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