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That's because most people are righthanded, and the melody is mostly on top. All ye sinister (i.e., lefthanded) people just have to deal with it.


+1

Actually, that's the only logical explanation.

Even now we are only mostly undoing millenia of stupidity in this area.

Trivia for people who like tennis: Ken Rosewall, one of the greatest tennis players ever, was forced to play right-handed and as a result had a rather weak serve - though perhaps the greatest backhand ever.

I still hear stories of people from a couple generations ago being hit by nuns for trying to write with their left hands.

I'm curious how this forum has become so PC that those of us who actually teach have to defend ourselves every time we tell the truth.

I'm very positive and supportive towards my students who actually try, who do some work, who care, and I support their parents, the ones who cooperate and actually listen.

But there is a current trend to talk about teaching and the people we are often forced to teach as if the whole thing is always a wonderfully positive experience.

There are no horrible teachers who know nothing and who often make a lot of money doing damage.

There are no students who are looking for a Personal Piano Trainer who are willing to do absolutely no practice.

There are no students who gleefully ignore every suggestion we make and come back week after week with the same wrong ideas, wrong habits and wrong thinking, turning our lives into Groundhog's Day.

There are no parents who spend 50% of the time trying to tell us how to teach and the other 50% of the time ignoring every suggestion we make.

We have to pretend all these problems don't exist, then get accused of being negative and/or hateful when we let off steam in a forum that supposedly is for teachers.

I know I'm getting off-topic, but I feel like I must interject here:

There are many non-teachers in this forum, which is fine. But when the non-teachers try to overgeneralize using their personal experience (which is just ONE student), they often reach ridiculous conclusions that are just completely out of touch with reality.

I have taught literally hundreds of students, and every year I evaluate and judge hundreds more at exams and competitions. I am extremely up-to-date on the matters of piano teaching. I hate to go on this self-promotion here, so I'll stop now.

Well, the problem is that people hear us rant when we have bad days and assume we are horrible monsters who hate students and parents and people. There is no safe place for teachers to vent. Yet we see students vent all the time here.

The sad fact is that many if not most teachers are using this thinking:

If it was good enough for my grandparents, and good enough for my parents, it's good enough for me.

So nothing gets changed, and that's the sad part.

Casini and Morodiene,

You both made great points, and I'll "back off" as it were.

As far as the rest of the comments: Don't be PC, "ridiculousness", anonymous forum, yada, yada...I'll just say "que sera". I'm over it.

It is human nature for people to express general conclusions that they have drawn from their personal experiences. I've seen it among students, and I have also seen it among teachers. Yes, a teacher has hundreds of students over many years. But those are his students taught by him, in the manner that he teaches. I have repeatedly seen responses begin with assumptions rather than further queries to find out what is really going on. Some of those assumptions have been extremely off base. It is the same thing, and it has to do with human nature and our rushed and hurried world. People don't stop to find out. They assume. They generalize. They extrapolate from what they experience personally.

Also, please keep in mind that I spoke directly to *one* teacher in a forum full of hundreds. The comment about me making a "ridiculous generalization" against all piano teachers is ludicrous. I know what I said. I know to whom I said it, and I know why I said it.

Now back to our regularly scheduled student bashing. *wink, wink*

This sounds challenging. Aside from dyslexia I am very unaware of the different kinds, and to know how they might impact learning piano.

(And I'll take back my comment on homeschooling as it came from an unfounded opinion).

Jazzymac, putting in a wink wink doesn't really take the sting out of an insult.

You're entitled to your opinion but don't expect others to agree.

If you can't deal with the opposition gracefully I suggest you refrain from further comment .

Now, can we please get this thread back on track.

*MODERATOE NOTE* When the moderator says to stop, it is not a suggestion.

This is NOT a fact, this is your opinion.

I've had many discussions with my teacher over the past three years about many topics, one being her feelings toward the various issues that arise teaching younger students and dealing with their parents/guardians. At least to me, she has never used the type of language used sometimes in this forum by a few teachers. As a student these comments really bother me from time to time.

However.....

I feel my teacher's frustrations when talking about this topic, and I try to have empathy toward her and all teachers who deal with a lot of issues we students really can't fully grasp.

In my case, despite wincing sometimes at AZNpiano's comments, this is THEIR forum and should allowed to vent without being judged by the rest of us. I for one think that if I met AZNpiano face-to-face we would really hit it off. I take my lessons very seriously and work very hard on a daily basis. I require critique when needed, as well as support and kindness.

It's appalling to see how many people who teach piano being more spiritual than religious embraces. This kind shuould get a job in Hospitals where we need more. Ironically, the world is so upside down. Imagine hospital workers being at this emotional level for every patient.

All of us that are not teachers might want to take a minute and read Brian's email. We are GUESTS on this forum..... and really, should behave as a guest.

I agree. Everyone is a GUEST. And this is a piano teacher's forum. It is for piano teachers to discuss issues and answer questions they choose to answer. It is not a venue for people to criticize the piano teachers.

I think this thread should be taken down. There are too many mean spirited comments that have singled out a single very active helpful teacher. I am very sad.

Actually, I think the majority of the posts were quite supportive.
However as it seems that folks just won't let this go and move on, I think we're done with this thread.

I'm closing it.