On 12/18/2013 8:41 AM, Patti A Robertson wrote:
>
>
> Hmmm, David, I'm a piano teacher - 60 years old, have been teaching for
> at least 37 years, and I'm good at it.
> And I'd beg to differ with you about whether a student who understands
> something right away is well taught or not, or whether they are just
> smarter.
I'm sorry if I gave the impression that I think they're smarter or well
taught -- some people learn certain things more easily, primarily
because it interests them. I don't hold with native intelligence or
anybody being born smarter than anybody else, all other factors relating
to the birth being similar.
>
> People have such different ways of learning, and some have to learn to
> cope with learning difficulties as they grow and become aware of their
> own learning styles.
And some discover their learning styles very early and so appear to be
smarter. Doesn't mean that they are smarter, just that they've
discovered something at an earlier age that others take longer to discover.
>
> Sometimes I'll explain something in what I think is a completely clear
> and logical manner and get a blank look back. I know that the student
> was present mentally and paying attention. I'll try something else and
> bingo! Now they understand! My philosophy of teaching is that if the
> student doesn't understand (or to a lesser degree, remember) then the
> teacher is at fault.
>
All good teachers will (it is to be hoped) try different approaches with
different students, trying as best they can to match the teaching
approach to the student. I am sorry if I gave you the impression that I
don't do that also.
> In my own case, I know that I'm not such a good auditory learner. So
> when I go to another teacher for coaching, I record the lesson and
> listen to the recording again and write things into my score. It's
> that second opportunity to hear plus the kinesthetic sensation of
> writing that makes the information "stick". I'm always astounded at
> how much I've forgotten between the lesson and the time that I listen to
> the recording, even if it's only an hour or so. Part of this is due to
> stress - the stress of trying to incorporate the new ideas and perform
> in front of the teacher. But I didn't figure this out when I was 12
> years old. It's a gradual process, figuring out how learning occurs.
[snip]
And isn't it a wonderful and exciting thing when we do discover which
learning process suits us best?
I don't think we disagree at all -- I think that my error may have been
in not expressing myself as clearly as I had hoped to.
David
--
David H. Bailey
dhbailey@davidbaileymusicstudio.com
http://www.davidbaileymusicstudio.com
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