NAFA School of Young Talents - Discussion

[phankao]

watercooler:

I got to say, good teachers are very strict. They could not the flaws and some are not very good in temper, but they are real musicians. their aims are not only earn money, but to nurture young musicians.

I find it very contradictory though. If they only aim to nurture young musicians, then they should know not to destroy the kids emotionally/mentally through loosing their temper and finding faults with the kids. Good teachers would aim to nurture by building up the child's techniques as well as their resilience and confidence. I was reading Lang Lang's biography. His 1st teacher was that way. Even after his later teachers threw tantrums(so to say) and quit on Lang Lang, this 1st teacher still managed to come back and save the situation. Very admirable. Lang Lang's father is scary.

[watercooler]

To phankao:

I just would like to share some of my thought with you. I agree it is always contradictory. Children are different. It is very important to find a way to suit their different needs and character. I got to say, without my first teacher’s strictness,without my mom’s commitment, I could not reach my piano level today.
When I was young, I also wanted to play with my friends instead of playing the piano. But I also know my love of music. Even though I often cried during lessons, I still like to continue playing. My mom pushed me till my puberty, and I got to fall in love with playing. no more forcing. sometimes, she had to force me get down from the piano and do my homework. Young children sometimes do not know what is right and what is wrong. but when they grow up, they will thank your persistence.
I think the basal line of the teachers/parents is not let the children lose their interest in playing. It is Ok to be strict, it is ok to pressurize the student, but the teacher should not extinguish children’s passion of music. Teachers/parents might to use some tactics. Sometimes to praise the kids, sometimes to be more critical, and let them know they still have long way to go.
The starting is always hard and there are also stages during learning. It would be very important to encourage the students when they are experiencing the bottleneck.
JMHO.

[phankao]

watercooler:

To phankao:

I just would like to share some of my thought with you. I agree it is always contradictory. Children are different. It is very important to find a way to suit their different needs and character. I got to say, without my first teacher's strictness,without my mom's commitment, I could not reach my piano level today.
When I was young, I also wanted to play with my friends instead of playing the piano. But I also know my love of music. Even though I often cried during lessons, I still like to continue playing. My mom pushed me till my puberty, and I got to fall in love with playing. no more forcing. sometimes, she had to force me get down from the piano and do my homework. Young children sometimes do not know what is right and what is wrong. but when they grow up, they will thank your persistence.
I think the basal line of the teachers/parents is not let the children lose their interest in playing. It is Ok to be strict, it is ok to pressurize the student, but the teacher should not extinguish children's passion of music. Teachers/parents might to use some tactics. Sometimes to praise the kids, sometimes to be more critical, and let them know they still have long way to go.
The starting is always hard and there are also stages during learning. It would be very important to encourage the students when they are experiencing the bottleneck.
JMHO.

Yeah, every child is so different. Different ways to approach this for girls vs boys too. I'm not sure about other parents' children, but I do have at least one boy who cannot be forced to practise. He would rebel if that's the case and purposely not do what we ask and when he is in this mood, advice/encouragement/incentives don't work. Quite unpredictable, but he does often get in that kind of mood so we have to be very sensitive. He has to be allowed to work at his own pace. He doesn't practise much even though he's an advanced player, but somehow I think he manages to condense everything and does well in exams and competitions. We don't fully know how he does it, but just know we cannot interfere and the other thing that does work is praise and never to criticise bc again, he rebels and would be very defensive, so that has a negative effect. I guess he wouldn't survive a very strict teacher then.

[kathyh]

Anyway I prefer the strict way. And I don’t really think nafa teachers are strict like what they are described in some forums. Probably becoz I am even stricter hehe

[kathyh]

Phankao, I fully understand as i hv almost exactly the same experience, on study not in piano coz this kid not playing piano

[phankao]

kathyh:

Phankao, I fully understand as i hv almost exactly the same experience, on study not in piano coz this kid not playing piano

HAH - we have same experience with studies (the don't disturb at all, and you still see he doesn't study anyway). But the difference is that he doesn't do well in studies.

[watercooler]

I also agree that boys and girls are very different. I believe my mother’s method could not be applied to my son. It won’t work well.

[lwzh]

Wah, phanKao, your son is already an advanced player. How old is he? Where does he study? He got his diploma already?


I still have a long way to go.

[lwzh]

kathyh:

Anyway I prefer the strict way. And I don't really think nafa teachers are strict like what they are described in some forums. Probably becoz I am even stricter hehe

Really? U r stricter than nafa teacher? How? Can I borrow some experience?

[kathyh]

I don't know what to say. I can be very harsh so i am afraid my way is not acceptable by majority of parents

lwzh:

kathyh:

Anyway I prefer the strict way. And I don't really think nafa teachers are strict like what they are described in some forums. Probably becoz I am even stricter hehe

Really? U r stricter than nafa teacher? How? Can I borrow some experience?