What makes you like a student?

[wwalrus]

What makes a student stand out and what makes them likable?

[Bob]

Willingness to work.

Independent thinking.

Not too critical of me as a teacher.

Nice personality, easy going.

[pianoslav]

My main motivation to teach is seeing progress in my students. That's why I like the students that are the most gratifying to teach. So I guess one of the biggest factors is someone who practices regularly. However, not just blind practice but students who practice actively and think about what I told them to do during lessons.

Also, I like the students who you can tell are very interested in the music (for example, listen to the music at home, acquire some outside knowledge about the music like other compositions by the same composer, etc). This makes it very interesting for me to be around them just on the level of a music lover.

Lastly, I appreciate students that are honest with me about their goals and intentions when they first begin lessons with me, so that I could see if we would be a good fit for each other and I could know what I can focus on with the particular student. This saves me the trouble of dealing with students who consider lessons to be a burden for one reason or another.

Now some reasons for disliking students:
Frequent cancellations
Arguing during lessons
Not touching a piano all week until showing up to the lesson
Not working on the things that I tell them to work on
Expecting a refund after missing a lesson and a number of other ways that one can try to lower the amount they have to pay the next month
Telling me a reason why they're missing a lesson (being in bed sick) that they themselves don't remember and a few months later mentioning that they were out of town in vacation for a week (why do you have to lie?!) 

[keyofc]

Students who like a challenge.

[monkeyb]

Students who listen to their own playing and smile when they know they are getting it~

[keypeg]

Pianoslav, thank you for your careful and detailed answer.  I think it will help a lot of students and parents reading this thread.

[pianoslav]

Pianoslav, thank you for your careful and detailed answer.  I think it will help a lot of students and parents reading this thread.

Thanks. I think it is important for the student to see something from the teacher's perspective once in a while. All teachers have been students before, so it is a lot easier for us to relate to our students, but it's a lot more difficult for students to relate to their teachers.

[bmajazz]

There are several types of students I like:

First: Students who care.  Apathy kills all.

Besides that obvious statement... favorites are:

1) The diligent practicer who is not super-creative.  They always work on the music, practice, even notice and include dynamic markings, phrase markings etc.  They almost always come in able to play the song from start to finish.  They are usually not the most creative/dynamic musical talent I see, but they are dedicated and easy to direct.  This sort of student usually has an involved parent who guides the practicing.  One of my most reliable students has a teacher-parent (schoolteacher)

2) The wild, free-spirit with lots of talent.  These are the ones who are always noodling.  I would have been more like this if my Mom hadn't been there to guide my practicing and insist that I be very respectful.  These ones are interested in learning lots of different things.  They can be very difficult to teach if they are short on self-discipline, but their fire for music is wonderful.

3) For me, the older students who want to learn about jazz theory and harmony.  It's a nice chance to get into some head-space, rather than some of my other students, who must be reminded that half notes are still 2 beats, thank you very much.

4) The ones who work out of the method books well but also bring in outside music they want to learn.  Again, a challenge, but it allows a connection with their own internal muse.

[m1469]

What makes a student stand out and what makes them likable?

There is not just one thing, necessarily, or one type of individual that I enjoy.  Ultimately, I like each individual uniquely.  However, I believe this question to be more about what characteristics I appreciate in a student to the point of me considering them to be a "good" student.  At this point in time, my biggest desire is to see my entire student-body in general become more proactive in their learning and to take more initiative while at home, to connect the dots.  It is something that I genuinely do not easily relate to; for students to not take it upon themselves to actively look for patterns in music, to not take what they learn in one area and apply it in another and at the very least, to not even try (whether they succeed or not) nor have the desire to try.  And I mean from day #1.  

There are still gaps in the beginner that are difficult for me to fully comprehend because, as I come to realize more and more, it must be the student themselves who ultimately fill the gaps with the desire to learn and grow - and that quality seems rare!

I am still compiling strategies and employing them (lately I resemble a person who is building/assembling/writing a method book), in hopes to help shore up the gaps, to make connecting the dots more apparent, and I will probably do that for the rest of my life (unless my life leads/is leading me away from music and teaching!)!  But there is always going to be a responsibility for the student to take, no matter what any teacher under the sun can possibly do on behalf of their students (and that is endless), and I certainly appreciate those individuals who seek and take those responsibilities!

[raindropshome]

Agree.

[raindropshome]

Agree

[outin]

Agree

Maybe we should all start doing this instead of...well, you know...

[kobethuy]

What would you guys think about a student like me?

I am an independent thinker, worker. I like to choose my own piece and my own repertoire. I do my own research. I discuss them with my teacher. I discuss my choice of techniques, executions with my teacher, figuring out the pros & cons. I work on pieces independently, I asked my teacher to only help me with difficult passages, technical stuffs. I discuss my interpretations, etc... Since I started out as a self-learner.

Luckily my teacher is very easy going with me. Probably due to my initiative.

I have only one habit which I'm trying to get rid of is to fully learn a piece before moving on, and avoid over learning too many pieces which I left unfinished.

Cheers,
Kobe Thuy

[carl_h]

What would you guys think about a student like me?

I am an independent thinker, worker. I like to choose my own piece and my own repertoire. I do my own research. I discuss them with my teacher. I discuss my choice of techniques, executions with my teacher, figuring out the pros & cons. I work on pieces independently, I asked my teacher to only help me with difficult passages, technical stuffs. I discuss my interpretations, etc... Since I started out as a self-learner.

Luckily my teacher is very easy going with me. Probably due to my initiative.

I have only one habit which I'm trying to get rid of is to fully learn a piece before moving on, and avoid over learning too many pieces which I left unfinished.

Cheers,
Kobe Thuy

Here, have some attention

[kobethuy]

Here, have some attention

Can I have a cookie as well sir ? xD lol