TEACHING – PAIN PROFIT, PLEASURE

TEACHING – PAIN PROFIT, PLEASURE

I always encourage and practice a sensitive and patient approach towards a child or young person. On the surface it appears as if a child today has a greater advantage over a parent’s past life when they were children as the current generation are disposed a seemingly easy manner  to the acquisition  of conveniences and comfort at the drop of a hat. Many would express that the current generation are blessed.

I believe when one looks deeper into the deep well of life one will realize that a child in age and day is at a disadvantage and has looming, insurmountable and inconceivable challenges. It is foreseeable that the challenges and obstacles would pose incremental pressure as the years advance. The pressure and distractions are far greater today. Against this backdrop if a child learns an instrument against other disciplines which is quite tough when one compares it against the other painting, art, dancing and acting – it is a very good sign. 

We must also in a very personal manner touch and inspire the parent of the student with the highest idealism to always live beyond the design or specification of what constitutes simplistic parenting. Some feel that today’s generation have everything that the parent’s generation lacked. The direct translation is that the child is seen as owing the parent everything and compliance is the natural expectation. This in as far as I can see injures the child. Without detracting from the fact that parents too are subject to immense external and internal pressure, we must sensitively empower a parent to break from the bondage of convention and see through the magical eyes of a child. The underlying shadow of unconditional goodness and love that a parent gives a child must never be forgotten though some of it may have an unintended negative impact on the child. I believe that the lifeblood of success in music is communication with the parent about how to get the optimum out of a child without injury or stress to either parent or child.

How does a teacher nurture ideals beyond the scope of exams or developing music for one’s own pleasure? I would rather teach and break my yoke or tear my heart out on the students that are most difficult to teach. If some parent comes to me with a student who is of the constitution of a rock – I resolve with the chisel of patience and deepest love to mould, shape and liberate a musician. I will challenge and encourage my students to defeat me and be better than I am. This kind of defeat in challenge gives me the greatest pleasure and blessing as I know that once they exceed me I have poured everything out. A parent would want and expect a child to be much better than they can ever hope to be. A music educator/teacher is a shadow parent and should desire and hunger like a parent. In this respect I feel inspired and committed to build a relationship for life. A student will always need a teacher who inspires him/her to be much better than their original design or ambition. 

There are some principals that I advocate which may be unconventional and attract controversy:  I am committed to the feeling that a teacher of substance and service will teach on the presumption that he/she owes a student a lifetime debt or is paid a million dollars for the lesson. The teaching must be unconditional, powerful and eloquent where even if it is unseen, unknown, unheard and seemingly silent; the recipient feels the impact long after the teacher is no more.  Many of us express that a teaching constitutes ten percent and the student must fulfil it with ninety percent responsibility of practice. If a teacher is the honourable dignified claimant as a second or substitute parent for a child he or she will reverse this equation and that the teacher bears ninety percent and the student ten percent.  This also means that we have to teach out of the ordinary hours for no payment other than encouragement and improvement of the student.

In view of this I look at every conceivable thought that will impact a child when I think about teaching. My end thought asides the fact that I impress on the children to dedicate their instrumental skills to religious, social causes and the less fortunate is the fact that I want their souls exposed to embrace the highest ideals of giving and in the process be coated by the finest ideals and values of life.

 My personal belief that student of life is a direct song from no less than God and as such a  sacred privilege to have them with us, and that is precisely why on the reverse I advocate that a student bears only  ten percent responsibility and a the teacher the other ninety percent.

The equation may seemingly be disproportionate and the pain factor may be one that may inform an individual not to take the career path of teaching. I feel that there resides a treasure of such immense greatness, immeasurable value in the potential of each student.  If we use the key of kindness and curiosity the world stands to profit, if we add the ingredient of thought that each life is an adventure we will reap pleasure which is the real measure of profit.