How to inspire a new student in 45 minutes

WhoIsTony? said:
this is 100% incorrect on every possible level
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It's not. It's the true reality of the teaching world. Go talk to some professional teachers. Teachers get truly good when they stop being pie in the sky, and I'm gonna change the world. Only the rookies have this type of outlook and they loose it usually to some big heartbreak they have over some kid they worked so hard to inspire and it doesn't work out.

I work every day as a public school teacher with an outstanding team. We all have 20plus years on the job. We love what we do and really love working with the kids. We all also know, that no matter what we think we've done for kids, that we have no real influence on them. That comes from home.
 
WhoIsTony? said:
this is 100% incorrect on every possible level
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bigd said:
It's not. It's the true reality of the teaching world.
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Well that's when two of the forum's "radical answer" provocateurs come together ;).

First, I believe it's a difference whether you're teaching in a public school, where you have
classes and everybody is forced to attend, or you're teaching an instrument to one person
who more or less mostly comes to you by his/her own choice.

Second, as we teachers probably all know, there is intrinsic motivation, and extrinsic!
There is kind of a short-living motivation that can come from a teacher (or other sources)
perfectly well. But I think true is when the student's intrinsic motivation for the instrument
and learning it is lacking or missing altogether, you're not going to be able to to anything
against that as a teacher.
 
bigd said:
It's not. It's the true reality of the teaching world. Go talk to some professional teachers. Teachers get truly good when they stop being pie in the sky, and I'm gonna change the world. Only the rookies have this type of outlook and they loose it usually to some big heartbreak they have over some kid they worked so hard to inspire and it doesn't work out.

I work every day as a public school teacher with an outstanding team. We all have 20plus years on the job. We love what we do and really love working with the kids. We all also know, that no matter what we think we've done for kids, that we have no real influence on them. That comes from home.
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Man, that is a really depressing outlook on things. I just don't buy it, and I'm a "professional teacher", as you say, as I'm sure many people on this thread are. To go about your job day in and day out think that you simply cannot inspire a student is ludicrous. I take it you've had "some big heartbreak...over some kid [you] worked so hard to inspire and it [didn't] work out", and that's why you feel this way? If that's the case that says more about you and your motivation than the students. Are you going to inspire every student? No. Probably not even the majority of students, but it can certainly be done if you're a good teacher and an inspiring individual.

Real influence does not always come from home. It should and it can, but it's certainly not a rule. Look at all the other garbage out there that kids are influenced by. All they need is someone, anyone, to be a positive influence to them.

All that being said, there is definitely a big difference between teaching in school and teaching privately, as Swiss mentioned. Kids that come to private lessons are there because they want to be there, not because it's 3rd period. But either way, if you go into it thinking that you'll never inspire anyone, then you won't.
 
bigd said:
It's not. It's the true reality of the teaching world. Go talk to some professional teachers. Teachers get truly good when they stop being pie in the sky, and I'm gonna change the world. Only the rookies have this type of outlook and they loose it usually to some big heartbreak they have over some kid they worked so hard to inspire and it doesn't work out.

I work every day as a public school teacher with an outstanding team. We all have 20plus years on the job. We love what we do and really love working with the kids. We all also know, that no matter what we think we've done for kids, that we have no real influence on them. That comes from home.
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I've been a "professional teacher" for 14 years

and I would never want you teaching my kid anything
 
I remember being a bored and mediocre university student who did not care about school at all. I then took an English course with a university professor who literally changed my worldview. He taught that I had a lot to offer and inspired me to care about myself and to work hard.

Directly because of him, I got on Dean's List and into Law school, etc.

I agree with 100% of the posters who confirm that teachers can and do inspire students all the time; I am living proof of that. I can't imagine how different my life would have been had I not run into that professor.
 
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Teachers absolutely can and do inspire drummers, everyday. For some kids, their drum lesson may be the highlight of their miserable lives.

I'd even go as far as to say that one of the desired outcomes for a teacher.... is that her/his students are inspired.

Even in public schools, sometimes teachers give better quality attention to students than they get at home.

A drum lesson is even more personal. Kids crave positive personal attention from an adult.

It's an atrocity to say that teachers can't inspire students. I can't even believe I read that.

Hewitt2 is walking proof. He probably had SmartJim as a professor. I'm sure there are millions of stories just like his.
 
I think inspiration is owned by the inspired...I don't think inspiration can be forced on a person.

I think a teacher can create an environment where a student can take inspiration.

I don't think a teacher can give inspiration. A teacher can offer it....and that offering can have varying levels of efficacy that can influence the taking.


I read a communication disconnect in this thread so far...and I think what I have said above illuminates the disconnect....but I may be wrong, of course ; )
 
I guess it's more of the way you teach the student that would get them inspired. They are more likely to rub off you if they see you as an older mentor providing them guidance, as opposed to a drill sergeant. I'm not saying that we shouldn't put them through tortuous rudimental exercises, but more of how you explain it to them, etc.

As for tomorrow, my plan is not solid, but will be a little bit something along the lines of:

-Little talk to get to know the student and his current level - familiarity with notation, why play drums, what kind of music he likes, goals, etc.

-Introduce drum kit, drum notation and stick grip

-tap some basic beats to a metronome or a song off my mobile phone?

Since I haven't met the student yet, I'm allowing plenty of room for improvisation and I'll just go with the flow. I could even possibly make up an entire plan on the spot, depending on his level.

Will keep you guys posted how it goes!!
 
Teaching methodology is a philosophical thing. There's really no 'right' manner to go about it. One could argue that there are definite 'wrong' ways of doing it, but that's not really the point I'm trying to make.

The role of a teacher is to show a student the path to improvement and allow them to walk down it. You're not going to light a flame of inspiration where there is none to begin with, you can only kindle and fan the flame that already exists and try not to extinguish it.

The student is taking the lesson because he/she wants to be a better drummer. Show them how to make that happen. Make them understand that there's a balance between the academic side (technique and reading) and the artistic side (making music), and that the balance varies from individual to individual.

Try to understand what the goals of the student are, and lean on those goals when teaching the academic curriculum. Explain how, what, and why. Expect the student's goals to be vastly different than your own. You're going to have to listen to their music, and figure out a way to relate to them.

Best of luck, peace and love.
 
KamaK said:
You're not going to light a flame of inspiration where there is none to begin with

The student is taking the lesson because he/she wants to be a better drummer.
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neither of these statements are remotely true .... at least not in my experiences both as a teacher and a student

I have had multiple students over the years who had no intention of being a drummer .... they were signed up by their parents and it was just another activity .... they would show up having just come from swimming and they would be in their dobok because they were heading to taekwondo right after lessons...... going through the motions with zero interest .

many of them had zero interest in music let alone playing drums..... somehow I inspired them greatly .... just by getting to know their true interests and showing them that they are capable of doing some pretty cool things musically .... I saw a lightbulb go on where there was absolute darkness... they found inspiration .... some to the point where the look up to me as sort of a life mentor and to this day text me for advice about any given subject of their life .

one of those said students is now in is second year at Berklee studying drumming and composition..... he is also a drummer highly in demand in the Boston area
and another is a snare drummer at the University of Michigan and one of the heads of the drum corps.

I have experienced this myself a few times in my life as well .

not in musical education but in my public school academics

if not for a couple of teachers who took me under their wing... understood me ... and inspired me and made me believe in myself I would have never made it though school going in the direction I was heading .
drugs.... crime.... you name it ..... my parents had no chance and I am regretful to this day for all I put them through because they did absolutely everything they could to help me and never gave up on me .... ever... but I just wasn't hearing them .... sorry mom and dad

but Mrs. Terranova and Mrs. Insinnia ..... somehow they got to me .... inspired me .... and helped me understand that I was very much capable of more than I was heading for.

I lost touch with both of them somewhere in the 1990s.... but years after they were my teachers....If I knew where either of them were today I would hug and kiss them both and tell them that they are part of the reason that I am successful today and make my living via my passion
 
I see both sides of this discussion, however the language that we use may be a bit misleading. They may be synonyms, but (for the purpose of eduction) I think of inspiration and motivation as two different things. Inspiring a student can definitely motivate him to take action. For one to succeed at a subject or activity, he/she has to take that feeling of inspiration and do something with it.

It is much easier to be inspired. How many people who have watched The Karate Kid felt inspired? Probably most of them. How many people were even inspired enough to consider karate classes? A lot of them. But, the motivated ones took that feeling of inspiration and acted upon it. They signed up for classes, took the tests progressed to the black belt stage.

Jeff
 
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WhoIsTony? said:
neither of these statements are remotely true .... at least not in my experiences both as a teacher and a student

I have had multiple students over the years who had no intention of being a drummer .... they were signed up by their parents and it was just another activity .... they would show up having just come from swimming and they would be in their dobok because they were heading to taekwondo right after lessons...... going through the motions with zero interest .
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I sympathize with your situation. I found students like those to be quite disheartening, and simply chose not to continue as their instructor. I had the benefit of being a 1on1 teacher, and I forget that not everyone has that flexibility to be able to pick and choose their students.
 
KamaK said:
I forget that not everyone has that flexibility to be able to pick and choose their students.
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I do now... and have for some years.
I require and regimented audition to qualify for lessons.
but back when I was starting out I did not have that luxury.
 
As a teacher for 20 years (not of drumming) I don't buy anything written above about not being able to inspire. I would agree the real world is not like To Sir With Love or any other Hollywood teacher movie, but to think you do not or cannot make any difference to a kid to me reads as simply jaded or burned out.
Where I live many teachers who have been in the classroom too long and suffer this are moved on into admin or early retirement.
 
I've read part way back on this, but here are my thoughts:

As the teacher, don't be afraid to play a decent bit during lessons. I used to feel that "I should devote every second to serving this student," but I've realized that when they watch you play, the "Wow" factor can kick in which will really inspire them. That can be worth more sometimes than the actual material you're using to improve their skills/instincts.

I vaguely remember some little triangle diagram where the three parts are practice, progress and inspiration. Each feeds off of the previous and the cycle drives itself. I've experienced this many times in my life, but then I fall off the wagon sometimes too.

Teaching is a gift. Watching a great teacher teach can be as amazing & inspiring as watching a virtuoso athlete play, or similar such example. I quite often come out of lessons with a sort of endorphin high from "nailing it," where I feel I reached & inspired a student at the next level. It's infectious; the student and I feed off each other.

I love to play, but have become perfectly content with the idea that I'll probably do more teaching in my lifetime than playing. When you're doing what you're born to do you'll end up fulfilled. All kinds of different jobs are important and necessary and can change people's lives, it's dangerous to elevate one vocation over another.
 
I would agree that it is entirely possible to inspire a student. I've taken lessons with 19 different drum teachers in my life, and I've often been inspired by those teachers. On the other end of the equation, I've also been the teacher to over 500 private students in the past 18 years, and I'd like to think that I've managed to inspire more than a few of them.

However...one thing worth mentioning is this:

Not every person in the world wants to be a drummer. I know that's probably hard for us to imagine, but it's true! haha. If you teach long enough, you will almost certainly run into a student here or there who would genuinely rather be playing guitar...or baseball. Perhaps the parents have insisted that the child learn an instrument, or maybe the student has some compulsive reason for feeling that they "should" play drums even though it's not truly their passion. Ya never know exactly what's going on in someone else's psyche.

So, yes, I would say it's appropriate to strive for inspiring our students. But on the other hand, it does not necessarily reflect poorly on the teacher if a person registered for lessons would truly prefer to be doing something other than drumming with the hours of their life. All of us are different, with different interests, and that is OK.
 
Apologies for the late response! I had an unexpected job interview for Friday, so I had to make a trip down to the big city for a few nights.

Unfortunately, despite all the tips I learned from this thread and all the effort I put in to prepare the lesson, the student did not show up! We rang him several times but he must have still be sleeping.
He contacted me today, and it turns out he actually wanted to learn guitar (probably a mistake the school made when I told them I can play guitar too). He's insisting that I teach him privately (to save cost?), but I'd rather teach on behalf of an institute to begin with.

Thank you guys so much for sharing your invaluable teaching tips. I feel more much more confident to teach now, even if I were to teach beginner guitar.
 
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