Teacher Should Teach, Not Impress

A good teacher will not focus on his or her playing during a music lesson, and have you copy it. He or she will focus on your playing. Image: "Music Lesson" woodcut by Jenny Carrington.

A teacher who plays excessively during a lesson is not an aid to a student. In fact, the teacher often creates problems for learning. The goal of a lesson should not be to get a student to play like the teacher but to encourage the student to develop  his or her own voice.

Playing can be helpful as a demonstration of a point - but not as a methodology to teach. Generally, this type of “teaching” is “showing” more than teaching.

The teacher needs to focus on what the student is playing – not what the teacher is playing. Too often, teacher virtuosity can be discouraging to students. Where the student is, where he or she wants to go, and how he or she can get there - these are the only considerations in the teaching process.

Editor’s note: For more on this topic read “When ‘Tell, Don’t Show’ Makes Sense.”

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