Instructors: What do you expect from your students?

[Mike Heugel]

I recently saw a similar topic posted on the Telecaster forum that had some interesting responses.

As we know, there are about as many teaching methods out there as there are steel guitar players. That said, as an instructor, what are your expectations of your students? Week to week? Year to Year?

Looking forward to your insight!

[Rick Barnhart]

I don't teach steel, I consider myself still a student. I do teach guitar & bass, though. I really have no expectations of my students, other than for them to be pleased with their own progress. I've found that keeping lessons fun and not a dreaded necessity keeps them interested and looking forward to the next lesson. I explain during the first meeting, how far you go depends on you, not me. I'm very pleased with the progress of every student I've been honored to instruct.

[Bill Mayville]

I have been known for pulling out of
the hat,tricks that open doors to players
that think i have taught them something
new.I just opened another door they should
have been taught a long time ago.More teachers
out there,more than ever.
Most calls I get are containing complaints about
not have learned,but spent the bucks
trying to learn things that are 101.
I love what i do.Except the day tuning.Crowding
my little brain doesnt work.
Any problem can be solved.
702 301 7470

billmayville@10stringhelp.com

[b0b]

Money.

[Dennis Saydak]

Money.

Man, there should be more instructors like you who pay their students (lol).

[CrowBear Schmitt]

That the student understands & hears what is being taught
That he has a hard copy of audio & tabs to back it up
That he works & practices on it
That he enjoys himself
That he considers it's worth his money & that he comes back for more ...

[Thomas Heath]

Practice.

[Ray Montee]

I like to see a steel guitar student approach the subject with a burning desire to LEARN the instrument. Wanting more reasonable answers to questions than I might know.

I'm discouraged by incoming individuals who start out the first session by telling the time worn instructor what they want to learn and in what order they expect to master it.

They seem to think that learning steel guitar is merely pushing a red button and it all falls into their laps. In the olden days before tabs and rhythm tracks, a student of steel guitar had to listen intently and dig out of the maze, all of the intricacies of learning and playing the instrument.

[George McLellan]

The first question I ask is: are you involved in sports? If so, which is more important to you, learning the instrument or sports? That will decide whether or not I will take on that student. Too many times in the past have they started and then hockey or soccer or what ever they spend their time practicing sports and not enough or in some cases no time on their lessons.

Geo

[G Strout]

I'm discouraged by incoming individuals who start out the first session by telling the time worn instructor what they want to learn and in what order they expect to master it.

Thank you Ray!!! That is my pet peeve. Out of 5 students, 1 wants to learn the instrument, 1 wants to learn Duane Allman licks (lap steel) The others bring in tunes that would be impossible for them to master without first LEARNING THE INSTRUMENT and the techniques necessary to play!!!

[David Anderson]

I do spend a lot of time trying to understand what the student wants to get out of the instrument and what their back ground is. If they have specific ideas of what they want to learn and a time frame to accomplish them, then all the better! If they don't, I try to set up a schedule of goals, both short term and long term to help them progress in a timely fashion.

A lot of people that come to me are guitar players, dobro players, banjo players, etc, and are taking up the pedal steel as a second instrument. I want to help them use their current knowledge of their primary instrument and transfer that knowledge to the steel in a way that makes sense to them. A lot depends on how the student learns, and not everyone learns the same way. Some need rigid technique and eventually songs written out. Others want concepts or ways to utilize the steel in a band situation.

Once I get a good handle on what the student is looking for, then we can set up a silibus that works for them to help achieve their goals. It maybe scales and licks, it may be simple chordal comping, or it may be learning a song note by note.

There are many facits to music and the instruments we play. To pigeon hole a student in to one strict method will surely reduce their interest if not kill it, unless that method is exactly what that particuler student is looking for.

[Jeff Metz Jr.]

One thing I like to say when teaching guitar is " Your going to learn between the lessons, not at them". That is because that is when they will practice what was tought at the lesson, and be able to grasp it better.