They say that we teach the way we have been taught before. I tend to agree with this statement, although I also believe that we should teach as we would have liked to have been taught, if there was ever a time or a learning area where we might have felt let down.
How does this reflect on my teaching? Well, generally speaking, if a certain approach I employ does not yield the desired results, then I take it not as the student’s fault, but my own. From then on, new strategies would need to be devised.
If you are reading these lines then probably you are looking for a piano teacher. It is very difficult to get an idea of someone’s teaching style without experiencing it firsthand, but I hope the following will help you in gaining a certain insight into my teaching, one that can help you decide whether I would be the right instructor for you!
So, let us assume that you are my potential student. My main priority would be getting to know your individual personal traits. Of course this is something that cannot be accomplished in one single lesson, and not even after twenty lessons! It is a process that goes hand in hand with teaching in the long term. Having sat on the student bench for all my life, when I first began teaching I realised (to my surprise and slight shock!) how vulnerable the position of the student in the teaching studio is; and what an amazing bird eye’s view is available at the teacher’s chair! The roles assumed make it impossible for the student to hide their feelings and extremely easy for the teacher to pick-up on the student’s state of mind -from then on, finding the right approach becomes a much easier endeavour!
So I would aim to know your flaws and fortes. Only in this way could I accurately perceive how you react to my teaching instructions, my criticism, my words of encouragement and praise. This will determine the approach to take at large and also in specific situations. Let me give you an example: let us say that the way you play scales mortifies you, and for whichever reason you don’t really want me to be aware of how bad they really are, say, because I may conclude that you didn’t practise them enough. OK, so from my powerful teacher’s spot I have noticed how embarrassed you are and how hard you are trying to hide the fact that you really don’t know your scales. What would I do?
a) Yell at you because you really are bad!
b) Ask you to practice harder and play again for me in the next lesson.
c) Ask myself why it is that your scales are so bad! Have I taught them correctly? Have you really practised? If so, what is the problem: technical, a certain mental block? If not, is it because you don’t like scales? OK, so how can I help you to develop a love for scales?
I hope you chose option c. Right then, let us move on.
If you were my student, I would talk a lot about practice. I am not referring to quantity though, but to quality; not how much, but how.
Practice is a subject I have greatly reflected upon for many years. -I will soon be adding to the site some writings that tell more about my views on practice, including my MMus dissertation, which dealt with practice and its relationship to individual differences. I believe that the way you play has been greatly shaped by the way you have practised; so I would give you practice tips, or practise with you during the lesson.
Something else that you should know about my teaching style is that I am very picky. Don’t get discouraged, I only want you to get better!
It is probably worth mentioning that I consider myself to be a musician before a pianist. So I will try my best to help you develop your musicianship, as opposed to drive you down the path to becoming a heartless type-writer! In my opinion, technique should be at the serive of music, and not the other way around.
I have known some teachers (fortunately for me they were not my teachers) who used to ask students to play exactly the way they did. Some people may favour this approach, but I most certainly do not! I will make sure that you stay on-track, but the path choice is your own!
If you would like to book a consultation lesson or have a chat, please use the contact form, I would love to hear from you!