I teach a very talented student who has always passed Abrsm exams with distinction and won several classes at local festivals, including championship prizes. This child is one of my private students who comes to my house for lessons. The problem is his music teacher in school has decided to enter him for festivals and I am not being consulted about it. Personally I think this teacher should mind his own business and leave the student alone - it is my responsibility to decide what this student does.

Any other teachers had this problem and how was it dealt with?


Thanks!

How old is the student?
The teacher at school obviously wants the credit for this child doing well.
I think the student should have said that you were going to enter him/her.
Try to have a friendly chat about it and say that you have always dealt with the entries in the past???

Katie

Good Luck anyway

Thanks Katie! Student is 13. You are probably right - the teacher just wants the credit for the good students. He doesn't show any interest in the weaker students. I don't want to cause a problem between the student and the teacher in school.

As a teacher, I would find that quite outrageous, especially as this student learns out of school. Have you approached the parents? They might be in the best position to contact the teacher and/or the school.
Good luck!

Yes, this is very bad. I have a bit in my agreement with pupils about entering performances without my knowledge - which is useful for situations such as this. The parents and pupil need a chat so they realize, and if the teacher still pressurizes, why not a really nice letter (I mean that literally) to the teacher saying that it's a delight seeing them taking an interest in the pupils who have lessons out of school, but all requests for entry into festivals must of course have a written note from me first just to confirm it's ok, as I have to prepare the pupil for the performances. What do you think?

It must be annoying when you are putting in the work, so to speak, and someone else is taking the credit.

I know I was not very happy when a pupil of mine was entered for a theory exam through school when I had brought him up to the standard.

QUOTE (noodle @ Feb 14 2005, 01:26 PM)

I teach a very talented student who has always passed Abrsm exams with distinction and won several classes at local festivals, including championship prizes. This child is one of my private students who comes to my house for lessons. The problem is his music teacher in school has decided to enter him for festivals and I am not being consulted about it. Personally I think this teacher should mind his own business and leave the student alone - it is my responsibility to decide what this student does. Any other teachers had this problem and how was it dealt with? Thanks!

this is a difficult one which i presume the pupil's teacher at school would have asked your pupil in a proffessional manner if you minded? (how old is the pupil our of interest) also i would have a word with the pupil's parent voicing your displeasure. i remember once the same incident arising re. vocal tuition.festivals/exams etc whereby the child won excessively at festivals BUT private teacher was not teaching child how to breath properly so when child got older voice vocal excellence was not as good so child began attending lessons at school but still stayed with private teacher out of loyality and private teacher technically was much better. in the end child had to choose (!!) and chose better teacher - better singing voice by far but less prizes due to technical faults but at the end of the day i too would have chosen the voice over the technicals. this is no reflection on yourself mightr i add but just an incident i remember very well.

QUOTE (music speaks @ Feb 16 2005, 12:07 AM)

QUOTE (noodle @ Feb 14 2005, 01:26 PM) I teach a very talented student who has always passed Abrsm exams with distinction and won several classes at local festivals, including championship prizes.  This child is one of my private students who comes to my house for lessons.  The problem is his music teacher in school has decided to enter him for festivals and I am not being consulted about it.  Personally I think this teacher should mind his own business and  leave the student alone - it is my responsibility to decide what this student does. Any other teachers had this problem and how was it dealt with?   Thanks! this is a difficult one which i presume the pupil's teacher at school would have asked your pupil in a proffessional manner if you minded? (how old is the pupil our of interest) also i would have a word with the pupil's parent voicing your displeasure. i remember once the same incident arising re. vocal tuition.festivals/exams etc whereby the child won excessively at festivals BUT private teacher was not teaching child how to breath properly so when child got older voice vocal excellence was not as good so child began attending lessons at school but still stayed with private teacher out of loyality and private teacher technically was much better. in the end child had to choose (!!) and chose better teacher - better singing voice by far but less prizes due to technical faults but at the end of the day i too would have chosen the voice over the technicals. this is no reflection on yourself mightr i add but just an incident i remember very well.

i read with mixed emotions the other responses to your 'letter'. surely as a music teacher it is enough that the child is excelling in music and obviously enjoying music. the issue of who teaches him or gets credit is irrelevant really - as a music teacher it is the enjoyment and progression in music i savour - not the credit - and i have a 97% honours pass rate over 30 years not to mention the gold and silver festival wins my pupils have secured! we are teaching hopefully to nurture children NOT to start world war 3!!!

Music Speaks

Presumably then you wouldn't mind your students receiving interference from a third party? My students do NOT need any external help/interference or advice from anyone other than me.

Has this teacher entered your pupil as their own pupil? If so, then obviously this is wrong and deceptive. On the other hand a school music teacher is always going to be working with pupils that are taught by other teachers and it is their job to give musical opportunities, performance experiences etc as part of their role as teaching GCSE or A level music. Could it be just as innocent as this?

QUOTE

My students do NOT need any external help/interference or advice from anyone other than me.

Hmm, that's a rather meglomaniacal attitude. I know what drives you to say that, and my instinct is to feel like that too, but none of us are perfect and sometimes a pupil can make a big leap forward due to just one little comment from a different teacher. Teachers should be learning all the time, surely!

On the other hand, for a school to enter a pupil without the teache's prior knowledeg is just plain wrong in my view, as the teacher will now be feel obligated to help the pupil do well at the competition when it might not have been what the teacher wanted to do next.

My mum put me into the local music festival when I was 12, but the teacher was fully aware of what was going on, and the most important thing was that I played a piece my teacher was already teaching me.

Would this be possible in your pupil's case?

Violinia