Teacher Not Used To Teaching Adults

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Teacher Not Used To Teaching Adults, funny comment from teacher during lesson....

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missypiano	Mar 6 2009, 02:22 PM Post #1
Unregistered	On my first lesson with my present teacher a year ago, as I sat on the stool to play her a piece she said very loudly "wow you're tall, well better to sit a bit higher than lower". At that point I realised that even though she'd been teaching for over 40 years she was probably more used to teaching young children (I'm hardly 7f...a normal 5'7" !!!) But yesterday was the funniest one...I had just finished playing a piece when she shouted "good girl"!!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) I'm 43!!!!! She apologised profusely straight away saying it just came out. I couldn't stop laughing (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) I told her not to apologise and to carry on complimenting my playing in that way as it's just so funny!!!! I was still laughing on my way home!! Has your teacher ever said anything unexpected??

Tequila	Mar 6 2009, 02:45 PM Post #2
Virtuoso Group: Members Posts: 3877 Joined: 3-July 08 Member No.: 34208	My teacher is familiar with teaching adults as much as children but one day she said "You don't need a star do you?" when I'd played a piece well. I said "I'd like one please" and then was so proud of myself. I then asked her another time if I could get a star when I'd achieved a good standard on another piece. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) I think there's a little of the child in each of us and we like it nurturing whatever age we are. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

TSax	Mar 6 2009, 03:24 PM Post #3
Virtuoso Group: Members Posts: 2615 Joined: 14-December 05 From: London Member No.: 5567	I quite often end up in the pub over the road for a beer with my teacher after my lesson. I'm fairly certain that doesn't happen with his younger students!

Dulciana	Mar 6 2009, 03:25 PM Post #4
Virtuoso Group: Members Posts: 5718 Joined: 11-January 06 Member No.: 5811	As a teacher who only has three adults, I find it very difficult to say "Get the finger out" to them. Have any of you adult learners here ever had this said to you in a way that worked without causing offence? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif)

Czerny	Mar 6 2009, 03:28 PM Post #5
Virtuoso Group: Members Posts: 4061 Joined: 7-December 07 Member No.: 21097	QUOTE(Dulciana @ Mar 6 2009, 03:25 PM) As a teacher who only has three adults, I find it very difficult to say "Get the finger out" to them. Have any of you adult learners here ever had this said to you in a way that worked without causing offence? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) I tend to make a joke of it if my adult pupils play abysmally and tell them it was terrible!

TSax	Mar 6 2009, 03:39 PM Post #6
Virtuoso Group: Members Posts: 2615 Joined: 14-December 05 From: London Member No.: 5567	QUOTE(Dulciana @ Mar 6 2009, 03:25 PM) As a teacher who only has three adults, I find it very difficult to say "Get the finger out" to them. Have any of you adult learners here ever had this said to you in a way that worked without causing offence? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) Yes. But only because I know my teacher well, and I'm having lessons because I want to improve my playing and I'm prepared to work hard at it, rather than because I want to play just for fun. Not that there's anything wrong with playing just for fun, but it's a different mindset. The questions my teacher asked in my first lesson with him included "How much time are you prepared to put into practising" and "Of that time how much of it are you prepared to spend working hard and how much of it do you want to spend just playing?" He stressed that there were no right or wrong answers to the questions, he just wanted to get an idea of how much to push me. I should stress that I already knew him pretty well at this stage, having had group lessons with him for a few years - this was my first one-to-one lesson. I can imagine it being a bit of an intimidating set of questions from a teacher you've only just met. I think the principle of trying to find out where on the fun/hard-work spectrum your student sits before deciding how far and how to push them is probably a good idea though.

missypiano	Mar 6 2009, 03:54 PM Post #7
Unregistered	QUOTE(Dulciana @ Mar 6 2009, 03:25 PM) As a teacher who only has three adults, I find it very difficult to say "Get the finger out" to them. Have any of you adult learners here ever had this said to you in a way that worked without causing offence? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) My teacher hasn't actually said "get the finger out" but when she doesn't like something she definitely is not shy to tell me!!! "NO, NO, NO, you're playing the notes, but this is not music! start again and we'll redo it until you get it right!" or "get out of the way" at which point she nearly pushes me off the seat so she can sit herself and show me how it should be done!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) But I could never take offence. I know the only reason she is doing this is because she is so passionate about music and is trying to help me! I wouldn't have it any other way. I really respect her for being honest and I could never take anything she says as rude as rudeness is not in her!

sbhoa	Mar 6 2009, 03:58 PM Post #8
Maestro Group: Members Posts: 18911 Joined: 31-October 03 From: Tameside Member No.: 24	(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) I think it does depend on what the individual wants. If someone wants to be pushed to be as good as they can then that's ok as long as it's appropriate (sometimes lack of progress doesn't = lack of effort). You probably do need a good, trusting teacher/student relationship though.

gedall40	Mar 6 2009, 06:13 PM Post #9
Virtuoso Group: Members Posts: 2026 Joined: 15-July 08 From: Kenilworth Member No.: 35143	QUOTE(missypiano @ Mar 6 2009, 02:22 PM) Has your teacher ever said anything unexpected?? I have built up an excellent relationship with my flute teacher who is roughly half my age. When I first went to see her, she told me she had 4 or 5 adults and they have lessons once a fortnight - so I asked for lessons once a week on the grounds that I wanted to go as quickly as possible. I also made it very clear from the outset that although I was an adult with lots of years of piano playing, I was a total novice at flute playing and asked her to treat me just like a new younger pupil. She very soon realised that I was prepared to put in the practice required, and so has been keeping me pushed at the level I need and like. In answer to the question, one day (fairly early on, I hasten to add) she gave me a new piece to try out. I got about half way through it and she stopped me and asked "Are you going to be one of those flute players who puts the articulation in after you have learned the piece?" There was no doubt from the look on her face that she didn't appreciate me not even attempting the slurs! I felt well and truly told off (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) . But I made her laugh just recently when I received a "That was excellent" from her and asked for a gold star!

miss sooky	Mar 6 2009, 07:02 PM Post #10
Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 444 Joined: 28-December 07 Member No.: 22222	I am surprised how child like I often feel in lessons which means I am thrilled when I receive praise, however it is expressed - my teacher is fond of clapping and saying 'goody goody' when I get something right and always beam broadly (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) However, we do also have a good gossip over a bottle of wine fairly regularly when I revert to grown up mode!

gofeen	Mar 6 2009, 10:10 PM Post #11
Newbie Group: Members Posts: 27 Joined: 5-January 09 Member No.: 51160	Yes, I remember having one teacher who said that to me and I'm sure some of the others have. also my doctor has been known to say that to me!! sometimes it's nice to let the little child out to play. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/party1.gif)

lottie	Mar 6 2009, 11:44 PM Post #12
Virtuoso Group: Members Posts: 3891 Joined: 15-January 07 From: In among the purple heather of Scotland Member No.: 9057	QUOTE(Dulciana @ Mar 6 2009, 03:25 PM) As a teacher who only has three adults, I find it very difficult to say "Get the finger out" to them. Have any of you adult learners here ever had this said to you in a way that worked without causing offence? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) If I'm making a mess of something my teacher plays along with me and drowns me out so it doesn't really matter what sort of a noise I'm making because at least neither of us can hear me (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

false_harmonic	Mar 7 2009, 10:57 AM Post #13
Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 358 Joined: 26-January 09 Member No.: 53584	QUOTE(lottie @ Mar 6 2009, 11:44 PM) If I'm making a mess of something my teacher plays along with me and drowns me out so it doesn't really matter what sort of a noise I'm making because at least neither of us can hear me (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) I find I play my best when my teacher plays along with me. Because I want to keep up with her and play as well as she is playing the piece, when she plays along with me I dare to try things I would not have dared playing myself! For example, I had been playing a piece a lot more slowly than it was supposed to be played, and I think my teacher knew I was capable of playing it fast but just didn't have the guts to, so she played it with me, and was driving the piece along at (what I thought was) a crazy pace, but amazingly I found I could actually keep up! And I completely agree about enjoying being treated like a child sometimes! I get stickers at the end of my lessons just like the babies do! And this week I got a badge saying "excellent practise" and was told it was the highest honour she awarded, and I was as proud of it as I would have been had I been a child of six!

elisabethann	Mar 11 2009, 03:34 PM Post #14
Member Group: Members Posts: 68 Joined: 10-July 07 From: Weston s Mare Somerset Member No.: 13010	I am as pleased as any child when given a "smiley face" after a long struggle to get a piece to an acceptable standard. My piano teacher will say "well done" but... can we have more dynamics/staccato/articulation now. So I am pleased and try that much harder with praise. I have to earn it though !! I am 68 yrs old too. I still get nervous playing in front of my teacher, as she is the only one who hears me play. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piano.gif) I said to my teacher who is only just younger than me that my friends think I am mad to struggle on. To my amazement she said you are, anyone who does music must be. WHY IS IT SO HARD. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

Holz Gedeckt	Mar 11 2009, 03:45 PM Post #15
Virtuoso Group: Members Posts: 3656 Joined: 29-May 07 Member No.: 11674	QUOTE(Czerny @ Mar 6 2009, 03:28 PM) QUOTE(Dulciana @ Mar 6 2009, 03:25 PM) As a teacher who only has three adults, I find it very difficult to say "Get the finger out" to them. Have any of you adult learners here ever had this said to you in a way that worked without causing offence? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) I tend to make a joke of it if my adult pupils play abysmally and tell them it was terrible! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) Yes, me too! Humour is a very useful tool.

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