Student/teacher relation- “ship”. Set your sails for success!
One ship sails East,
And another West,
By the self-same winds that blow,
Tis the set of the sails
And not the gales,
That tells the way we go. -Ella Wheeler Wilcox-
I am sure every piano teacher will love that I am comparing us to a gale…but it’s not because we’re blowing hot air or because we are long-winded… though I suppose some of us can be. For any teacher though, the lessons and guidance they offer to their students is a constant driving force which some students accept and use to succeed while other students seem to have difficulty “catching the wind”. I am sure that there are many factors at play here but none so evident to me as the student’s relationship with his/her teacher.
Music is a subject that requires emotion, passion, and soul. All things that make us vulnerable. The degree of trust between teacher and student affects how well a student can learn music, which in turn affects how much a teacher can teach that student. If a student is uncomfortable asking questions or trying something different with a piece or if they don’t feel that they can be honest about how much practice they accomplished, it makes the teacher’s job very difficult and eventually the student will become stuck and frustrated.
I encourage my own students to view me as their coach. My goal is to see them succeed. I am trying to help them power their ship so they can go places! What can the student do to make the student/teacher relationship work?
- talk to your teacher honestly about how your practice went, your likes and dislikes when it comes to song choice, your goals
- ask questions. If you don’t understand something ask!! The more you ask, the more you learn!
- take constructive criticism openly (not personally). If you could already play like an expert, you wouldn’t need a teacher. Your teacher’s comments help you to improve.
- remember your teacher is on your side and wants you to succeed and have FUN!
