What is a music teacher?

'What is a music teacher?' Does this sound like a stupid question?

Your answer may be...

'A person who educates other people about music and how to play a musical instrument'. 

But this answer is too simple and leaves out the human part of teaching music.

My answer includes a more holistic approach. In reality, any kind of good teacher is someone who knows their students beyond the content that they teach. A music teacher, especially someone who teaches one-on-one, develops a healthy relationship with their student. The teacher has to know how to adapt their approach based on how the student learns. Everyone learns differently. When you are teaching a class of many students, you aren't, unfortunately, able to cater to each student specifically. As much as a good teacher may try, there will always be someone in that group that thinks differently to the majority of the learners. This is why teaching individually is so impactful when teaching a musical instrument

Not only are they an educator, but can also be a counselor. If student has doubts about their abilities, or had a rough day, they may need an objective ear. They may need someone to hear them out, get something off their chest, and then help them to re-focus on playing their instrument. This makes a music teacher an encourager, someone who helps a person believe that they can achieve their goal. They may need that teacher to go beyond just a skill developer, but one who instills structure and accountability for the student.

When someone says that they are going to teach themselves how to play an instrument from online tips, I have no doubt that will get them started, but I question how long they will continue.

As much as we have access to so many tools on the internet, I feel that nothing can replace a teacher. 

10 reasons I love working from home.

Today I joined the library for the first time in about 20 years. Please don't judge me. Most of the books or articles I read have something to do with business or music and so, while I did take out one fiction book, I also had to borrow a book called 'Your Guide to Working from home'. Even though the book was first published in 1997, chapter titles such as 'Discipline and Motivation, 'The Dining-room Syndrome' and 'Good habits, bad habits', sparked my interest. And, of course, the promise of being able to read something without the disruption of some pop-up advert or link distracting me.

The prospect of reading this book made me so excited because I am so blessed to work from home. I hope to eventually work from home completely, but I am counting my blessings.

Here are 10 of the many reasons I love working from home:

1. I am able to create a space that is welcoming for my students

2. I have the freedom to decorate the space as I choose

3. If there are any last minute cancellations, it is super easy to fill that time with household chores  or admin.

4. Having the ability to work reasonable hours and put food on the table

5. No added rental costs

6. No travel time is wasted

7. I am fortunate enough to have a separate studio from our house, so people do not have to come into our private space

8. The studio is dedicated space for my work, which means there is no need for me to bring work 'home'

9. I don't need to lug heavy bags with books or instruments to work

10. I have a great big room, which is spacious and clean. What more could a person ask for?

I hope that you all have a musically inspiring week.

Robyn

Innate or habit?

As a teacher of many different age groups I have noticed a trend with all of my students, while playing a piece, that they should have practiced. When they make a mistake, they almost always want to go back to the beginning and start again. It can sometimes be a bit frustrating as a teacher, but I have been starting to analyze why this is such a trend. I do teach my students how to break down pieces when they practice, I also give them a new piece or sightreading most lesson, so that they become used to reading new music, but they all want to start at the beginning if they make one little mistake.

So, my question is, is it an innate thing that makes us want to have perfection? Or is it habit as human beings to strive for perfection, and so once you have made a mistake you need to wipe the slate clean and start again?

For those who are not musicians, the reason this can be a problem when playing through a piece or sightreading, is that it is important to move on and keep playing music even if you make a mistake. You might do so while performing one day, or playing with a band, and you certainly can't stop and go back and fix a mistake. Yes, while learning, you can then go back over the parts that you don't know so well, but that is a different exercise in itself.