Case Study - My Youngest Student
This article was originally a blog, posted on 19 September 2009 on my website ww.elmvillagearts.co.uk Its first intention was to pass on to readers a little event which was pleasurable and amusing. However, as I wrote it, I realised, as an ex-teacher trainer, that it showed in action the sorts of principles which are important in teaching a skill effectively, and that though these had to be adapted to the unusual circumstances, they remained essentially the same. As such I thought that it might be a helpful resource to those engaged in developing teaching skills.
The text stands as issued on the blog, but pedagogic comment is given in italics. The wise words from Former Teacher Trainer Lee are added in the following format: [FTTL: comment...]
A suggested strategy is for students to read the blog original and then to try to identify the teaching method points. This version can then be used to complement their findings.
MY YOUNGEST STUDENT...
is aged five months. Well, not really. The student is her mother, Rachel. She came for lessons about eighteen months ago, and one time, as she left, said she had met an interesting man...There was a long silence. Then she got back in touch, to say that the young man had been so interesting that they had got together and were now the proud parents of Maya, a beautiful little girl (parents always say that – well, they would, wouldn’t they, but in fact it’s true). So she would like to get back to playing her guitar. However, there was a problem of child care, so could she bring Maya. I’ll try anything (well, most things) once, so I said yes.
On the day Rachel arrived, looking very happy, with Maya, in her buggy, looking dozy at the end of a nice sleep.
As the father of three, I knew what was needed, so let Rachel settle Maya, who was a little uncertain about this strange man who didn’t look at all like her father, but seemed to get on well with her mother.
We talked a bit about Rachel’s news, the adoring grandparents (who weren’t doing the babysitting, as one pair live in Australia and the other pair in New Zealand). Then we talked about what Rachel wanted to do guitar-wise,
[FTTL: students are more likely to study and progress if they can see the relevance of the material to their interests.]
and picked a track on a compilation she had made for me.
[FTTL: Harder work for the teacher than using a ready-made course, but very motivating for the student.]
She had done this one before but wanted to start with something she knew. Rachel then took the guitar and tried to recall what she had done before.
[FTTL: Two issues here – (1) start from what the student already knows (2) After the first lesson, start by checking what has been done before – it tells you what they have/have not understood or achieved, and often gives you a chance to reassure them that their progress has been satisfactory or better – students often expect more of themselves than is realistic]
But, of course, we are forgetting Maya, who decided that she was bored with sitting in a crummy old buggy. So we agreed that Maya would sit with me, while I watched Rachel play and advised.
[FTTL: Personally, I like to have a piece of paper handy, on which I note down any points I want to make, so that I can attend to the student without interrupting.]
For a few minutes this worked. Then it was clear that Rachel should get into another piece. So I “pass the parcel” back to Rachel, so that I can go to the CD player, listen to the track, decide on the main features to be learned.
[FTTL: You need to be very clear of what you are trying to do. This means (obviously) having professional technical knowledge, the ability to identify what needs to be done, and to identify the immediate task. Most important is to decide the various stages of “Teaching a Skill” (hereafter TaS). I would normally have done this before, but a teacher does not always have ideal circumstances, so it is important to develop the ability to “think on one’s feet”. In this case it was clear that there were two parts of the piece (see musical example A ). I assumed (it turned out, correctly) that, because it involves the development of the barrè, part B might have to be left to a future occasion].
I then play the track again to point out to Rachel what I intend to do. I then play the first phrases we are going to learn.
[FTTL: When TaS, the student needs to see (and in this case hear) a demonstration of the target].
Time to put down the guitar next to Rachel, take Maya, cuddle her and say nice words etc, between giving Rachel instructions
[FTTL: Yes, instructions ! Skills teaching is not like, say, a discussion of the quality of a piece of work. Student and teacher must both accept that the latter is the person who has the knowledge of the subject and how to pass it on. The best teaching I have seen or experienced personally was by teachers who did not allow themselves to be swayed by mistaken notions of “being authoritarian” etc, but saw clearly the route to the student’s goal and led them through the task in short steps, which the student then needs to practice]
The instructions were on the lines of “Play a chord of C. Strum 4 in a bar. We’ll try this with the recording in a minute (note to reader: remember Rachel is holding the guitar, and I am holding her daughter !). Now I want to teach the phrase I showed you. Put your first finger, on string 5 at fret 1...”
Now presumably because Maya is an intelligent girl, but she isn’t being allowed to play, she starts to get restless. We think that perhaps she needs Mum for a minute. Rachel puts down the guitar and comes to get Maya, at which point she realises that her darling girl has expressed her opinion about this new man in the time-honoured manner favoured by babies. Is it all right if she changes her ? I fully appreciate the problem, having had to deal with it many times myself, so I offer use of bathroom, and ask if she needs anything. I am delighted to observe that, though Rachel is new to the business, she is wonderfully organised (she has a bag with a changing mat etc) and has an ease of manner and competence which not only achieves the task brilliantly, but helps explain why Maya is such a happy little girl.
It was clear that Rachel was getting into the guitar tasks I was giving, and that she can be left to practice at home what we have done so far.
[FTTL: At this point there is always a decision of principle to be made. Is this something which can only be practiced to a suitable standard in the lesson (eg because the student does not have the relevant equipment at home) or it is possible and acceptable for the student, having shown basic understanding, to develop fluency by practice at home ? In this case Rachel is a motivated, adult student, who needs only to see clearly what she has to do by herself. So she prefers to get as much information as possible during the lesson]
So while she enjoys having Maya on her lap, I demonstrate what we are going to do next, do it again while I talk it through, and write down the relevant instructions.
[FTTL:(1) See above, but note that frequent revision of a new task is helpful to the student (2)It is usually desirable for the student to have some sort of written record of what was done and is to be done - many people find that they can follow a lesson at the time, but once home, have forgotten important parts of what was learned].
Time for me to take Maya, who has decided that this old boy may look a bit weird compared to her handsome Dad, but can’t be too bad, because it means her Mum can play the guitar to her, which she does at home. Also, being relieved of her burden, she can look around this room which is full of strange things and stranger noises.
Rachel gets on well, because my written instructions are very clear, though my writing, as ever, needs an expert in Chinese to decipher it
[FTTL: notice the step by step approach again! Knowing my weakness in handwriting, I would normally have a typescript, either prepared in advance, or given/sent to the student afterwards. Note: the teacher does not to be perfect in all respects, provided that s/he is aware of his/her deficiencies ].
However, just as she is getting into it, Maya decides that time is getting on (it’s about 4pm and teatime) so her mind moves to that other permanent interest of babies. She starts to turn toward me, and nuzzle up to me, and, as I have noted this lack of discrimination in babies for the first few months, I wonder whether to say “Sorry, wrong type!”, but hesitate to do so, as I don’t know Rachel that well. However, with her calm and quietly assured manner, she asks if it will be OK to feed Maya. I have no problem with this, as all my children were breast-fed, as were various nephews and nieces. (I was appalled to read in our local paper last week a letter ranting against Mums who fed their babies in public, comparing it to "fornicating or urinating publicly").
This is a time for calm, so I answer a couple of guitar queries from Rachel.
[FTTL: It is important to give the student the chance to ask questions about or check what has been done. It is also essential that they do not feel that their question is trivial, foolish, or shows “stupidity”. Students are people who don’t know things, and for them, at this point, the subject matter which is so obvious to you is at the very limits of their capacities].
I make the decision not to overload her with Part 2 of the piece.
[FTTL: It is important not to overload the student because (1) the mind tires rapidly of such intense labour (2) The student needs to go away feeling that they have been successful in the task]
Otherwise we talk about her new life, how she has been able to find other Mums in the same position close by, and so on.
Maya is now happy to go into her buggy to have a little rest after her exertions, while Rachel recaps on what we have done, and we discuss the next moves. Then Rachel sets off into the world again to get onto the Tube system (difficult enough with a buggy) before the Rush Hour.
[FTTL: Two main points: (1) Skills lessons are as successful as the detailed thought which goes into them on the part of the teacher (2) Though one might think of such lessons as more mechanical, the teacher need to remember that the students are still people with all the hopes and anxieties which learners have in other contexts].
Readers who are concerned with teacher training and find this article to be a possible useful resource are welcome to use it, without charge, provided that acknowledgement of the author and website is clearly given (© Edward Lee, 2009, www.edwardleemusicteaching.co.uk)