I'm so happy this morning - I just got a pupil's result and he got merit (at Grade1). This is a child with low self-esteem and who came out of the exam shedding a few tears because he thought he'd failed. This will do such wonders for his self-belief, and not only that but the comments were great, and he got 17 out of 18 for aural!!!! And 26 for one of his pieces!!! I can't wait to see his face when he comes for his lesson today. Yipeee!!!

Violinia

Well done Violinia, it makes teaching so worth while when you get a result like this. I always think that a good mark in a music exam gives confidence right across the board for a child with low self-esteem

Still waiting for the postman with mine

Well done, Violinia. Its a wonderful feeling isn't it. Makes it all worth while. Still awaiting my results.

Well done!!

We often forget how much worry it causes the teachers who must be just as anxious about the result as the students themselves, especially when you know you have done all you can but that in the end it is up to the student to pull it off on the big day and that bit is outside your control!

And it is a good morale booster for the teacher as well!

Congratulations to both teacher and student. It nearly pleases me more when a student like that does well than when a confident capable student gets distinction.

How are you getting on with the piano Violinia?

Congratulations Violinia! That will be a wonderful moment for you when he realises how well he did

I was about to give exam results out to a pupil last week, just as I was about to tell him, he told me about how he'd played at a memorial concert that day for someone at his school and had found the whole experience very distressing - with people crying whilst he was playing. I assured him that they weren't crying at his playing - but I think the whole experience had shaken him up rather badly.

I was so pleased I could then give him his exam results and it was just the thing he needed to cheer him up.

I agree with Possum that it can exam results can work wonders on many different levels.

Well done to you both!
I can imagine how you will enjoy telling him the news!

That's brilliant!

Well done to you both! I'm sure he will be very delighted when he gets his result and indeed a bright future for him too!

How did his lesson go today? I'm sure he was really pleased Violinia.

Thanks for all your comments - you wouldn't believe what I've been through with this kid, trying to get him to believe in himself and his abilities.

He trekked all the way across town on foot to his lesson because his mother couldn't bring him in the car, and his face was wreathed in smiles when he arrived. I congratulated him on his success and gave him the certificate. He pulled the lovely clean, crisp certificate out of the envelope and went "wow!!! cool!!!" He could hardly believe his name was in print on this certificate with the word "merit" on it. I said "nobody can ever take this way from you, you know - it's your success!" and he said "I know - I really didn't think I could do it and now I'm so happy!"

Later in the lesson he said "I really wish it wasn't the end of term because I so want to get on with Grade 2 now - do you think I could take it in the Autumn?" (hmm!)

Anyway we had a great lesson and he made great inroads into a Grade 2 piece and then played around with some other stuff too that he's been working on before. So good to see him so happy, not slumping into the chair going "I can't do this!"

A very happy day.

Violinia

Brilliant - I bet that has made your summer!

lovely news, Violinia! it's interesting that on a different thread another teacher was saying that it is results like these, rather than those from musical megastar pupils, which make the job most worthwhile.

Well done to you both, Violinia! What a great feeling!