Ask Diane “If I may ask: what do you do when it becomes apparent that the prospective student just doesn’t seem to be a good fit? Personality-wise? (But the parents love you and obviously don’t see anything wrong.) I’ve had a few interviews where there were some red flags but Continue Reading
Choosing Students
Teaching Adults Piano: Ten Tips
A master chef is teaching a private cooking class to James, a 45-year-old aspiring chef. “What your absolute favorite food?” asks the master chef. “Jambalaya!” says James. “I absolutely LOVE Jambalaya! Can you teach me how to make it?” “Absolutely!” says the chef. “I’ll teach you to make Jambalaya. But Continue Reading
She’s A Professional
“Diane is a professional, Jake. Do you know what that means?” I looked at her anxiously, waiting for the next words – sure it was going to be something that would make the kid feel terrible, and me wish I’d never opened my mouth. Something about me not wanting to Continue Reading
Right Out The Door
“You can’t just ask customers what they want and then try to give that to them. By the time you get it built, they’ll want something new.” Steve Jobs “I have this student – VERY gifted. The child isn’t the problem. It’s the mother.” Mrs. Keller had pulled Continue Reading
She Didn’t Think Much of You Either
I had just “interviewed” my first prospective student. I was teaching at the studio of my teaching mentor, Carol. The twelve-year-old girl was a transfer student who’d had two years of lessons. She had floppy fingers and long fingernails painted a garish shade of pink. Not my dream student. It had never Continue Reading
Just Different
Many years ago, before I had children of my own, I taught a very talented little girl I’ll call Natasha. Natasha was the most talented student I’d ever taught. So I made exceptions. She and her family were extremely poor, having just immigrated to the United States from Russia. They Continue Reading
I Just Did the Very Best I Could
I wasn’t crazy about the father. He had creepy ideas about what motivated people. Money was the only thing that motivated him, and he assumed it was the only thing that motivated anyone else. Why money motivated him I never understood, since the family had more money than anyone could ever Continue Reading