Spring
2006, Vol. 17 #1
A teacher's greatest reward
Editor's Note: Some time ago I received the following piece from Craig Sale (Associate Editor for the magazine's MUSIC READING department). I was so touched by its message that I asked Craig if I might share it with you and he agreed.
It seems to me that all too often when we get together and discuss our students, our main concerns usually focus on the multi problems we have with them. But every once in a while, an "Abigail" comes along and somehow, this puts everything in perspective, reminding us of the rich rewards inherent in our teaching careers. Please read on
by Craig Sale (2005)
Several years ago I received what I felt was one of the greatest rewards of my teaching career. At the end of her first year of study a young girl blurted out, "I am so excited! I feel like I can read anything!" It reminded me of a statement made by Frances Clark: "We don't just want students who know - we want students who know that they know."
So often it seems that the teacher has an idea of what the student knows and the student just accepts his or her growth as something less than extraordinary. When students do see the wonder and value of their achievement (and shares this with us!), it is a moment to treasure.
Perspectives in Pedagogy Dept: Averill Piers Baker, second place prize winner of the Van Cliburn Amateurs' Competition, shares her performances of some of the Schumann Symphonic Etudes.
Abigail
I recently received a phone call from a parent. Expecting it to be a scheduling conflict, I was surprised when I was told that the student, Abigail, had written something about me for her 6th grade language arts class. The parents wanted me to see it. My first thought was "Oh, no! What awful things are they saying about me? That I'm mean? Too tall? Dress funny?" As it turned out, it was Great Reward No. 2 from the last 25 years of my teaching!
Here is Abigail's complete essay:
One of the biggest parts in my life is music. I am obsessed with music, mostly because I know almost everything about it. And 'cause I like it.
I started piano when I was four. I have an amazing teacher named Mr. Sale and he's taught me so many things. I started out playing a simple song that went from octave to octave and that song really only had about six notes in it. Now, I play all sorts of songs, and these ones have more than six notes.
Piano was my first instrument, but what really started me out on music was singing. My mom is in the symphony chorus and my dad used to be so I come from a long line of great singers. I always have a song stuck in my head and it kind of becomes a problem when we're supposed to be quiet and I keep trying to hum or sing the song that I'm thinking about. Once, I was humming a song during church and Emily kept jabbing me in the side to get me to stop, and it kinda hurt.
Singing is one of my greatest talents. Piano was my first instrument though. Piano has made my life easier in many ways. Band was always really simple since I had already been reading all the notes for five years before starting the oboe. And I have already been earning some money for playing the piano at a couple of churches. Also, not only has piano made oboe easier, it made guitar much easier the first time I picked it up.
Music is my life. Without it, I would be dead. THANK YOU MR. SALE!!! YOU'VE HELPED ME SO MUCH!!!
As a teacher, I always appreciate a "thank you." But this was so much more! Once again I had the rare opportunity to hear a student express the confidence she has in herself because of all she knows that she knows.
Although Abigail started learning pieces when she was four years old with her mother, she did not read music when she began formal lessons with me at age 6. I suppose we all remember the first piece we ever learned . Abigail's first piece was "Take-Off" from Time to Begin (Summy-Birchard Inc./Alfred). In describing this piece, she demonstrates how it made good sense to her - moving from octave to octave using only a few notes. I love the fact that her memory is one that includes both motion and freedom - a big improvement over my personal memory of a first piece using repeating thumbs on Middle C.
Abigail's essay also testifies to the importance of singing - and of having parents who sing! It has been shown that children of parents who sing (however badly) and sway and dance with their children increase the child's musical aptitude. I believe Abigail did not need to have professional singers for parents in order to love singing. She just needed parents who sang. Because music was a natural part of her home environment, Abigail takes music with her wherever she goes. She has a tune in her head at all times and sometimes it just has to come out! Her music cannot be silenced or squelched.
I teach every student with the same philosophy - that I am teaching music. I am teaching something which the student can take and apply elsewhere. Sometimes it is an appreciation of music and art, sometimes it is discipline, and sometimes it is musical literacy. The musically literate child can apply his or her knowledge of music to other instruments. If I had simply taught Abigail to "play pieces at the piano," she would not have made such an easy transition to playing other instruments.
"Music is my life. Without it, I would be dead." Abigail's final words remind me of myself at her age. Hold fast to this passion, Abigail. Never forget the essential role music plays in your life. Thank you for showing me how much you know and, most importantly, how much it all means to you!
Back to the Editor: I'm
sure that each of you has had "Abigails" in your own
studio and we would love to hear about them! Certainly one of
our most important goals is to develop students who feel about
music much the same as does Abigail, and which she so beautifully
expressed in her essay: "One of the biggest parts
in my life is music. I am obsessed with music, mostly because
I know almost everything about it. And 'cause I like it."
How wonderful to know and to know that we know!
In order for students to fully
experience the positive impact of music in their lives, it is
essential that they become musically literate. To know
that one is able to fluently read and understand the language
and then to effectively recreate a composer's musical thoughts
and emotions at the keyboard is indeed wonderful! Still another
important dimension of musical literacy can be experienced by
students when they create compositions of their own. This
activity provides them with more opportunities to find out what
they "know" and to use it to musically
express their own feelings and ideas.
About Our Cover Art
Composite
by Scott Lewis. The art is courtesy of composers Jessica Petri
and Houman Safai,
students of Amy Rose Immerman.
To see larger images of our current and past cover art, please visit our Art Gallery.
MULTIMEDIA ARTICLE
Perspectives in Pedagogy Department
 Averill Piers Baker recently won second prize in the Van Cliburn Amateurs' Competition. She shares with us audio clips of parts of her performance of the Schumann Symphonic Etudes. These supplement thearticle, "What experiences in your background influenced your decision to compete in the Van Cliburn Competition for Outstanding Amateurs? - Part Two" |
Also be sure to check out our page of
links to ALL of our multimedia articles in past
issues.
Table of Contents from
Spring 2006, Volume 17, Number 1
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The Magic Triangle: |
What do we do about the pressured child? |
Barbara Kreader |
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The Other Teacher: |
What suggestions would you give for maintenance practice of C.P.E. Bach's "Solfeggietto?" |
Andrew Cooperstock |
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Independence Day: |
Do good reading skills help or hinder memorization? |
James Helton |
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Let's Get Physical: |
What practice methods do you use to help students develop technical fluency? |
Rose Grace |
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The Heart of the Matter: |
What interesting situations have come up recently in your teaching of rhythm? |
Bruce Berr |
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Issues and Ideas: |
What experiences in your background influenced your decision to compete in the Van Cliburn Competition for Outstanding Amateurs? - Part Two |
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It's Never Too Late: |
Why am I so passionate about adult teaching? |
Michelle Conda |
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Putting It All Together: |
What are some of your favorite "surefire" pieces for today's junior high and high school students? |
Christopher Fisher |
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Tomorrow Today: |
How do you use technology to organize and manage your studio? |
George Litterst |
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The World Around
Us: |
Who does our professional image serve? |
Phyllis I. Pieffer |
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Keyboard
Kids' Companion |
Puzzles, Practice Projects, Meet the Composers, and more! |
Helen Smith Tarchalski |
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