"it Isn't Necessary To Touch Children In Order To Demonstrate Options

[ExpressYourself]

Good point Aquarelle, dogs need protecting too! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

[chocolatedog]

I think it's gone all silly - what happens if a child bursts into tears in the middle of a lesson and clearly needs comforting? The fact that most people would feel scared to give that child a reassuring hug or cuddle (particularly if a younger child - but then again, teenagers need hugs too......) is just indicative of the way this nanny state has gone.......

[Mad Tom]

Warning: I rant!!!!

I have expressed strong opinions about this before and here I go again. I think this "dare not / should not/must " not touch a child is crass rubbish likely to produce a generation of - to put it mildly- confused and guilt ridden children - and heaven knows what they will in turn do to their offspring.

As as been said above the statistics prove that such stupid policies are not worth the paper they are written on and the people who have turned large numbers of responsible, caring adults into teachers and friends and relations scared stiff to touch a child are actually the ones who should be told "hands off".

I have every sympathy with those adults who find themselves harassed by this sort of thing. I understand how threatened they feel. I am eternally thankful that when I get to the school gate and am almost knocked over by a crowd of little ones demanding to be hugged or kissed I don't have to push them away. I don't have to think twice before I place a child's hand correctly - either on a musical instrument or to help them form written letters correctly. I don't have to think twce before putting out a restraining hand to stop a child belting down the corridor at full speed. I don't have to worry if at playtime a little one wants to sit on my lap or if an adolescent needs a reassuring touch on the shoulder.

I may hate the French administration as we battle to keep our little music school open - but I am more than thankful for their sensible and human attitiude to adult / child contact.

When will the British be told to stop stroking their dogs?

Good on you Aquarelle.

I don't teach at the moment and don't live in Britain, so I am not affected by any of this PC-nonsense.

But a few observations.

1. Some things you can't teach without touching. For example Tai-chi. Without the subtle correctons of posture and position by the teacher you can think you are doing the right think, but actually be just wasting your time.

2. I used to teach swimming. Only rarely was it NECESSARY to get in the water and physically guide or support a child, but OFTEN it was the quickest and best way to make a correction.

3. After lessons the kids used to love horseplay with the teacher (=me) launching them into somersaults and high dives, and throwing them half the width of the pool! (and it developed confidence in the water). No child or parent ever had any objection.

4. In a school situation a hug is sometimes exactly what a child needs. In which case it is INHUMAN to withhold it.

[porilo]

I am a piano teacher and will occasionally touch pupils' hands or wrists in order to adjust a finger position. It's easier and quicker than trying to explain verbally how to put their hands on the keyboard. On no account do I allow parents to sit in during lessons unless there is a special reason for them to do so. Also, at the start of each lesson I always greet the pupil with a warm handshake and say something like "nice to see you again, hope you've done plenty of practice since last time" etc. We are not robots and from experience I find it makes them more relaxed and friendly.

[artstar]

One of my piano students is very young, and I'm trying to explain and demonstrate to him how to do an octave of C major, he just can't seem to grasp how to tuck his thumb under his third finger even with me showing him.
Like someone else said I'm trying to exhaust all other options before I resort to it, but I think in the next lesson I will have try something else as he just doesn't concentrate enough and is not getting it at all. It's quite frustrating!

[ChristopherO]

I have a confession. I hugged a child last week. I liked doing it and the child responded very warmly. Please don't tell anyone.

[Seer_Green]

Part of the problem with all this (and it's not just teachers, it's the country in general) is that we don't really stand up to these measures. We grumble about them (and I include myself in that) and say how awful it is, but I wonder how many of us actually campaign to get anything changed?

[Clari Nicki1]

Part of the problem with all this (and it's not just teachers, it's the country in general) is that we don't really stand up to these measures. We grumble about them (and I include myself in that) and say how awful it is, but I wonder how many of us actually campaign to get anything changed?

I taught 6 children today and I know I touched the fingers of 4 of them.......- all beginners- all to show them how firmly the finger needs to be held down/ or to get the finger in position.......

[Seer_Green]

Just seen this: http://www.abrsm.org/?page=newsArticles/item.html&id=692

Any thoughts? It all seems very stereotypical to me. To quote their advice: "It isn't necessary to touch children in order to demonstrate: there's always a better way!"

Nice to see that it is the male who is portrayed as the guilty party in each clip....just what we need (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

[Aquarelle]

Just looked at the videos and found them silly and amaturish to say the least. I thought they were rather insulting to teachers' intelligence.

[baiba]

Just looked at the videos and found them silly and amaturish to say the least. I thought they were rather insulting to teachers' intelligence.

I would have to agree - the vids a more than a bit embarrassing..no self respecting teacher would manhandle pupils (or anyone!) in that way in today's informed politically correct educational climate.

The messages in these vids make it look like these potential problems may be confined to music teaching.

These potential problems (however unlikely to happen) are present in every other field of teaching or any occupation where people come into contact with other people, even if people are simply in the same room together.

The vids are too suggestive, and imply that music teachers may actually behave this way - which is making too many assumptions.

The vid depicting problems with behaivour in band practice - this is more a case of the teacher needing better teaching skills in general and needing to know how to better handle behaviour issues in his class - rather than a "touching a pupil" issue.....

The 'man putting hands on the pupils shoulders' bit - this action has nothing to do with the actual act of teaching an instrument - it looks to me more like an act of violence or bullying unfortunately.

Which really has nothing to do specifically with the supposedly practical problems of instrumental or music teaching.

So I don't really get the point of these vids.....maybe they could be used as an education tool for trainee teachers with an IQ of about 3 who are thinking of going into the teaching profession ...not! .....(IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

[lilly763]

I'm not in Britain, but in the US the attitude is very similar, if not worse... There is absolutely no way I could have achieved proficiency on the viola if my teacher had not physically adjusted me at times (the same is true to a lesser degree with piano). It's hard for a student to imitate a movement or position that is merely described to them, because often an new movement doesn't seem natural at first and the student does not know how it is supposed to feel. And the occasional hug from a teacher under certain circumstances can mean a lot! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Banjogirl]

A company called 'Educare' tells you an awful lot about the company, none of it good!

[Henry Fagg]

"When you're teaching instruments, there are times when you need to demonstrate particular techniques. In the past, this has often been done by touching students, but this can make students feel uncomfortable, and can leave teachers open to accusations of inappropriate behaviour..

It isn't necessary to touch children in order to demonstrate: there's always a better way."

This is the full text of the video in question, and I find it problematic for almost too many reasons to mention.

- Note the patronizing statement of the obvious in the first line.

- Note the phrase 'In the past', as if touching a pupil nowadays is already to be frowned upon.

- Worst of all, note the two reasons given for why touching is no longer acceptable: it 'can make students feel uncomfortable' and it 'can leave teachers open to accusations of inappropriate behaviour'. There is no distinction made between appropriate and inappropriate touch, and hence the real issue of child abuse (which I presume is what this video is about) is completely ignored.

I haven't got my head around the psychology of this yet, so maybe someone can help me out! Were any instrumental teachers even consulted during the making of these videos?

Anyone looking for a more successful video for addressing these issues might want to look at www.stopitnow.org.uk/publications--resources/'monster'-video.aspx

[Arundodonuts]

It isn't necessary to touch children in order to demonstrate: there's always a better way.

Well perhaps I should stay out of this (50 odd year old bloke, no kids - must be a paedo) but isn't the above a matter of opinion presented as fact?

NB I know Henry is just reporting that quote, it isn't attributable to him.