Music Teaching Tips

I usually write a letter to the parents, or do it via a phone call, stating the nature of the continuing problem and what I propose to deal with it. I usually suggest the study of another instrument or study with another teacher because of lack of progress, saying perhaps "a different instrument " or "a different teaching approach might work out better for the student." This is not only diplomatic, but true, as students can react differently to different teaching styles. In keeping with WMMTA policy and practice, I always make an effort to suggest three other teachers that I think might be appropriate for the parents to talk with about continuing the student's training.

With very minor exceptions, we do not add brain cells as we grow older; in fact, we lose them throughout the aging process. What is most important, then, is not so much how many brain cells one has but the number of interconnections among brain cells. Children raised in an impoverished sensory environment create fewer neuronal connections, while those raised in a rich sensory environment make many more. If we were to look at the brain of a child who had been stimulated with many different sights, sounds, smells, textures, and tastes, we would see a dense thicket of neuronal interconnections. Early childhood musical experiences in the form of lullabies, musical crib mobiles, and most especially, musical interactions where the baby is an active participant, can aid in the development of the neural networks necessary for later music processing (Olsho, 1984; Trehub, Bull, and Thorpe, 1984).