Getting Up Close And Personal...

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Getting Up Close And Personal..., things you see on home visits

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Beagle	Jul 14 2009, 07:37 AM Post #1
Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 215 Joined: 29-February 08 Member No.: 26031	I was just thinking after a particualrly memorable(?) home visit yesterday how much I see of my students' lives because I'm a home visit teacher. Previously I only taught at home or schools and didn't know too much about my students as I was too busy trying to churn them out one after another! I definitely know my home visit students as people much better than students I teach at school. Yesterday I visited a young bachelor at his home for lessons. While I waited for my usual cup of water, I couldn't help but notice next to his sofa a stash of porno magazines (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blush.gif) When I went to use his bathroom I noticed his girlfriend's undergarments drying on a rail... While I found this rather funny and I'm a woman, I'm sure some teachers would be very uncomfortable with this. On a different note, another student I visit is a talented artist and has her paintings all over the wall which really made me see her differently. Some children surprise me too, with their already flowering cooking skills or the responsibility they show towards a pet, even if they don't show much responsibility towards practice! I'd love to hear some more stories from home visit teachers, I hope I'm not the only person who has seen embarrassing things I shouldn't have seen!

fsharpminor	Jul 14 2009, 08:24 AM Post #2
Maestro Group: Members Posts: 12247 Joined: 7-June 06 From: Wirral (originally Keighley, Yorks) Member No.: 7089	Are you sure they were his girlfriend's ?? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

petrat	Jul 14 2009, 08:31 AM Post #3
Unregistered	Very occasionally I have visited pupil's homes. I am often amazed at the difficult circumstances in which some of them have to practise, having poor instruments that are never tunes and cold rooms with poor lighting. Now I have words about good playing and practice conditions with any new students and their parents and often suggest that a good digital piano is a far better alternative than an old banger of a piano that will be replaced "if the student shows any interest." I don't think that I would be concerned about anything else very much.

river	Jul 14 2009, 08:32 AM Post #4
Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 688 Joined: 29-October 08 From: Charlbury, UK Member No.: 43415	QUOTE(Beagle @ Jul 14 2009, 08:37 AM) When I went to use his bathroom I noticed his girlfriend's undergarments drying on a rail... While I found this rather funny and I'm a woman, I'm sure some teachers would be very uncomfortable with this. why? everyone wears underwear... i don't see why it's something to be embarrassed about.

violoboist	Jul 14 2009, 09:41 AM Post #5
Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 269 Joined: 13-January 07 From: Huddersfield Member No.: 9023	Hmmm... I beg to differ. Whenever I'm expecting a student, all washing, undies included is moved out of sight!

Digby	Jul 14 2009, 09:50 AM Post #6
Prodigy Group: Members Posts: 1780 Joined: 21-January 04 Member No.: 480	I don't think you notice things in other peoples houses, well I don't, I think you just accept them as they are and I feel far more relaxed in houses that do have a lived in feel, but in your own home you notice every muddle (and believe me I have a lot) I've got to the point where the first time I meet my new students I apologise for my muddles and just say that I'd far rather play the piano than tidy up. If they ever went in the kitchen though there is a huge, mountainous pile of clean washing - undies 'n all, waiting to be sorted and ironed. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif) Might have hidden the porn though? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

music margaret	Jul 14 2009, 10:33 AM Post #7
Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 392 Joined: 17-July 08 Member No.: 35286	I teach at a number of pupils homes as I teach a reasonable number of home educated children. I find it really useful to see the instrument that these pupils are practising on and am able to give advice re. heights of stools etc. These families take their childrens lessons very seriously, they sit in on the lesson, and only disturb to ask really sensible and helpful questions. I also get to meet the younger members of the family and they become comfortable with me as I'm able to involve them in small ways in some of the lessons before they actually get to the point of starting learning in their own right. I haven't had any embarrassing occasions, fortunately, but I quite often get some very nice cake! I also teach at home, and, like others, playing the piano and oboe is of much more importance to me than having an immaculately tidy home. Although I do think it's important to have a usable and welcoming teaching area - I've just added some goldfish to mine!

Digby	Jul 14 2009, 10:54 AM Post #8
Prodigy Group: Members Posts: 1780 Joined: 21-January 04 Member No.: 480	QUOTE(music margaret @ Jul 14 2009, 11:33 AM) Although I do think it's important to have a usable and welcoming teaching area - I've just added some goldfish to mine! I used to have that, but they didn't last very long - I'm not an experienced fish keeper and I fear they may have been overfed by everyone wanting to feed them. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif)

Beagle	Jul 14 2009, 11:01 AM Post #9
Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 215 Joined: 29-February 08 Member No.: 26031	QUOTE(fsharpminor @ Jul 14 2009, 09:24 AM) Are you sure they were his girlfriend's ?? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) Tha'ts hilarious (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) this guy is a really big, masculine sporty kind of person, and to imagine him with frilly undies...let's not go there! QUOTE(river @ Jul 14 2009, 09:32 AM) QUOTE(Beagle @ Jul 14 2009, 08:37 AM) When I went to use his bathroom I noticed his girlfriend's undergarments drying on a rail... While I found this rather funny and I'm a woman, I'm sure some teachers would be very uncomfortable with this. why? everyone wears underwear... i don't see why it's something to be embarrassed about. I was mostly referring to the mags! Surely you don't want your young female teacher to know that you buy a rather a lot of those, and put them in a pile for everyone to see!

music margaret	Jul 14 2009, 11:04 AM Post #10
Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 392 Joined: 17-July 08 Member No.: 35286	QUOTE(Digby @ Jul 14 2009, 11:54 AM) QUOTE(music margaret @ Jul 14 2009, 11:33 AM) Although I do think it's important to have a usable and welcoming teaching area - I've just added some goldfish to mine! I used to have that, but they didn't last very long - I'm not an experienced fish keeper and I fear they may have been overfed by everyone wanting to feed them. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif) Husband is a vet with a particular interest in fish medicine, so here's hoping!

ymapazagain	Jul 14 2009, 01:35 PM Post #11
Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 226 Joined: 14-July 07 From: Hobart, Tasmania Member No.: 13146	QUOTE(Digby @ Jul 14 2009, 11:54 AM) QUOTE(music margaret @ Jul 14 2009, 11:33 AM) Although I do think it's important to have a usable and welcoming teaching area - I've just added some goldfish to mine! I used to have that, but they didn't last very long - I'm not an experienced fish keeper and I fear they may have been overfed by everyone wanting to feed them. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif) Oh, me too...The first two lasted a couple of weeks and the second two only lasted a couple of days. I am a fish murderer (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) The second pair of fish died just before an afternoon's teaching. I can't bear to look at them let alone scoop them out and flush them when they're dead - that's my boyfriend's job! But he wasn't home so I had to just cover them up with a tea-towel!!! The worst bit was trying to find a nice way of explaining to all of the little children why the fish weren't there any more. It was all too distressing...no more fish for me! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) I do find it fascinating to see how other people live when I do house visits. I have been lucky to have a students in some of the swankier parts of London - some people's houses are incredible!

pianocelloflute	Jul 14 2009, 01:46 PM Post #12
Prodigy Group: Members Posts: 1274 Joined: 27-April 06 Member No.: 6766	I once went to a student's house for their very first flute lesson (she was 8 at the time). It was an immaculate house, but she did ask me whether I wanted to go on the trampoline (I politely declined that one!), or whether I wanted to see her bedroom (again I politely declined, pointing out that her parents were paying for me to teach her flute). Afterwards, I went into the kitchen to talk to her Mum- and as they were family friends they knew I don't like fish/dogs- so the fish tank was covered in a towel, and the dog was only heard and not seen. Was quite amusing, but much appreciated! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) I haven't done any other home visits for lesson- as I don't drive it is much easier for people to come to me. I have occasionally accompanied in other people's houses, and was again asked whether I wanted a go on the trampoline (I don't quite know what it is about me that makes me look like someone who wants to go on trampolines! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif))

anacrusis	Jul 14 2009, 02:16 PM Post #13
Virtuoso Group: Members Posts: 5231 Joined: 1-October 05 From: Edinburgh, Scotland Member No.: 4852	Contrary to popular misconceptions, our profession still does lots of home visits and I'm often amazed by how much more I learn of a family from these than I can possibly do in my surgery - I find all aspects of peoples' lives fascinating, and one of the great privileges I enjoy in my job is being trusted with extensive family histories, knowledge of extended networks of friendships and enmities, and being accepted into homes is the biggest honour of them all. I could do without the smelly and aggressive pets in some of them, I admit, and occasionally have to sit on my bag rather than risk any of the furniture: I'm also more aware than ever of what a positive difference the progressive bans on smoking have made, as I try to get through a consultation in a brownish-blue fug without coughing, and have to hang my coat outside to air after (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ill.gif). We get though to see family photos, and all the family likenesses, and hear of other aspects of their lives: and as far as "literature" or underwear goes - if I've not seen it in one place or another, then it probably doesn't exist...

skylark	Jul 14 2009, 10:53 PM Post #14
Unregistered	I had the plumber here today - I just hope there isn't a similar thread to this on a plumbers' forum somewhere (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

maggiemay	Jul 15 2009, 07:20 AM Post #15
Maestro Group: Members Posts: 18069 Joined: 12-January 04 From: S E England Member No.: 413	QUOTE(skylark @ Jul 14 2009, 11:53 PM) I had the plumber here today - I just hope there isn't a similar thread to this on a plumbers' forum somewhere (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) bound to be !

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