Posted by John Swensen on February 12, 2000 at 13:18:01:
In Reply to: If you are a private teacher PleaseRead posted by A Student on February 09, 2000 at 21:41:48:
Although there is no substitute for musical talent, dedication, and effort on the part of the student, or for the judgement and guidance of the teacher, it may be helpful to consider what has been learned about teaching and training.
In brief, negative reinforcement (as in, "no, that's not right", or punishing unwanted behavior like not practicing enough) is marginally effective for humans and some domesticated animals, but it is completely ineffective for most wild species (like dolphins). Positive reinforcement (rewarding desired behavior) is not only effective for wild animals, but it is far more effective for humans than negative reinforcement, particularly when applied systematically.
An excellent text on the subject is Don't Shoot the Dog: The New Science of Teaching and Training", by Karen Pryor, who used to train dolphins to jump through hoops and once taught a cat to play piano (not well, but the cat would play on cue). She addresses issues such as whining, punishment, and the learning process, using examples from everyday life to illustrate her points. She also, specifically, addresses the learning of music.