Posted by DS on February 09, 2004 at 20:02:14:
In Reply to: Re: I have a confession. I HATE TO TEACH posted by Doug Whitten on February 09, 2004 at 19:36:17:
Good post, Doug.
I also love to teach. I spend most of my efforts trying to motivate students. Once you get some momentum happening, it tends to keep a student working. Inertia!
I have a slighlty different take than you on giving students the boot. Students who do not come around should get the boot from a college studio after one or two semesters. Bad attitudes and lack of motivation can spread like a cancer to other students.
The challenge I face at a mid-sized state university is that many students see applied lessons as being an obstacle to the goal of becoming band directors. "Why do I gotta be good at my horn, when all I'm gonna do is run a marching band." The students who don't get it usually don't survive juries. I do spend a great deal of time trying to bring these students around, but if they don't show up or do any practicing, out they go.