Comments on: TEACHERS unite! http://rachelvelarde.com/2010/01/07/teachers-unite/ Lyric Mezzo-Soprano Fri, 12 Aug 2011 14:48:57 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Bruce http://rachelvelarde.com/2010/01/07/teachers-unite/comment-page-1/#comment-180 Bruce Wed, 19 May 2010 18:04:48 +0000 http://rachelvelarde.com/2010/01/07/teachers-unite/#comment-180 Personally, I think that the names of these teachers should be disclosed and we should be able to discuss the matters with each teacher "personally", if you know what I mean. I was giving saxophone lessons about 25 years ago when my student, a tenor saxophone player, could not read the scale I put in front of him because his public school teacher taught him that his scale was half bass clef, half treble clef. He could not read the notes because all year his teacher had him reading incorrectly, I was fit to be tied, but only a college student, so apparently I didn't know enough to be a teacher. Personally, I think that the names of these teachers should be disclosed and we should be able to discuss the matters with each teacher “personally”, if you know what I mean. I was giving saxophone lessons about 25 years ago when my student, a tenor saxophone player, could not read the scale I put in front of him because his public school teacher taught him that his scale was half bass clef, half treble clef. He could not read the notes because all year his teacher had him reading incorrectly, I was fit to be tied, but only a college student, so apparently I didn’t know enough to be a teacher.

]]> By: Gretchen Saathoff http://rachelvelarde.com/2010/01/07/teachers-unite/comment-page-1/#comment-110 Gretchen Saathoff Sat, 09 Jan 2010 02:03:12 +0000 http://rachelvelarde.com/2010/01/07/teachers-unite/#comment-110 Rachel, I hear you! RANT AWAY!!! Publish in the newspaper so the clueless can see it! I'm sorry you had to endure a lesson like that. But now you can rest assured that your student will understand what he's doing and make progress. He's lucky to have found you! So many people get stuck where they are, and don't look around. They truly don't know there's a better way. Rachel, I hear you! RANT AWAY!!! Publish in the newspaper so the clueless can see it!

I’m sorry you had to endure a lesson like that. But now you can rest assured that your student will understand what he’s doing and make progress. He’s lucky to have found you! So many people get stuck where they are, and don’t look around. They truly don’t know there’s a better way.

]]> By: Rachel http://rachelvelarde.com/2010/01/07/teachers-unite/comment-page-1/#comment-109 Rachel Fri, 08 Jan 2010 18:18:14 +0000 http://rachelvelarde.com/2010/01/07/teachers-unite/#comment-109 Thanks for the support Robert! Denny - very good point. When I have students who just don't work, I call them on it and really try to increase how/efficiency of practice. If that still doesn't work, I'll suggest to the student/parent that they perhaps try another teacher, as it doesn't seem we're working well together & that what I feel is sufficient progress to warrant paying for lessons (dependent upon the student's skill & overall musical goal) is not being made. I hate wasting my time and students' money, so I'm very up front & blunt about it. =D It's never easy (just like kicking a student out for non-payment is hard, especially when they're talented). My daughter and her violin teacher are in this process right now - he & I are talking and she might suspend lessons for a while, as she's really not progressing the way he feels she should. As a student, I have taken myself out of a teacher's studio because I didn't feel I was making sufficient progress. Although not practicing is a different issue, the lack of progress is a sufficient reason to switch teachers, if you're still motivated to take lessons. I think, in the end, both the student (parent, as well) AND the teacher have a responsibility to periodically assess the situation. Thank you all for the fabulous discussion! I LOVE it!! Thanks for the support Robert!
Denny – very good point. When I have students who just don’t work, I call them on it and really try to increase how/efficiency of practice. If that still doesn’t work, I’ll suggest to the student/parent that they perhaps try another teacher, as it doesn’t seem we’re working well together & that what I feel is sufficient progress to warrant paying for lessons (dependent upon the student’s skill & overall musical goal) is not being made. I hate wasting my time and students’ money, so I’m very up front & blunt about it. =D It’s never easy (just like kicking a student out for non-payment is hard, especially when they’re talented).
My daughter and her violin teacher are in this process right now – he & I are talking and she might suspend lessons for a while, as she’s really not progressing the way he feels she should.
As a student, I have taken myself out of a teacher’s studio because I didn’t feel I was making sufficient progress. Although not practicing is a different issue, the lack of progress is a sufficient reason to switch teachers, if you’re still motivated to take lessons. I think, in the end, both the student (parent, as well) AND the teacher have a responsibility to periodically assess the situation.
Thank you all for the fabulous discussion! I LOVE it!!

]]> By: Denny Coiro http://rachelvelarde.com/2010/01/07/teachers-unite/comment-page-1/#comment-108 Denny Coiro Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:32:32 +0000 http://rachelvelarde.com/2010/01/07/teachers-unite/#comment-108 I have the same frustration, but also a worry from the other side. I have had several students over the years that come to their lesson having practiced without paying much attention to the notes, rhythms etc. I go over the theory, test them on understanding the issues and have them play it back to me correctly, use modeling and ear work to assure that they can hear the line well, and actually practice with them in the lessons to make sure they understand the concepts and have the practice skills to learn the music well. Then they come to the lesson, again having practiced every day, and still have practiced the same mistakes, I wonder what their next teacher is going to say about me. I have the same frustration, but also a worry from the other side. I have had several students over the years that come to their lesson having practiced without paying much attention to the notes, rhythms etc.

I go over the theory, test them on understanding the issues and have them play it back to me correctly, use modeling and ear work to assure that they can hear the line well, and actually practice with them in the lessons to make sure they understand the concepts and have the practice skills to learn the music well.

Then they come to the lesson, again having practiced every day, and still have practiced the same mistakes, I wonder what their next teacher is going to say about me.

]]> By: robert phillips http://rachelvelarde.com/2010/01/07/teachers-unite/comment-page-1/#comment-107 robert phillips Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:01:45 +0000 http://rachelvelarde.com/2010/01/07/teachers-unite/#comment-107 Hear, here, Rachel! Inspired. I feel your pain. After decades of being a professor, couldn't agree more! %%robert aka chopin_slut, your Twitter friend Hear, here, Rachel! Inspired. I feel your pain. After decades of being a professor, couldn’t agree more!

%%robert
aka chopin_slut, your Twitter friend

]]> By: Rachel http://rachelvelarde.com/2010/01/07/teachers-unite/comment-page-1/#comment-106 Rachel Fri, 08 Jan 2010 05:55:44 +0000 http://rachelvelarde.com/2010/01/07/teachers-unite/#comment-106 Kristin: Yes - been there, done that. STRONGLY suggested the student switch teachers. They did and are now very happy. Thank goodness the really good ones sometimes keep in touch (and then, other times they don't)..... Kristin:
Yes – been there, done that. STRONGLY suggested the student switch teachers. They did and are now very happy. Thank goodness the really good ones sometimes keep in touch (and then, other times they don’t)…..

]]> By: Kristin http://rachelvelarde.com/2010/01/07/teachers-unite/comment-page-1/#comment-105 Kristin Fri, 08 Jan 2010 05:40:25 +0000 http://rachelvelarde.com/2010/01/07/teachers-unite/#comment-105 Rachel, Couldn't agree more! That is incredibly frustrating. What is even WORSE is when a student that you spend several years grooming is sent to an accredited institution of higher learning to study with a respected professor--on scholarship--and six months into their lessons they have a THIRD of the voice they had when they left your studio & have nearly lost their understanding of support and proper sound production. Egads!!!! Rachel,

Couldn’t agree more! That is incredibly frustrating. What is even WORSE is when a student that you spend several years grooming is sent to an accredited institution of higher learning to study with a respected professor–on scholarship–and six months into their lessons they have a THIRD of the voice they had when they left your studio & have nearly lost their understanding of support and proper sound production. Egads!!!!

]]> By: Rachel http://rachelvelarde.com/2010/01/07/teachers-unite/comment-page-1/#comment-104 Rachel Fri, 08 Jan 2010 05:20:28 +0000 http://rachelvelarde.com/2010/01/07/teachers-unite/#comment-104 Thanks for the comment! I agree that "teachers" who don't know their stuff should be hung out on a limb. I know the name of one of the teachers (that Speech Level Singing #&*$%^ pile of #$&*@), but I don't feel comfortable naming them. I will ALWAYS warn people away from SLS, and I try to make sure my students have a good grasp of what good teaching is. Otherwise, it becomes a #$%$-slinging contest and that does no one any good. So.... I do agree there should be some better way to point out the horrific teachers, but I don't know how to do it without looking like I am envious, except via a blog posting like this so that students are aware of what teaching should be. Thanks for the comment! I agree that “teachers” who don’t know their stuff should be hung out on a limb. I know the name of one of the teachers (that Speech Level Singing #&*$%^ pile of #$&*@), but I don’t feel comfortable naming them. I will ALWAYS warn people away from SLS, and I try to make sure my students have a good grasp of what good teaching is. Otherwise, it becomes a #$%$-slinging contest and that does no one any good. So…. I do agree there should be some better way to point out the horrific teachers, but I don’t know how to do it without looking like I am envious, except via a blog posting like this so that students are aware of what teaching should be.

]]> By: T http://rachelvelarde.com/2010/01/07/teachers-unite/comment-page-1/#comment-103 T Fri, 08 Jan 2010 05:00:46 +0000 http://rachelvelarde.com/2010/01/07/teachers-unite/#comment-103 Personally, I think that the names of these teachers should be disclosed and we should be able to discuss the matters with each teacher "personally", if you know what I mean. I was giving saxophone lessons about 25 years ago when my student, a tenor saxophone player, could not read the scale I put in front of him because his public school teacher taught him that his scale was half bass clef, half treble clef. He could not read the notes because all year his teacher had him reading incorrectly, I was fit to be tied, but only a college student, so apparently I didn't know enough to be a teacher. Personally, I think that the names of these teachers should be disclosed and we should be able to discuss the matters with each teacher “personally”, if you know what I mean. I was giving saxophone lessons about 25 years ago when my student, a tenor saxophone player, could not read the scale I put in front of him because his public school teacher taught him that his scale was half bass clef, half treble clef. He could not read the notes because all year his teacher had him reading incorrectly, I was fit to be tied, but only a college student, so apparently I didn’t know enough to be a teacher.

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