Hello!

Well, it's finally happened, I have my first 'potential' recorder pupil! By all accounts he is very bright; he is 14, and he has Grade 1 and 2 Recorder and wants to get to Grade 4 or 5 in the next couple of years whilst he does his GCSE. He is insistent that he wants to take exams as his top priority and I have no experience of entering any pupils for exams yet...

I have looked at the syllabus' for AB and Trinity, and I'm going to bring some pieces along tomorrow of about Grade 2-3 standard to see what he likes. I've also asked him to prepare something to play to me too. It is only the first consultation lesson and I don't charge for those, I just want to see if we get on and if I can help as a teacher.


Any advice from anyone on what I should do, music I should bring? I have bought the first two Time Pieces books for Descant as well as the Sally Adams anthology... anything else? I'm sooo nervous!!! Is that silly?

Looking at your qualifications, which are pretty impressive musically, you should have absolutely no qualms about tomorrow's first meeting. I imagine it's more excitement than nerves and at this stage, given the realisation of your identity in these forums, it hardly surprising that you are psyched up for it.

His obvious interest in doing exams is a mixed blessing. He might turn into a machine for passing graded exams which could be quite soul-destroying; on the other hand he sounds like someone who's likely to work hard at anything you set him up to do.

I think everything that you are doing and suggesting is very sound - especially suggesting that he prepare something for you to listen to. Mind you, if it works out and you both decide to go ahead with lessons, don't get him too used to buying everything for him. If you have a full-time job of your own for instance, get your pupils to order / buy / borrow etc the music for themselves. Make sure you give some idea of perameters and rules, terms and conditions, etc. You may not like to discuss this the very first day but don't leave it for too long.

You'll be a fine teacher. All the very best!

LR

Good luck....I'm sure you'll be fine.

Just wishing you the best of luck ar this start of your teaching career! It is a very rewarding job.

For my first lesson / consultation lesson, I would like to listen to what he/she can play reasonable well and find out what his/her strength is and weakness is. Accordingly, I normally set a task - an exercise for particularly weak fingers etc, or a breathing exercise, tonguing exercise etc... I guess I am experienced enough now to make these up if there is no material on hand...

I also test out his/her sight reading by giving a slightly easier duet - I do this without mentioning of the word "sight reading" as the pupil normallly put his/her guard up!

I hope you enjoy your teaching!
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