is no one answer for this....Again, it depends on what you want to achieve.

To give a serious piano lesson is much more difficult task than to provide merry and cheerful piano lesson. It does not take a lot to be easy going.

From my experience, normal kids do not learn fast. Because they have normal ability and they do not practice seriously. If most of your students are in this category, you should not be too demanding...Otherwise, they will quit!

[m]

From my experience, normal kids do not learn fast.

This is contrary to my experience. I in fact, believe that kids are much smarter than we ever give them credit and like a spounge absorb everything and anything (good or bad) in extremely fast rate.

The key is to believe in them, trust them, encourage them, make them feel they are not little kids and passionately talk to them as to adults and your peers, talk about whole range of human ideas and emotions.

Then you will see how wide their eyes would open, how they'd look at you, how hard they'd try not to upset you with unprepared lesson, how had they'd try not to let you down.

[schubertiad]

That is inspiring Marik, but you've obviously never taught Max, who I have for 45 minutes every thursday...

[nyonyo]

how hard they'd try not to upset you with unprepared lesson, how had they'd try not to let you down.

Kids like these are not normal kids. Normal kids do not even know what they have to practice. Your kind of kids are  mature and really eager to play piano well.

In addition, what age group are you talking about. If they are between 4 and 6, how could they learn fast, they do not even know how to count well. Everything is through hearing and also a little bit of reading...not logic..

If a little kid can play say 4 against 3 easily, this kid is also not normal. Normal human being has difficulty to do this without a lot of practicing.

[nyonyo]

That is inspiring Marik, but you've obviously never taught Max, who I have for 45 minutes every thursday...

Have you ever yelled to that little devil ??

[chocolatedog]

A good sense of humour and fun, and a lack of inhibition all help! I have (over the years) cracked jokes, spoken in silly voices, danced round the room.....etc etc. One of these days I will grow up (but not just yet!!!!  )