You can change the world by teaching a person to love music. You should Teach Music because you love it! That’s WHY music teachers stay positive in their approach to every student musician.
Matt’s Piano Lesson Story
Matt was a music student who never practiced. Piano for him was something his parents asked him to do and not an activity he choose. He liked music because who doesn’t, but he wasn’t up for getting “into” the piano lessons and he wasn’t going to let a teacher talk him into it.
His piano teacher might have given up on him but he wasn’t that kind of teacher. Instead his teacher, we’ll call him Mr Eric, didn’t stop teaching. He saw teaching as an opportunity to be a positive influence in a student’s life. He knew music was the best vehicle for him to reach a young person.
The Music Teacher Who Wouldn’t Quit – Teach Music
Two years into private piano lessons Matt still wasn’t practicing. This put his teacher in a tough position because there are only so many great lessons that’s don’t involve work. What Matt’s piano teacher never did was get negative. “If we are going to have a lesson, we’re going to have fun” said Mr. Eric. And lessons went on. He also said “teach music because you love it”.
After the lessons Matt’s parents where pleasant, Mr. Eric enjoyed saying goodbye and offering some tips for Matt that week. It wasn’t like Matt’s parents thought he was practicing, they new they wanted Matt to get the benefit of lessons and since he wasn’t kicking and screaming about the lessons, they were fine with slow progress.
If A Teacher Doesn’t Give Up A Student Eventually Will
About the three-year mark into the piano lessons, and not due to any teaching change something awesome happened, Matt tried. He just started to get better by applying himself in the lesson. Not wanting to rock the boat Mr. Eric didn’t lay on a bunch of pressure about practice, after all it took three years before trying happened.
As the weeks and months went past Matt kept trying, he was never a great practice but he did start to practice some. The relentless positivity won over the student and he now looked forward to moving forward on pieces he playing.
Matt Was A Musician Despite Believing So
As Matt developed he started receiving recognition from playing piano. He started headlining at the recitals, always was able to play a song when asked, and even played piano in front of all his extended family at a big anniversary party for his grandparents. His parents and friends didn’t know where this came from.
Matt’s outward attitude was still the same. If you asked him if he liked music and lessons he’d shrug his shoulders and say “kind of”. Mr. Eric felt different, he knew Matt, even without all the practice from early on had worked hard. After all many students can quit but not many can work though music like Matt had.
From Piano To Professional Bass Player
As Matt became a high school student he took up base guitar, began playing in bands (as cool kids often do) and was good enough to make some money from it. He went on to college to study engineering, but playing gigs was always a way for Matt to express himself and also to have spending money wile in college.
Positive Teaching Works
So many times we look for students to be like we want them to be instead of who they are. As teachers we aren’t paid to train musicians, we are paid to teach people about music. We, as teachers, love it but we should always remember there are many ways to love.