Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Teachers Forum Masks during the lesson ?

If you look up my username, you might think I was a hockey player or fan, unless you looked further.

Yes, it was meant to be absurd, sarcastic.

Removed for opinions that don't reflect the widely accepted science and evidence, and for having nothing to do with piano.
It's a piano forum, please stick to the subject.

Ah yes, missed that. Also, I was trained to expect a comma after a name being addressed--way old school. I didn't even realize I was looking for that till its absence made me misread (not saying it should have been there, just that old habits die hard.)

All the known covid cases are in hospital in my city. The borders are closed ( they do open in a few days though ) so the Delta variant is not really active in the community. Even so, supermarkets, clinics, offices, and most other places expect and even require people to wear masks... I nearly got kicked out of my local clinic for not wearing one a few weeks ago ( the safer your city, the higher the paranoia apparently ) so unfortunately, I need to have a mask wearing policy in effect.

Anyone who thinks that masks should only be worn if there are 100% effective has no business teaching piano, or anything else, because no teacher is 100% effective.

BDB, that doesn't even make sense. No teacher promises to be 100% effective. Teachers set a rate, students pay the rate and learn to be content with what is taught to them. At the same time, the teacher tries to accept that students don't practice, have high expectations of teachers and low expectations of themselves, want recitals but don't want to do the work that's necessary, and want to switch lesson times all the time.

I guess that means that you think masks have to be 100% effective at preventing disease, but you do not need to be 100% effective at teaching music.

Ignore everything in this deeply ignorant post.

EDV:

May I ask where you live? I love how seriously your community is taking the necessary steps to keep everyone safe. Remember though, that you're only 'Covid-free' if your testing rates are high. If not many tests are being carried out then it could be going undetected.

On the subject matter:

I'd say that, as teachers, we have a duty of care to all that we teach. The idea of wearing a mask is about protecting others, sadly many still don't realise this. If I'm feeling a little unwell and vulnerable I will wear a mask. I test regularly, as do my students and they have to provide 2 negative lateral flow tests every 7 days. You can also request the vaccination status if they are happy to give it. Most students are compliant with these requests as they want to do the right thing.

Bottom line - don't be afraid to set whatever Covid measures you deem are necessary to keep you, your oractice, and your students, safe. If a student disagrees with your requirements then maybe ask yourself if they're suitable students for you.

I added a large sign by my home studio door that ways, "Please wash your hands."

My director at the school I teach said at our orientation meeting, "Miss Belle has a policy that you must wash hands first. You can set our own policy regarding assembly of instrument, metronome, parents, etc..."

Masks are good reminders not to touch your face. Kids still touch...everything else...