Rethinking Genius

Playing a musical instrument is not something inherently fun.  A student may be interested at first because everything is new.  This newness eventually wears off and the real work must begin. It is absolutely crucial to understand that frustration or a lack of interest in practicing is NOT the same thing as a lack of interest in the instrument itself.  This is also where belief in the student  and not belief in the student's interest  becomes essential. Do you  think your child can play an instrument? Do you think your child can learn to talk?  Or use a pencil?  Or learn algebra?  All of these skills are not something a human being is born doing naturally.  They are learned  skills. Playing an instrument is a learned skill.  It is also a skill that takes years to  learn.  If you have an unfailing belief that given enough time your child will learn to play just as they learned to speak or use a pencil then they...

Holding a bow is not too dissimilar from holding a pen/pencil.  Have you ever thought about how long it takes for handwriting to develop? Consider the early stages of handwriting.  A two year old child will grab a marker with a fist and scribble all over a page.  It's not until Kindergarden (almost 3-4 years later) that the child is able to draw pictures that remotely resemble something.  And even then a 5 year old's letters look labored and wobbly. At what point does the handwriting start to look less labored?  Third grade?  Fourth grade?  At which point the child can write sentences and keep them within the lines on a piece of binder paper but their handwriting still looks nowhere near an adult's handwriting. When does mature handwriting finally settle in?  Seventh grade?  High school even?  And even then the handwriting you had in high school will not look the same as the handwriting you have as an adult. Also consider how muc...