Posted by Art H on March 01, 2003 at 00:14:51:
In Reply to: My first lesson! posted by Deb on February 28, 2003 at 09:24:41:
Relax. Working with one student is really easy, compared with a classroom full of them! Let the student play a few notes, or perhaps a scale, and you will know immediately what needs work. Whatever problems the student is having, you have dealt with similar problems in your own playing, so you are ready to make suggestions. Then play along with the student on something that is within his or her reach. That helps build their confidence, which is usually the most important thing. Playing duets can be very valuable exercise too, if the student is ready. And if the student is a better player than you are (it happened to me once!) then he or she won't come back to bother you ever again.