How does a teacher gain experience?

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blade123

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After reading about teachers, I've heard (paraphrasing an exaggeration) "if you haven't taught anyone before, you have no business teaching and will probably lead them the wrong way".
But hasn't every experienced teacher had a first student?
How does one get the experience in teaching others without teaching others?
 
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After reading about teachers, I've heard (paraphrasing an exaggeration) "if you haven't taught anyone before, you have no business teaching and will probably lead them the wrong way".
But hasn't every experienced teacher had a first student?
Has does one get the experience in teaching others without teaching others?

the guy that was going to teach the 10 yr old is only 17 so he probably doesnt have that much worldly experience. Might not have as much patience as an professional either

there are schools that teach you how to teach others so you actually know what to do for the first lesson. iono if it applies to music though

Not to put the guy down, but it'll be difficult
 
Agreed. The best teachers come out of "organized" music programs. School marching bands. Symphonic/orchestral type settings. Within those "type" structures, the better players help the weaker. 1st chair, 2nd chair, 3rd chair, etc. Much like someone is an "intern" before they become a "doctor". My first drum teacher (when I was 10) was a percussionist in the Pasadena Symphony. Needless to say, she had slightly more "credential" than the local 17 year old drummer down the street.
 
I had some pretty bad experiences with teachers as a youngster and I think that made a difference for me as a musician. Because someone is credentialed does mean that s/he is not a sh$%head either. It seems funny that someone would not seek out a seasoned professional to teach their kid. A percussionist for a orchestra, a published author or a noted teacher in the community would seem like a no-brainer, as opposed to asking some kid. My first teacher was a local HS band director. I learned a lot. My second teacher was about 19 at a local drum store and it lasted a month.

Finding a tutor, a music teacher or even the right orthodontist for your kid seems like a task that should be taken a little more seriously than asking the local teenager.You can see the problem if you look at some of the posts here. People argue with noted professionals in the field about the role of technique in playing, for example. Do you really want a teacher who would ask a question like "should I teach technique or reading on the first lesson?" I would ask, do you even know what the teaching and application of technique and reading really means?
 
I had some pretty bad experiences with teachers as a youngster and I think that made a difference for me as a musician. Because someone is credentialed does mean that s/he is not a sh$%head either. It seems funny that someone would not seek out a seasoned professional to teach their kid. A percussionist for a orchestra, a published author or a noted teacher in the community would seem like a no-brainer, as opposed to asking some kid. My first teacher was a local HS band director. I learned a lot. My second teacher was about 19 at a local drum store and it lasted a month.

Finding a tutor, a music teacher or even the right orthodontist for your kid seems like a task that should be taken a little more seriously than asking the local teenager.You can see the problem if you look at some of the posts here. People argue with noted professionals in the field about the role of technique in playing, for example. Do you really want a teacher who would ask a question like "should I teach technique or reading on the first lesson?" I would ask, do you even know what the teaching and application of technique and reading really means?

I agree. When I go to someone to learn something, I try to seek out the best in my area. I am currently taking taekwondo. There are many schools in my area, but the one I am at is led by the former team captain of the Korean Tigers. The other instructors there are either Korean Tigers or mixed martial arts champions. It's definitely easier for me to to trust my teachers. I don't know much about taekwondo, so I put my trust and learning experience in their hands. It is often a waste of time to sort out the information and misinformation of people who are inexperienced.

I believe this question came about through a recent forum post where someone stated that they didn't know how to even start teaching a student and then asked if they should. Well, I think they basically answered their own question.

But to answer this question as posted by blade, I have stated before that I feel a student should almost be apprenticed to a teacher. It is invaluable experience to study with a good teacher. Once you find one, model yourself after them. Ask them questions about their methods. Ask them how they approach teaching beginners. Ask about tricky situations. Then go to some other notable teachers and take a few lessons from them. Build a database of information about how people teach. Then sort it out, personalize it and develop your own style.

As Ken said, research the method books, DVDs, anything that could help you to become a better teacher. You might need to spend hundreds just checking out beginning to intermediate level books, but in the end you'll have found the materials that work best for you.
 
I agree. When I go to someone to learn something, I try to seek out the best in my area. I am currently taking taekwondo. There are many schools in my area, but the one I am at is led by the former team captain of the Korean Tigers. The other instructors there are either Korean Tigers or mixed martial arts champions. It's definitely easier for me to to trust my teachers. I don't know much about taekwondo, so I put my trust and learning experience in their hands. It is often a waste of time to sort out the information and misinformation of people who are inexperienced.

I believe this question came about through a recent forum post where someone stated that they didn't know how to even start teaching a student and then asked if they should. Well, I think they basically answered their own question.

But to answer this question as posted by blade, I have stated before that I feel a student should almost be apprenticed to a teacher. It is invaluable experience to study with a good teacher. Once you find one, model yourself after them. Ask them questions about their methods. Ask them how they approach teaching beginners. Ask about tricky situations. Then go to some other notable teachers and take a few lessons from them. Build a database of information about how people teach. Then sort it out, personalize it and develop your own style.

As Ken said, research the method books, DVDs, anything that could help you to become a better teacher. You might need to spend hundreds just checking out beginning to intermediate level books, but in the end you'll have found the materials that work best for you.
Good post, so you gain experience about teaching from your own teacher? That makes a lot of sense lol.
 
Good post, so you gain experience about teaching from your own teacher? That makes a lot of sense lol.

Yes, and the truth of the matter is that manner well-known drummers come off tour and want to teach but do not have a clue as to what to do. They go to a noted teacher and develop a plan and curriculum for teaching. They go to a teacher to find out how to teach well.
 
Not to be dissenting or anything... It is also a truism that not everybody is cut out to teach. Don't go in halfway/unsure about it, and always be honest with yourself.

I agree with what jeffwj suggests: Find a good teacher/mentor to help guide you. And, talk to people. Observe closely what other teachers/clinicians do or don't do if you can. Of course, it's already been suggested here that you can learn lots from Books, DVD's, etc.
 
Everything that has been said in here so far, I agree with. There's one other point worth making, though. If you want to gain experience teaching, it helps to do it in a group first. Try to get hired with a local marching band, to teach their drumline, etc. That bolsters your resume, and also gives you potential students...when I started really teaching, after high school, my first students were about half of the drumline that I was hired to instruct.
 
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