Re: [Harp-L] Elements of good teaching



Hi David,

I did not word my post very well, I meant to support your views and add a bit. I said:

From the student side, I would say that a teacher must praise you and not be critical at all;

I overstated the terms "praise" and "critical" as I doubt any teacher would be overly critical and the term "praise" is a just too strong. This is more what I wanted to express.


One of the most important thing is to make a student comfortable
when playing. Its hard enough playing badly in front of someone as you are learning, if you are not at ease then you can forget it.

When I took lessons (around the time I learned to bend), I would sometimes play what I had practiced and when I did I always focused on my teachers body language to see "what he tought". Luckily, my teacher was one of those happy, optimistic people. I never saw him wince or grimace, actually he smiled most of the time - it was just his nature. Anyways this really helped.


Typically I always played badly in front of him compared to when I played alone, probably not warmed up and also self-concious as the time or focusing on his body language.

Pierre.


----- Original Message ----- From: "David Priestley" <drmidnight@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Pierre" <slavio@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, March 21, 2005 8:06 AM
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Elements of good teaching



HI pierre

For a teacher showing a student the area in which they need to work and to what end that work needs to be done and why it is best done that way, if different from being "critical". YOU ARE NOT FOCUSING ON WHAT THEY HAVN"T DONE RIGHT> the first thing you should focus on is praising the parts that areright, I then ask them to make a self assement, students my be learning but they'er not stupid ( or at least mine havn't been). In the self assemnt we will both come to a understanding of the areas that need work. As a teacher, with a knowlage of how realization occures, I can offer advice built on an outside viewpoint. When you are learning it's quite frustrating enough just knowing that you can't do what you want, A good teacher can help a student 'see the wood for the trees'.

I agree that a teacher should not undermine the students confidance, if they want the student to learn well and happly
On 21 Mar 2005, at 12:47, Pierre wrote:
From the student side, I would say that a teacher must praise you and not be critical at all; the goal being to make a student comfortable when playing. Its hard enough playing badly in front of someone as you are learning, if you are not at ease then you can forget it.

Pierre.

All The Best David Priestley, a Data Processing Disorder survivor, So please excuse my odd spelling






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