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Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 282
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Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 282 |
My parents sent me to piano lessons simply because they both worked long hours and they did not want me to cause any trouble. There happened to be a piano teacher nearby so that's how I started. I was never a good piano student when I was a child - I had no special musical talent and I did not practice much. When the school work load got heavy, I stopped lessons and they did not force me to continue. When I stopped, I was working Chopin Nocturne Op.9-2 and some Mozart sonatas - all very badly to this day I never play these pieces anymore.
Almost 30 years later, I was in the "midlife crisis" mode (see my user name) - not sure what to do with my life personally and professionally. I could not afford to quit working or moving to a brand new city/country... but I knew I had to do something in my life before I went crazy. That's when I realized I had no interests, hobbies, or other skills.... Then I vaguely remembered I played the piano before, so I decided to give myself another shot. I found a teacher; signed up for lessons; bought a piano, signed up on PW; had a fight with my downstairs neighbor because the noise I was making - which caused me moving out my own place. (I created a thread here about the situation). Everything all happened within 3-5 months period. Now I am practicing whenever I can; playing pieces I never thought I could ever touch in my lifetime, and I am having a great time. Now my job is not-so-bad anymore and my life is turned around completely for the better. Everyone around me has seen the change so it's win-win for everyone.
When I talk to my elderly parents, I always let them know how grateful I am for them to sign me up for piano lessons when I was a child. The other day I was practicing Chopin Ballade No.1 - I felt it was like a documentary film of my life and I got so emotional I almost choked up in tears (of joy).
Special thanks to all piano teachers here. You are making difference in people lives - even with some below-average students like me. Do not give up on them too easily.....
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Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 638
500 Post Club Member
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500 Post Club Member
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 638 |
Dear MidLife piano, I think there comes a time in life when you want to do something for you, not only that you can share what you do with others. I don't know anyone who does not like piano music. There is more to life than just work, there has to be something you get up for every morning that you are excited about. For some it is golf, fishing, etc.... I do have a digital and an acoustic, I play on the digital with head phones to give my husband some quiet time. Playing music is good for your mental health. Below is a link to an article I published a few years ago, hope you enjoy it. https://www.mdedge.com/fedprac/article/106295/mental-health/prescription-music-lessons
Deb
"A goal properly set is halfway reached." Zig Ziglar
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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 167
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Full Member
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 167 |
This is how you do it. No drama, no hard feelings, no akwardness. I call it the last chance method. Read the post it tells all about it. "Time to say Goodbye" https://www.palomapiano.com/blog-post/time-say-goodbye/
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 19,678
Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member
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Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 19,678 |
In general I like the "last chance" idea you put forth, because it's concrete. However, there is one part that you probably do, but have not mentioned. Asking the student what might be wrong. Maybe there is an actual problem rather than growing disinterest. For the "last chance" idea, in addition to "call me when you can play it well" (to set up a lesson), how about also "Call me if you need help." as well? Even if everything is nailed in a lesson, it won't all be remembered once home.
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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 167
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Full Member
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 167 |
In general, I like the "last chance" idea you put forth because it's concrete. However, there is one part that you probably do, but have not mentioned. Asking the student what might be wrong. Maybe there is an actual problem rather than growing disinterest. For the "last chance" idea, in addition to "call me when you can play it well" (to set up a lesson), how about also "Call me if you need help." as well? Even if everything is nailed in a lesson, it won't all be remembered once home. Yes, I only do this after all other avenues have been explored. Such as changing repertoire and trying to figure out what the problem is. It doesn't happen too often that students lose interest (thankfully). But, sometimes they do. Usually, they come back to playing in some capacity which is good.
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,825
1000 Post Club Member
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1000 Post Club Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,825 |
Am I the only one here whose last video game was Space Invaders......about fifty years ago??
Maybe no-one here is old enough to remember that game.
I remember when a Pong was brought into my favorite pinball arcade. For about 6 months I was the champ of the arcade on that machine. Kurt
**********************************************************************************************************
Co-owner (by marriage) and part time customer service rep at an electronic musical equipment repair shop.
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Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 3,487
3000 Post Club Member
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3000 Post Club Member
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 3,487 |
Am I the only one here whose last video game was Space Invaders......about fifty years ago??
Maybe no-one here is old enough to remember that game.
I remember when a Pong was brought into my favorite pinball arcade. For about 6 months I was the champ of the arcade on that machine. Kurt I sadly  , remember both Pong and Space Invaders.
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Joined: Aug 2020
Posts: 2
Junior Member
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Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2020
Posts: 2 |
Hello. My mother is a teacher and she, like you, never left students. She helped even very stupid and hopeless students and they somehow passed the entrance tests to the university. My mom is special just like you. But she was tired of it and she made the decision not to change her principles like you. She made the decision to quit teaching and start working for a company about which you can learn more by <link deleted>, but I understand that not all people are ready to quit their job like my mom. But she is no longer young and therefore I was completely for her quitting her job, because she is very nervous about her work and this work takes her strength, health and nerves a lot.
Last edited by BB Player; 08/17/20 11:35 AM. Reason: Deleted spam link
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 19,678
Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member
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Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 19,678 |
The above will almost certainly be spam. I'd avoid clicking on the link (I didn't.)
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 19,678
Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member
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Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 19,678 |
Edit to last --- thanks BB. That was prompt!  
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Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 1
Junior Member
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Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 1 |
I had a situation where a teacher refused to study with me because I couldn't spend enough time. But it was all because of my college education, which was quite difficult and time consuming.
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 469
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OP
Full Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 469 |
Wow, thread necromancy! It's interesting looking back at this because I didn't end up dropping the students. One quit piano a few months later when he started another instrument he liked better, and I supported that choice. The other continued to practice sporadically for a few months after I posted originally, then worked really hard for a competition and did well, which boosted his confidence. By 18 months later he's unrecognizable. He's not one of my *best* students, but he's late intermediate and reading well and practicing well and enjoying playing the piano and working with me. So I'm really glad I stuck it out in his case.
Piano teacher since 2008, festivals chair for local chapter of NFMC, dabbling composer of pedagogical music
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 6,427
6000 Post Club Member
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6000 Post Club Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 6,427 |
Wait--Isn't teaching piano kind of like a job? You know, a job, work, as in you do something and you get paid for it?
Do you think that people who assemble cars have an interest in how successfully cars perform? Or are the most conscientious auto workers the ones who do their job as well as they can?
The older I get, the more convinced I am that that the only way to change the world is to be present in the moment and do the best I can in real time.
Learner
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Joined: Aug 2020
Posts: 301
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Full Member
Joined: Aug 2020
Posts: 301 |
Wait--Isn't teaching piano kind of like a job? You know, a job, work, as in you do something and you get paid for it? Especially as ea teacher when you are self employed, picking the right students will be important for the success of your company. People will judge you by the quality of piano players that emerge from your school. If they all suck, they will think that you suck. If you approach teaching with a "whatever pays the bills attitude", you won't be a teacher for very long. Also you are ususally self employed. Picking your clients carefully is one of the necesseties of being self employed. And yes, car shops should have an interest in how the cars perform. Because if I pick it up and it's only repaired half assed and falls apart 2 weeks later again, I have been to this shop for the last time.
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Joined: Oct 2021
Posts: 1
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Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2021
Posts: 1 |
<a href="https://www.example.com/">test</a>
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Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 3,262
3000 Post Club Member
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3000 Post Club Member
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 3,262 |
Hi Kate!
Welcome to Piano World! Would you like to ask a question about playing the piano?
Playing the piano is learning to create, playfully and deeply seriously, our own music in the world.
*
... feeling like the pianist on the Titanic ...
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Joined: Oct 2022
Posts: 16
Junior Member
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Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2022
Posts: 16 |
My parents sent me to piano lessons simply because they both worked long hours and they did not want me to cause any trouble. There happened to be a piano teacher nearby so that's how I started. I was never a good piano student when I was a child - I had no special musical talent and I did not practice much. When the school work load got heavy, I stopped lessons and they did not force me to continue. When I stopped, I was working Chopin Nocturne Op.9-2 and some Mozart sonatas - all very badly to this day I never play these pieces anymore.
Almost 30 years later, I was in the "midlife crisis" mode (see my user name) - not sure what to do with my life personally and professionally. I could not afford to quit working or moving to a brand new city/country... but I knew I had to do something in my life before I went crazy. That's when I realized I had no interests, hobbies, or other skills.... Then I vaguely remembered I played the piano before, so I decided to give myself another shot. I found a teacher; signed up for lessons; bought a piano, signed up on PW; had a fight with my downstairs neighbor because the noise I was making - which caused me moving out my own place. (I created a thread here about the situation). Everything all happened within 3-5 months period. Now I am practicing whenever I can; playing pieces I never thought I could ever touch in my lifetime, and I am having a great time. Now my job is not-so-bad anymore and my life is turned around completely for the better. Everyone around me has seen the change so it's win-win for everyone.
When I talk to my elderly parents, I always let them know how grateful I am for them to sign me up for piano lessons when I was a child. The other day I was practicing Chopin Ballade No.1 - I felt it was like a documentary film of my life and I got so emotional I almost choked up in tears (of joy).
Special thanks to all piano teachers here. You are making difference in people lives - even with some below-average students like me. Do not give up on them too easily..... Your story reminds me of mine))) when I was finishing school, my parents took me to a piano teacher. I did not have enough motivation to study well, but after 30 years, I wanted to return to my hobby and now I am happy that I had such an opportunity.
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Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 3,262
3000 Post Club Member
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3000 Post Club Member
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 3,262 |
Welcome to Piano World Mr. Brown!
Playing the piano is learning to create, playfully and deeply seriously, our own music in the world.
*
... feeling like the pianist on the Titanic ...
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Joined: Oct 2022
Posts: 16
Junior Member
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Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2022
Posts: 16 |
Thanks
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Joined: Oct 2022
Posts: 16
Junior Member
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Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2022
Posts: 16 |
My parents sent me to piano lessons simply because they both worked long hours and they did not want me to cause any trouble. There happened to be a piano teacher nearby so that's how I started. I was never a good piano student when I was a child - I had no special musical talent and I did not practice much. When the school work load got heavy, I stopped lessons and they did not force me to continue. When I stopped, I was working Chopin Nocturne Op.9-2 and some Mozart sonatas - all very badly to this day I never play these pieces anymore. Almost 30 years later, I was in the "midlife crisis" mode (see my user name) - not sure what to do with my life personally and professionally. I could not afford to quit working or moving to a brand new city/country... but I knew I had to do something in my life before I went crazy. That's when I realized I had no interests, hobbies, or other skills.... Then I vaguely remembered I played the piano before, so I decided to give myself another shot. I found a teacher; signed up for lessons; bought a piano, signed up on PW; had a fight with my downstairs neighbor because the noise I was making - which caused me moving out my own place. (I created a thread here about the situation). Everything all happened within 3-5 months period. Now I am practicing whenever I can; playing pieces I never thought I could ever touch in my lifetime, and I am having a great time. Now my job is not-so-bad anymore and my life is turned around completely for the better. Everyone around me has seen the change so it's win-win for everyone. When I talk to my elderly parents, I always let them know how grateful I am for them to sign me up for piano lessons when I was a child. The other day I was practicing Chopin Ballade No.1 - I felt it was like a documentary film of my life and I got so emotional I almost choked up in tears (of joy). Special thanks to all piano teachers here. After all, music helps many people deal with stress during a midlife crisis. And I understand how difficult the work of a teacher is, because not all students have good motivation and study well. When I was looking for a way to deal with my crisis, I read various essays on stress click here for infoclick here for info And I was not at all surprised when I read music lessons with teacher. I am very glad that I had this opportunity. You are making difference in people lives - even with some below-average students like me. Do not give up on them too easily..... By the way, history should repeat itself))) Now my son goes to a music teacher... True, his abilities are better than mine and he is much better motivated... Maybe he will not give up this lesson.
Last edited by mr.Brown; 10/03/22 08:14 AM.
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