From: Debbie Hamper Date: Fri, 28 Mar 1997 14:42:40 -0500 Subject: Re: Bad students
At 12:13 PM 3/28/97 -0500, Phil wrote: >Before everyone gets bent out of shape bad teachers, perhaps this might be a >chance to consider bad students.
>Talking about bad harp teachers is only half the equation. >Having seen both sides of the equation, I know the answer is not as obvious >or easy as it might seem.
This is so very true. One of the most common I've run into is the student that cancels their lesson because they "didn't have time to practice" since the last lesson. Inevitably, their cancellations get more and more frequent until they finally quit.
I would try so hard to stress that they should come anyway, that there were still things that could be covered, and that it would give them an on the spot 'practice session'. Yet, they were usually too embarrassed by their own lack of commitment and would still cancel.
It is a two-way street indeed. There is most likely more 'bad' students than teachers. In my original post, I did not use the term 'bad.' I feel that there are more inappropriate teachers out there than bad ones. By inappropriate, I mean not suited for the good student's realistic goals or desires....or even worse, one that it unqualified to be teaching.
As for the 'unrealistic' goals, teachers can only do so much. A student still has to practice to master any instrument. Without the student's committment and effort, even the best appropriate teacher can't do anything.
