"Every truth has two sides; it is as well to look at both, before we commit ourselves to either." Aesop
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- Five-finger hand positions
- No-makeup policies
- Fixed Do solfege
- Charging "per lesson"
- Requiring memorization
What do all of these things have in common?
They are common "battleground topics" for piano teachers. π
Meaning, a lot of us have STRONG opinions on these matters.
...and, while having convictions is generally a good (and necessary) thing, we do not want those beliefs to come from a place of blind arrogance.
Instead, we should always acknowledge merits of the "other side".
Maybe this goes back to my old Competitive Speech and Debate Team days...but when I find myself getting fired-up about a polarizing topic in TeacherWorld, I make it a point to spend real time considering the "opposite" position.
("Opposite" in quotations because these topics are often presented as false dilemmas).
See, if answers to these situations were as simple and obvious as some teachers believe them to be, there would be no reason to debate.
Rather, polarizing topics exist because complexity exists on both sides.
(Phew - this could easily apply to SO MANY matters of concern, but I'm truly just talking about music teaching here. Any applications to the outside world are simply a bonus today. π)
The keys on the piano are pretty much the only aspects of our work that are truly black and white.
The next time you find yourself rolling your eyes at someone else's approach or defending your position as "the only way", spend some time considering their point of view.
This sounds easier than it is. There's a strange kind of fear that creeps in; as though daring to consider an alternative philosophy might somehow threaten our musical identity.
Sometimes, opening yourself up to changing your mind is scary. I get it.
And yet, we can never go "all in" on our convictions until we've thoroughly (and objectively!) explored all sides.
So...
Do I want my elementary students playing only in five-finger positions? No way; but they do lay some pretty strong foundations for chordal harmony. I understand why they became "a thing".
Do I enforce my no makeup policy? Absolutely (and I *do* believe it's a life-changing move for many teachers). Even still, I understand it's not for every situation. No judgement here!
Fixed Do? No way. Not for this girl. BUT - do I understand the reasoning behind it, and why some people prefer it? You bet.
Do I charge "per lesson"? Heck no. π€£ Tuition-based structures are infinitely better for teachers who want to be compensated for ALL the work they do for students, during assigned lesson times and otherwise. But - do I understand the simplicity and rationale behind paying-per-lesson, especially in situations where teachers need an exceptional amount of flexibility? Yep!
Do I require memorization for recitals? Generally, yes. Experience has shown me we play our best when we are not distracted by the printed score in front of us. I'm also really committed to working on timelines that support this goal. Is there room for exceptions here? 100%. Do I understand experience has given some of you a different perspective? Of course I do.
As I said on this week's podcast episode: when it comes to our musical upbringing, we get to keep what we liked and change what we didn't. It's a wonderful thing about our work.
...just make sure your decisions are well-informed by considering the merits of alternative approaches.
THAT, my friends, is how we end up with convictions worth having.
Now it's your turn! What "polarizing" topic in TeacherWorld gets you worked up? I'm DYING to know. Hit that REPLY button and let me know.
π₯Cheers to exploring alternative perspectives in our teaching (And knowing we will be better educators for it).π₯