This can be an uncomfortable situation for both teachers and students. But it’s one that invariably happens. I have personally dealt with many students over the years who have disagreed with me – and if you’re reading you know who you are!
Talented students may actually give you the hardest time as a teacher. They tend to question why they have to do something and while this can be frustrating at times it indicates that the student is thinking and that’s a positive sign. So how do you deal with situations like this?
I studied with my father, Morton Estrin ever since I was a young child until I went away to conservatory after high school. I found myself at the Manhattan School of Music with a phenomenal pianist Constance Keene and from the very first lessons I knew I was going to be challenged. Her ideas of learning and practicing the piano were radically different from my father’s and it presented new ideas for me. My father has very large hands and my hands are quite small. Ms. Keene was a much smaller person than my father. So her way of approaching the piano was different from my father’s and her approach offered me benefits.
If you are paying money for lessons or paying a lot of money to go to a conservatory to study music, it’s essential you at least listen to your teachers. You’ve selected a teacher for a reason. You have to trust what they are telling you and at least try what they are teaching you; even if it goes against everything you think and believe in. It doesn’t hurt to try.
If you are paying money for lessons or paying a lot of money to go to a conservatory to study music, it’s essential you at least listen to your teachers. You’ve selected a teacher for a reason. You have to trust what they are telling you and at least try what they are teaching you; even if it goes against everything you think and believe in. It doesn’t hurt to try.
Once you’ve tried their methods – at least a week – and have time to evaluate the value of the lesson, you might change your mind. As a student, you should be willing to keep an open mind. But you shouldn’t blindly accept anything they tell you. If you truly feel that something they are trying to teaching you is not valuable, then you can simply ask them what the purpose is. Try to keep a level head when you question their lessons as it might not go over well and you don’t want to become combative. However, asking questions can aid in the learning process.
Teaching is not a one-way street. As a student, you need to interact with your teacher and ask questions in order to learn from them. If you don’t understand something, it wont be beneficial for you to just sit there! Great teachers know how to listen to their students and get inside their heads.
Take your teacher’s advice. If time goes on and things aren’t working out then maybe you should consider finding a new teacher. Otherwise, give their ideas a chance to develop before rejecting them.
Thanks again for joining us here at Living Pianos. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions for future videos please contact us directly: info@LivingPianos.com (949) 244-3729