Articles

Erin, Roving reporter

Teaching violin

For the past three years I have had the privilege of teaching violin at a local music school. It remains, to this day, a rare opportunity where I've been able combine my passion for music with paid work. A dream come true.

It's been quite some time since I started the job. It was just a matter of luck and good timing. The owner of the school was looking for a tutor and stumbled upon a concert where I was performing. When it comes down to it, though, getting a job in the music industry (whether you want to be a rock star or teach an instrument) is hard work.

From there I made the terrifying transition from student to teacher and began schooling violinists of any age and standard. This change was, without doubt, the hardest aspect of taking the job.

For the ten years I'd been playing violin I'd had a teacher to rely on. It was frightening to have these roles reversed - suddenly I had someone relying solely on me. I now had to be the mentor and role model that my teachers had been to me.

Teaching, in any field, can prove difficult. Some days I find myself so frustrated and resigned that I'm not sure why I go back the next week. Then of course, I have days where I find myself so full of pride and small victories that I cannot imagine what life will be like when I am forced to leave this job and move to university.

Overall teaching violin takes a lot of persistence and patience, determination and optimism.

The rewards

Music is a language used worldwide. It's universal and it connects every single person on the planet. To be able to teach that to another person and enable them to be a part of this collective group is a privilege. Music stays with you for life.

A vital aspect of teaching is the relationship you form with your students. Though some may argue that a professional distance must be kept between student and teacher, I work to ensure my students are able to confide in and feel comfortable around me.

Don't get me wrong - I won't waste a student's valuable time with small talk. It's just my opinion that a good connection with students works to get the best results from them. I always found that the closer I became with my own teacher, the harder I worked and the better I felt.

The challenges

Unfortunately I'd be lying if I said it was all fun and games. There are a lot of challenges when it comes to teaching, especially young children.

Usually these are stimulating, but at times you are faced with hard decisions and get stuck in situations that are very difficult to navigate.

It's so hard to try and help a student when their behaviour indicates they don't want to try. It's practically impossible to teach someone who is unwilling to learn.

I've had students who attend every lesson spend the entire time asking how long they have left until they are finished. Not only is it difficult not to be insulted, but it's a definite challenge to approach their lessons with an optimistic attitude.

This also applies to younger students (around 6-8) who have just started school, are tired, and who struggle to learn. I currently have a student who has just started Prep, and though she has the ability, she will not learn anything new. Instead we just work on the few tiny rhythms and melodies that I taught her in her first few weeks.

It's frustrating when you are faced with these kind of situations, but the best thing you can do is take a breath and start again. The strange thing is, the majority of these kids (I say kids as I never have this kind of issue with the adults I tutor) do want to learn. They just aren't willing to put in the groundwork. Understandably, progress is significantly slower than what it would be with practice and effort.

When it comes to interaction with parents I have no issue. The only time I feel uncomfortable and struggle is when the parent is paying for lessons and the student isn't improving as expected.

Sometimes this is a result of the issues I've already touched on, or sometimes the parent expects too much of their child and/or me. Every person learns differently and at a different speed. Some will take weeks to learn a simple song, others will take seconds. It's difficult to explain this to expectant parents.

Don't hold back

Though at times my job is tedious, it is a constant challenge and a learning experience I would never give up. I do not plan to make a career out of tutoring violin, but I have found teaching a positive aspect of my life. I hope one day to teach English or literature and walk into the job armed with the skills I have developed from this work.

If you are interested in working as an instrumental tutor, don't hold back. Find a local music store and hand in a resume. Usually it just comes down to how enthusiastic you are.

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