So I teach guitar. Mainly to kids. I'm teaching an exhausting amount of kids at the moment simply because there's no other teachers with vacancies in town and I can't say no. I can't bear the idea of sticking them on a waiting list for next year. But finally, I am saying no, by moving away at the end of this year. It's a tough decision, and loyalty to these students is the main reason I find it hard. Somewhere in there I've realised that I have to put my own well-being ahead of their learning progress, and I'm ready to go.
I was planning to write this post with a digression in this paragraph that I'm not actually loyal to all my students. That there are some that I really couldn't care less about. I sat here and listed them mentally, and sure I've got my favourites, but I must be in a far more positive mood today because I've found merits in them all. Even the ones who don't put effort in, I believe I just haven't cracked them yet. There's a way to influence each student positively, even if they don't keep at the instrument, and some kids... well, I just haven't found the way for them yet. It takes longer for me to figure them out, but it doesn't mean that I won't.
My favourites will be the ones I really miss. Mostly these kids are enthusiastic and dedicated. They express their personalties and feel comfortable enough around me to joke and laugh, but still get the work done. Before I leave them all I plan to write a description of each one for myself, so that I can look back and remember how much they've come to mean to me.
Today's post is inspired by a girl I taught yesterday. She is tiny. She's somewhere around the eight years old mark, but tiny for her age also. She sits there with her little red quarter size guitar and blows me away every week. She loves it so much that she comes back having done twice the amount of set work every week, but not in a half-arsed I want to get to the good stuff so I'll rush through this way. She does it all perfectly, with dedication.
Since she's so tiny, she can't touch the floor when she sits on the chair. I've experimented with a smaller chair for her, but basically she's in between chair heights and the higher one is better for her. The little smartie sits there and swings her legs for the entire lesson. What amazes me constantly is that she can swing her legs at a totally different tempo to whatever she is playing and it does not affect her at all. Seriously, she should take up the drums also. Polyrhythms would come naturally to her.
She asked me yesterday for a new "really good" peice to learn for her school talent show:
"I go in it every year - [this is only her third year at school]
- most people go in it for the lollies, but I don't like lollies. I give them away to my friends. I just go in it for the fun."
Oh hell, kiddo. You're one of those special ones that I really, really don't like losing.
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5 comments:
Yup; if she's in it for the love of it you've got a winner there, Groover.
I could never have your patience when teaching. The only people I've taught over the past twenty years or so are established guitar players who want to be "special" (but invariably are dickwads … if they had the ability to go beyond "ordinary", they would already have done) or classical players who want to be able to improvise and play jazz (much more fun).
If faced by a kid with a small guitar and a lot of hope I'd run a mile.
Another reason you are awesome, Vic.
she does sound like a treasure. <3
Dive - every time I face a brand new kid with a small guitar I do mentally run a mile. Once I start into a lesson, though, I'm fine.
You mention teaching classical players who want to be able to improvise and play jazz . Do you find there's a major gap between classical and jazz playing/thinking? I've always had an interest in both, but I've met quite a few who are only classical players and cannot comprehend a chord chart. That blows me away.
Ms. Avarice - She is a little treasure.
=) Nice story Vic - she does sound awesome!
As soon as I have my guitar up here I'm going to take guitar lessons (I've moved to the city). You'd hate me, I'm one of those keen ones that does OK until it gets hard. I've tried teaching myself a few times - I'm hoping a teacher will help keep me focused, and I'll finally be able to get a handle on barr chords.
Where are you moving to?
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