TEACHER PART 5 - DESIRE

Desire – A teacher with real desire will always have an unknown, unexplainable ache when the student is away from lessons or prevented from lessons by a simple holiday. If the Teacher had just one last day of life left to fulfil or accomplish a day well, one of the most important aspects would be to teach.

If a Teacher were to feel very strongly in his/her gut of the heart that each child is a light of God no less, and each person we teach is an embodiment of a gift to be filled with the water of teaching, we will fill the thirst with sound teaching. A teacher with desire and hunger to teach is equivalent to a lamp, a lifeboat or a ladder in lives of the student.

If one has no desire but is using teaching as a tool or mechanism to earn or secure a living- the vocation is simply not right. One would be doing a disservice to a student and eventually to a community at large.

If one were to sit and speak or enquire from a teacher about the daily construction of their lives, it is simply gut wrenching to experience how many get into the profession for all the wrong reasons. Convenience, living a four day week, having no other viable life option, insecurity, and one even mentioned control!

Desire is also an attribute that would dare take on a student that perceived as ordinary, ineffective or weak and secure a potential in excess out of them. Real desire would mean that a teacher would never fear the forging of a difficult path with the most ordinary of students. A student with the attributes of desire, commitment and talent will always excel even with a less than ordinary teacher.

A teacher’s with the deepest desire I contend must always be an open to all possibilities and manner of students learning. In the run of life a student will eventually know that it was the desire and hunger of teacher that prompted his/her music and lit a flame for every other endeavor.

Dominic Damian

16^th October 2013

TEACHER PART 4 - CREATIVITY

Creativity – mean choosing the road less travelled. There is a need to draw out the creativity from each student. Sometimes teaching need not be confined by the four walls of a classroom. Creativity does not just imply individual development. Creativity must also be used to awaken the conscience of a student to be  an ‘ others centred ‘ person. Creativity also means that a student uses his/her talents at the disposal and service of a community or to inspire other individuals.

There are varied possibility that may be explored for a student to be involved.

-         Busking in a group

-         Playing by a seaside/ park/ jungle setting

-         Child to child teaching encounter

-         Having a picnic lesson.

-         Playing in an old folks home

-         Playing at Orphanages

-         Playing at Hospitals

-         Home concerts for a cause.

I feel that creativity always requires a special kind of courage, one where you would take a risk and attempt something different even if you meet failure. If one is disturbed by a nagging thought or restlessness that there is a better way – this is creativity prompting you. If one feels dissatisfaction and an obvious imbalance when teaching – creativity is speaking to you. If one feels anxiety towards a student, creativity is forcing and imposing on you to do something small or dramatic – don’t ignore all these prominent signs!

Creativity also means that a teacher does not teach by the book alone and by music notes. All students should be offered and encouraged with the opportunity to attempt to compose or even play accompaniment without notes to any piece of music or song in different settings. The institutive senses can only see the light of dawn if a teacher struggles always to seek the variables that would help a child.

Dominic Damian

16^th October 2013

TEACHER PART 3 - COMMITMENT

Commitment- teach as if it were the last living day of your life,  when one thinks about how very precious the gift of each individual that enter our life with hope, there is the internal realization that the commitment  must not be one that is based on the premise or honour of payments and contracts.

The commitment of a teacher is in excess of these, the entrustment of a gift of life to nurture is in excess of the ordinary, it is more than the designation of work or of a career. It is also a very real opportunity to offer positive influence that will shape a life.

Commitment also means that a teacher will not just lock in a time of lesson on a contractual basis and see a student to only teach. The instrument that one teaches is only a piece of wood and nothing more; the music resides in the soul of the student. A caring and committed teacher will negotiate and meet all underlying challenges in evoking and caressing music out of a student, the student’s heart may be of the construction of rock or ice – our call is to chisel and sculpture with the tools of music character out of  each student that  we receive as a grace in life.

It is my believe that education is the special thread of commitment that  bonds and binds- parents, students and teachers to secure the life of an individual.

Dominic Damian

15^th October 2013       

TEACHER PART 2 - CHALLENGE

Challenge – just as one must have compassion, one must also set an internal compass of challenge for a student. A good and unselfish teacher will always think of the various methods and mechanism to ensure a student betters’ the teacher. This unfortunately is not the way many teachers feel. They somehow or other feel they would ‘lose face ‘to the student. A teacher who is a very secure individual will never feel this way.

Challenge is also one where the teacher will ensure that a child who is strong is challenged to optimise his/her potential, a child who is disadvantaged or weak  is dignified and encouraged to loosen the shackles that weigh them down. The child who is special needs, mentally challenged or handicapped is challenged as any other person would be but with the caveat and exception that empathy is accorded.

A teacher is also challenged to consistently improve the methodology by acquiring fresh ideas and not using a one shoe fits all methodology or a production system. There should be an attempt to consistently personalize and design music education to the needs of the student as each student is deemed to be a different package.

Dominic Damian

15^th October 2013

TEACHER PART 1 - COMPASSION

What defines a good teacher?  What make a teacher special?  What makes a teacher unique?  If the definition is one that advocates and defines it as the expertise and knowledge in teaching a subject matter, it is something that anyone can do with the right amount of time and training.

I am of the opinion and belief that a teacher must strive in every manner possible to be a comprehensive, complete and holistic individual.  I am articulating this from the point of a music educationist who teaches the Guitar and Violin as principal instruments.

A moral foundation with the related layers of spirituality, emotions, intellectualism and life experiences is imperative bedrock that a teacher must possess and offer the students.  There are compelling attributes that compliment what I have just expressed as follows:

Compassion - this is a trait and quality that one must have in daily life which must be equivalent to second skin. Compassion must always be accorded to one’s students no matter what the status, advantages or disadvantages of a student. The facts in this current age and time we live in are one of tremendous life pressure. It will not get any better in the foreseeable future.  Learning and acquiring a skill is filled with challenges. One can be intimidated by the challenge ahead of them. 

Some children already come from a pressure cooker environment , some  children are slow off the blocks and they require additional assistance, some children come scarred by physical violence or verbal abuse, on some the expectation are way too high.  The scenarios and possibilities are endless. Compassion must be first line of employment in thought, word and deed towards any individual. If a child develops an affinity towards a musical instrument until he/she fulfil the potential of his/her  natural life expectancy – the touch of compassion would have been the root. 

A teacher of substance will feel the pulse beat of a student and know when the student is especially in pain and discomfort.  A teacher must realize in a profound manner that pain, a wound or insecurity is a place where the light of compassion will offer healing.

Dominic Damian

14^th October 2013

FIDUCIARY OF FRAUD

We are getting more customers walking into our establishment and share how they have been manipulated and deceived by teachers who are teaching their children. Fraudulent conduct is not limited to what we perceive as the ‘ have not’s’ or the ones who are not qualified, or the most prominent of individuals and it cuts across ethnicity, age and  gender. The thievery is perpetrated in such a  notorious, outlandish and outrageous manner that we are compelled to write in an informative manner and hope it will help the consumer.

·       If a Teacher is introducing an instrument, ask them the following questions:

-         What is the origin of the instrument?

-         What is the value of the instrument?

-         What are the technical advantages of the instrument?

-         Is the instrument authentic?

-         Are there choice variables?

-         Do you need to upgrade the instrument?

-         Is there a written warranty or guarantee on the instrument?

-         Would you need to upgrade the instrument for a grade 8 level or diploma?

-         Is it possible to try the instrument out against competitive instruments for at least one week?

-         Are you allowed to get an independent unbiased opinion from external sources?

-         Is knowledge of the instrument available on the internet.

If  the teacher can’t answer or  even fulfill one of the stated requirements, do not purchase the instrument.

·      We had a customer contact us with regard to a half size Cello and full size violin that was sold by teachers who are attached to a prominent and renowned orchestra. I had in fact been part of an enquiry panel for this orchestra where they dispatched instruments to us for an evaluation report, without prior notification as to who had sold the instruments was anonymity to secure the integrity. Subsequently after tendering the report I was called in to testify. I was surprised and saddened   to see our local teachers who had the privilege to be part of the esteemed orchestra compromised by greed despite receiving payments in excess of most in the music fraternity.  The testimony that followed was incisive and precise, the silence from the teachers accused was deafening. This is one of the many cases involving these teachers.

-         The cello as we evaluated was our Chinese instrument with our label as such it was traceable. The retail value was not more than RM 1,200/-. The customer was induced to purchase those instruments for a shocking amount in excess of RM 8,000/- with the ploy that the instrument was handmade and the origin was European.

-         The violin was a Romanian instrument that cost no less than RM 2,000/- and again it was sold in excess.

-         It was expressed to the customer that both instruments were sourced and handpicked by the teachers themselves on their travel overseas. The fact that they procured it locally and had already received discounts to enable that the cost was covered displays that extravagance and greed that appears to characterize some members of the teaching profession.

Such deception is possible not because customers are fools but due to the customer extending a combination of naivety, trust and goodwill. Imagine this is tax free monies that gained with hardly any work.

·      There is also the case of teacher who is an Indian classical violinist who took two instruments from us and passed it off as Italian instruments and managed to generate a shabby certificate- this act is really misrepresentation and is criminal in nature.

·      If a teacher were to express to you that you are receiving a very special deal as such the highest level of confidentiality should be maintained or that one must ensure you do not express to any party especially ‘ Dominic ‘ -  you will immediately know that the instrument is either overpriced, overrated or the origin is dubious. The best way to protect the interest is by means of secrecy. Walk away from such deals and discharge the teacher immediately.

·      If a teacher employs the name dropping technique or uses any know individual, even persons from prominent orchestras or virtuoso instrumentalist to introduce instruments and bypass the standard audit check and balances of instruments you can be quite certain that something is amiss.

·      If a teacher cannot offer one choice variables in instrument selection, written warranties or a reasonable time period to test instruments. One can be certain that it is not worth the purchase.

·      If a teacher is unable to categorize an instrument for usage level, one can be certain that they do not have in-depth knowledge of the instruments.

·      If a teacher claims that the higher the price of an instrument the better its quality or tone there must be evidence to support this.

·      If a teacher tenders a patently laughable  claim that an instrument sounds ‘ Chinese ‘ ask them what is the precise definition and character of a Chinese sound?

·      To avoid any misdemeanor or untoward incidents, it is better to take a three month period to evaluate instruments.

·      Also consider that one can get a fairly good German instrument (Violin) for between RM 6,000/- to RM 10,000/- with a three year warranty. 

·      We have always advocated and promoted customer’s rights by allowing them to take instruments back and try out but we find that even such positive engagement is compromised by the teachers who will do everything possible to undermine our instruments and propose theirs all in the name of money.

Deception and corruption is possible only because we choose not to see it. The fact is all segments and strata’s of society are infected in some way or other by corruption, but it is unacceptable when teachers  who essentially are held in trust as frontline caregivers engage in such dubious activities- it brings the profession to disrepute. Children of innocence should never be exposed to such teachers and teachers must always be aware that it is an honor and privilege beyond commercial gain to cultivate the heart of a child. 

One good technique to secure the integrity of a purchase is to have an outside party who does not  have knowledge of where you are purchasing an instrument to help you make comparisons.

With the few exceptions that we have come across the music establishment have fixed prices and this is far more secure with some anomalies. We will print the names of authentic sellers of Orchestral string instruments.

Dominic Damian

15^th October 2013