Posted by Bob on February 14, 2000 at 10:45:55:
In Reply to: If you are a private teacher PleaseRead posted by A Student on February 09, 2000 at 21:41:48:
My 2-cents worth. I am not a professional musician or have I ever tried to be one. I have played the tuba for many years and have enjoyed it very much. I have taught in other fields and have a son learning French Horn. In other words, a student a teacher and a parent at different times.
Most of the posts here assume that 'A Student' is a performance major in some music school setting. With that assumption, the posts are valid. Otherwise, they might not be.
The sole objective of teaching is for learning to take place. Many teachers lose sight of this objective and lose their effectiveness as teachers. The music business is 'survival of the fittest' but that isn't a very good teaching technique. In all I have read about Arnold Jacobs, nobody ever said they came away discouraged. Sometimes overwhelmed but not discouraged. They seemed to come away with a new sense of where to go next.
Teachers have two tools; communication and demonstration. Mr. Zerkel's post is good communication; the student knows what is expected and what to expect. The language is clear and concise. I used to work with a man who had a sign "Eschew Obfuscation" in his office. That says it all. Communication can break down on both sides but a good teacher tries different approaches to getting it to work. Every student is different and will respond differently.
I have had teachers who won't pick up the horn. Sometimes demonstration is the best tool. Why did they not want to use it?
Learning is an intense and sometimes difficult experience. To do it, the student must put in the required effort. However, good teaching is an art which is no less difficult than a public performance. In my experience, the best results are acheived when both the student and the teacher are giving it their best effort.