Managing Students Who Don’t Follow Instructions
Found in: Adult Students, Claiming Territory, Playing-Based Methodology, Practicing & Playlists, Student Management
Kerry V., Melbourne, AU
I have an adult student who has been SO keen and enthusiastic and constantly comes back saying that he has gone further into the video, and taught himself, pieces we have not covered yet. I have explained a few times that this is not acceptable.
- He may miss out on a fundamental understanding of the process into that song. That he may miss out on the conversation about the piece.
- That, being in a group, he is creating a gap with his colleges.
- That he may find his up coming lessons “boring” because he has already “learned” the piece.
This man is on fire with SM and loves the whole thing but I am not sure how to bring him back on track. He is also interested in teaching it too.
What should I say to help, him and me, to understand the need to slow down. I have had many students who have gone fast but nothing like this fellow, they went fast but didn’t go ahead on the video or if they did after one conversation they stopped. I understand too that somewhere along the line he doesn’t have that “respect” or “trust” in me as the teacher but with this fellow I am not sure how to bring him
back on track.
Sheri R., California
I too have an adult student (private lessons) who doesn’t do well with authority! No checkmarks on his Playlist, no looking at the Notes page every day. He sort of knows a song and then moves ahead in the video. I have resorted to spending a good part of his private lesson reviewing his Playlist and repeating myself more than usual about the modus operandi of SM.
I also stopped listening to songs he learned on his own (yeah, sort of harsh) and tried to slow him down by not giving new songs until his Playlist was in better shape (i.e. songs at fluent level, including starting position, which he was struggling with, in spite of my advice to say titles and positions out loud until they are known). He would go ahead and then expect me to teach him the next song at the lessons but I just began to say no to that seeing that the knowing of the songs was not what I knew would serve him as we moved forward. I also gave him the Playlist assessment form recently that one of the teachers made available to us some time back which I have found to be a huge help. I’ve even teased him by playing Arrangements to show him what’s coming as soon as the current and previous ones are in good shape. All of this seems to be curbing his tendency. I think I am winning, finally.
: ) If you don’t give up on the message about going slow, etc., he may eventually get it, hopefully sooner rather than later. (Just think how often we repeat ourselves with our kids–and some of them too have their own agenda in spite of our best efforts!) He said he gets bored and wants more variety. I tell students in groups who catch on faster than the rest of group as well as this gentleman who is a private student to spend time composing and adding dynamics to their SM pieces if they are ready to move ahead and others aren’t. This has made a few people feel they are at least doing something new during the week.
Robin Keehn, Washington
I am in the same boat! I have an adult student with previous experience who is beginning to push me to introduce material sooner than the group is ready. She has mentioned that she watched the video for Alma Mater Blues this week, prior to class. She asked me how soon I will introduce the reading process. I can just feel her pushing me. However, she is a friend of another adult in the class and they want to stick together so she wants to be with this group.
I spoke to Neil about this situation this afternoon. He advised me to have a talk with the student and to ask her why she wants to take SM if she already plays piano. Next, we need to establish that if she wants to remain in the class she has to agree to my terms which are: no previewing the videos, no reading the music book, staying with the group, and not pushing the group (or me) in the direction she wants to take.
My mistake was that I should have discussed this with her before she began lessons so that she understood the pace and my requirements from the beginning.
It doesn’t sound exactly like your situation, but I can easily see myself ending up there if I don’t establish the boundaries right now. I think that what you have told your student is perfectly appropriate. I also think that you can remind tell him that he is paying you to be his coach. When he goes ahead, he misses his opportunity to learn from you.