First and foremost, music should be fun! Musical study should be undertaken primarily for the joy of playing. I believe in teaching based upon nurturing and encouragement. Students who feel too much pressure or are motivated by fear or guilt tend not to be happy with music in the long run. When the person cracking the proverbial whip goes away, often so does the student’s reason to practice. I have known too many people who have negative associations with piano because of memories of mean or too-demanding teachers. I prefer instead to foster a genuine love of playing. If a student builds up positive experiences with music without undue pressure they are much more likely to be intrinsically motivated to practice later on.
I like to teach students with Socratic questioning. As much as possible, I want to train them in how to think, instead of telling them what to do. If they understand how to think through a musical problem, they can often figure out what to do on their own. This kind of understanding is empowering, and it encourages students to take more ownership and pride in their work.
I believe a teacher’s job is to be a guide more than a director. Students should be reminded that the beauty of music is in its personal significance; it should never be about what the teacher thinks it means, but rather the students’ process of discovering what the music means to them personally. As a teacher, I want to help students find a way to make their own connection to the music and to encourage their unique interpretations in performance.
