I Don't Take Play Seriously Enough... (A Piano Teacher Confession)
Published about 2 months agoΒ β’Β 4 min read
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Today, I Confess: I Don't Take Play Seriously Enough.
(and chances are, you don't either)
Where are my overachievers at? πββοΈ
You and I both know: we live in a society that values work. I have now spent 43 years on this planet, most of them trying to prove my worth through productivity.
If you can identify, I hope you'll listen to my conversation with Vanessa Cornett from last summer. Vanessa is one of my go-to voices of reason in this sometimes-volatile musician life.
Here's an interesting contradiction for you: If you are familiar with my work, you know I have sort of an unbridled enthusiasm thing going for me. I spent many years worrying my colleagues mistook my lighthearted nature for being too flippant about our work.
...turns out, I'd been fixated on the wrong concern.
While I tend to carry a jovial energy with me, the inner workings of my brain are often quite serious. Workaholism is part of my DNA. I often strive to "prove myself" (whatever that means?) as an attempt to bury my insecurities under accomplishments.
This has many implications on my teaching:
Never feeling like I've done "enough" for my students
Knowing the numerous benefits that come with music study, therefore wanting everyone to do it forever... and considering it a moral failing if they don't
Letting my students' public performances (for better and for worse) define my value as a teacher
Focusing on goals that ultimately don't matter
Basically, I've taken this thing that I love (music study) and turned it into something it was never meant to be.
Playing the piano was never meant to be a litmus test of whether or not I've worked hard enough.
Music is fundamental to the human spirit - not because of what it proves, but because of what it reveals.
Many of us take our work seriously, and with good reason. We must understand the importance of the skills we are nurturing in order to be effective.
...at the same time, we are also guilty of projecting these oh-so-serious feelings onto our students (who have NOT signed up for the same lifelong experience we have).
Perhaps you've heard me mention I've been doing a lot of research into the science of play lately...
I've been simultaneously convicted AND affirmed by my findings. This is a fitting duality, given that our satisfaction in music teaching is dependent on a paradox:
We do our best work when we embrace music study as essential AND inconsequential at the same time.
(Props to Elizabeth Gilbert for inspiring this thought with The Central Paradox, described in her book, Big Magic)
Our achievement-obsessed culture has taught us to believe there is no value in play, but I'm here to shout from the rooftops: Play is the point of our work.
Despite what we've been taught by the 21st century hustle, play is one of the most valuable elements of life. Play is not limited to childhood (or even the human species). It is part of our design, and it's increasingly harder to come by.
How fortunate we are to help students find something so elusive and so important.
If you'd like to learn more about creating play-filled lessons that don't require you to lower your standards or invest in a mountain of materials, I'm inviting you to a LIVE Watch Party for my latest presentation, The Paradox of Play: Taking Fun Seriously.
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The Paradox of Play session is currently available for preorder. Those purchasing before the release will receive the recording and all accompanying resources for $29.
If you're ready to capitalize on ALL the science of play has to teach us, sign up today and we'll get to work on August 1st!
Speaking of Janna, we have been planning this 10-week experience for months. Sharing the details with the world and seeing registrations come in has made for a MOST EXCITING week. The list of participating teachers is further proof this is going to be a transformative experience.
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