Navel Gazing and "Teach Jack Latin"
I’m going to come right out and say it: I don’t usually read blogs. (Podcasts are my jam!) So it seems like an exercise in navel gazing to start my own.
However, the pandemic and other life circumstances in the year 2020 have forced many hours of pondering upon me. And one thing is clear: I would love for my teaching to have more reach and influence than it currently does.
So, with conflicting emotions and far too many ideas swirling in my brain, I shall now proceed to start my blog in the manner that I always knew I would begin such a project: discussing the phrase
TEACH JACK LATIN.
My dear professor during my undergraduate years, Dr. Karin Edwards, began our piano pedagogy class by dissecting this statement; she also used it to frame further discussions. In a pedagogy class, students learn how to Teach. Ideally, they learn best practices for communication, how to evaluate curriculum, and gain understanding of philosophies of how to pass on the tradition of performing music at our instrument.
Jack, of course, stands for the student in the lesson with the teacher, whatever his or her name may be. Without the student, there is no lesson. His prior experience, ability, knowledge, desires, and personality will all dictate how a teacher should proceed in leading him towards greater proficiency.
But a teacher must also be a master of her subject. In my case, Music played on the piano (not Latin!). While mastery alone does not lead to excellence in teaching, it is, without question, a prerequisite for such excellence. The art of playing the piano is one so deep and wide that no human need ever stop learning.
Many piano teachers find that one of these three areas is most energizing. For some, the science of pedagogy (Teach) is fascinating. How can I best lead a student to understanding a particular concept? How can I prepare my students more effectively for some future task? If I use this teaching technique, will it be more successful or less? How does this student’s personality and background influence how I should work on a particular assignment? These teachers often are constant learners themselves, attending conferences for professional development and keeping up on the latest ideas around brain research, educational theory, and more. They are willing to try new methods and resources and declare honestly when an older idea is no longer working.
But many teachers did not originally come to piano teaching because of such a fascination. They were excellent piano students, and found themselves studying at a high level (perhaps multiple degrees), without the idea that teaching would be where they ultimately spent much of their time. For these teachers, Music itself is the driving reason that they find themselves teaching. These teachers have no trouble nerding out over a piece of classical music or the intricate theory behind an amazing chord progression. They are often high-level performers, perhaps with a bit of “artiste” personality that gets students excited about the subject at hand. The love for the subject is almost like a contagious disease that is passed from teacher to student. (Pardon such an analogy in the year of the pandemic.)
Most important of the three is Jack. All excellent teaching and musical mastery is in vain if the teacher does not recognize the individual student sitting on the bench, and all of the things that go into making him or her unique. While there are better or more effective ways to do things, there is no single “correct” way to teach, because there is no single “correct” student. For some teachers, this part - working with the individual - is the easiest, most energizing part, as well as the reason behind it all. They might especially love working with a particular age group, such as young children or recreational adults. Perhaps such a teacher started teaching because her own teacher made a personal and profound impact on her life, and she wishes to do the same for future generations. Music is simply the vehicle, albeit a very special vehicle, for this connection and impact.
Unfortunately, there have been tendencies in the profession of music teaching to prioritize one, or possibly two, of these elements at the expense of another. Balancing all three requires commitment to growth and personal development, whether that means trying a new method, prioritizing time on the bench for our own practicing, or taking a deep dive into understanding what motivates a particular student. Thankfully, we live in a time with more resources and potential connections than ever before. There is frankly no excuse for leaving a challenge untackled.
Dr. Edwards kindly sent me a slide in her files, passed down from another teacher, originally from a convention poster. While we can’t attribute the original author, it is still apropos.
So, teachers, how about you? Which corner of the Teach Jack Latin triangle do you find yourself most naturally suited for, and why? How have you learned to connect all three parts and strengthen your weaker corner? In a time where we are all desperate for connection, I’d love to hear from you, so I invite you to comment here or in another format. And may you all thrive today and in the days to come as you Teach Jack Latin.
