Posted by Steve Dedman on August 10, 2001 at 09:01:58:
In Reply to: Student Questions.... posted by Jay on August 09, 2001 at 22:46:00:
If he is old enough to understand the concept, it might help to start teaching some subdivision counting. Also, while I know it might be artistically painful, listen to the local bubble-gum radio station in town and use one of the current pop hits with a dotted-quarter-eighth figure as an example he might hear all the time. Also encourage him to try to pick it out in songs he hears on the radio.
Since he seems to be able to get it when you point it out, I have to wonder if he is learning to look ahead in his music at all. My first band director alway taught me that if I was looking at what I was playing, then I was probably going to be behind. I usually am trying to look a couple of beats ahead, as I suspect just about everyone does, conciously or not.
As far as how long to go, my feeling is that if this student really wants to learn the horn, I am going to exhaust every effort in trying to teach him until it is obvious that there is no chance. I take it as a challenge of my skills as a tutor and teacher, and the more I am forced to rethink methods for one student, the more I teach myself about teaching. You learn to play by practicing that which you cannot currently play. I have the same philosophy about difficult or complex students. I am learning more about being an effective lesson teacher when I have to "practice" it.
Try not to get discouraged on him; he's already probably a little dicouraged, and if he sees a hint of it in you, he'll pick up on it. Be as positive as you can, and he'll want to try harder to "get it."
Good luck,
Steve