All New Tuesdays
Tomorrow is Tuesday.
For the last 5 years, Tuesday has been a synonym for frustration in the Dictionary According to Amy.
Because for the last 5 years of Tuesdays, I have taken a deep breath, unlocked the front door, put on my Gracious Piano Teacher hat and assumed my position to the right of the bench. Every Tuesday, some combination of four precious girls (very rarely all four in one week) ambles through my front door. They collapse onto my red, overstuffed sofas or land with a thud on the bench - nearly always uttering one of the following phrases:
...or something. Truthfully, I tune it out after the "Okay," because I can't waste any time before thinking of ways to fill the next hour.
Five years, friends. I've been teaching for about 8, but after the first three, they realized that practicing does not equal fun. For five years I have reasoned, forgiven, encouraged, lectured, pep-talked and one time, flat out yelled. I have created games, challenges, charts. I have bribed to the tune of (and no, I am not exaggerating) $100 per student to get them to look at the piano over the summer and sadly, it was the safest wager I've ever made. I have sat on my chair for 32 weeks a year, helplessly witnessing potential neglected.
There have been some good days. The girls seem to rise to occasions. And they make me laugh, a lot. I love being their friend. But my responsibility is to their musical education and I can't help feeling like I've been failing them.
So I have a plan. I am taking control. Tomorrow, I have a new job title. Instead of Piano Teacher, I will be their Music Educator. No more private lessons, no more wasted weeks of non-practice and lessons repeating what we've done for the last. five. weeks. I am abandoning private lessons and starting Music Class.
I have no idea what I am doing, or how it will work. The number of music classes I took in college is less than the number of hours these girls practice in a week. I am a well-trained classical pianist who is out of practice. I know my theory, but I would be hard pressed to tell Beethoven from Mozart by listening. I have one piano, four students and no clue.
My goal: to make it fun again. For all of us. These girls aren't going to be concert pianists. They're not even likely to be piano teachers. Someday, maybe in college, they're going to want to show off a bit at church, or more likely, their sorority house. Maybe later they'll want to help their children practice piano, or they'll come across a High School Musical songbook in a thrift store and feel compelled to tinker a bit.
It feels a bit like selling out as a "musician," but it hasn't been about music for a long time. It's about this messy little ministry God's given me. On Tuesdays.
For the last 5 years, Tuesday has been a synonym for frustration in the Dictionary According to Amy.
Because for the last 5 years of Tuesdays, I have taken a deep breath, unlocked the front door, put on my Gracious Piano Teacher hat and assumed my position to the right of the bench. Every Tuesday, some combination of four precious girls (very rarely all four in one week) ambles through my front door. They collapse onto my red, overstuffed sofas or land with a thud on the bench - nearly always uttering one of the following phrases:
- "Okay. I just have to tell you. I had 173 tests and 9 birthday parties this week."
- "Okay. I really really practiced this week. Really. I had, like, 20 minutes between my sabre lesson and highland dancing class."
- "Okay. I've been out of town for like a month and there are no pianos in Papua New Guinea."
- "Okay. I would have practiced, but I left all of my music here at your house which is five minutes from mine and I had rheumatic fever and scurvy."
...or something. Truthfully, I tune it out after the "Okay," because I can't waste any time before thinking of ways to fill the next hour.
Five years, friends. I've been teaching for about 8, but after the first three, they realized that practicing does not equal fun. For five years I have reasoned, forgiven, encouraged, lectured, pep-talked and one time, flat out yelled. I have created games, challenges, charts. I have bribed to the tune of (and no, I am not exaggerating) $100 per student to get them to look at the piano over the summer and sadly, it was the safest wager I've ever made. I have sat on my chair for 32 weeks a year, helplessly witnessing potential neglected.
There have been some good days. The girls seem to rise to occasions. And they make me laugh, a lot. I love being their friend. But my responsibility is to their musical education and I can't help feeling like I've been failing them.
So I have a plan. I am taking control. Tomorrow, I have a new job title. Instead of Piano Teacher, I will be their Music Educator. No more private lessons, no more wasted weeks of non-practice and lessons repeating what we've done for the last. five. weeks. I am abandoning private lessons and starting Music Class.
I have no idea what I am doing, or how it will work. The number of music classes I took in college is less than the number of hours these girls practice in a week. I am a well-trained classical pianist who is out of practice. I know my theory, but I would be hard pressed to tell Beethoven from Mozart by listening. I have one piano, four students and no clue.
My goal: to make it fun again. For all of us. These girls aren't going to be concert pianists. They're not even likely to be piano teachers. Someday, maybe in college, they're going to want to show off a bit at church, or more likely, their sorority house. Maybe later they'll want to help their children practice piano, or they'll come across a High School Musical songbook in a thrift store and feel compelled to tinker a bit.
It feels a bit like selling out as a "musician," but it hasn't been about music for a long time. It's about this messy little ministry God's given me. On Tuesdays.
Comments
My son learned musical instruments all on his own. What is your opinion.... Do you think it's a good idea for parents to force their kids to take lessons for an instrument or sport if the kid absolutely hates it? Now that my son is older, it just doesn't seem like it makes much sense.
That being said, I don't teach piano lessons. :) But I have considered starting. After all, I, too, am a well-trained classical pianist who's out of practice - who better to educate our young people? (And okay, so I thought it might be a good way to make some extra money...where as you see it as a ministry...that would be a way we're different!)
Anyway - I think your frustration is understandable and your goal is admirable. And I will pray for your new approach and for your Tuesdays.
Brenda, that is such a tough question that I am asked to answer all the time! Here's my approach:
It Depends. :)
Sports, no. I do think parents should "force" their kid into some kind of regular physical activity, but it doesn't have to be the one the parent chooses. I would love for my daughter to be a strong soccer player, but she's a very natural swimmer and hated soccer, so we're going to head in that direction.
I guess my answer for music is essentially the same - the value of a music education is not in question. What tends to happen is that parents and students dive into music lessons enthusiastically and then when it gets hard, the students start whining. I think, at that point, "forcing" them to continue is an essential life lesson, because most often it's not that they want to quit or that they "hate" piano, they just don't want to practice. Allowing them to quit when it gets hard is a disservice to their life training.
That said, I go back to "it depends". Age, commitment level, cost, other interests - these are all factors.
Photo - it started out as a way to make some extra money. A couple years ago I had to start looking at it as a ministry, because it was certainly NOT enough extra money to keep at it. :)
Jennifer - I would gladly accept you as a student. :)