The Tiger Mom is all the rage these days. If there’s a debate on parenting techniques, you can bet tiger teeth marks can be found.
And as it turns out, the Tiger Mom has made her way into the piano teaching world. In fact, just the other day, I read an interesting guest post about piano practice and the Tiger Mom.
The author tackles the contentious issue of piano practice. She recounts how, in her parents’ eyes, piano practice always came first and that she hated her parents for “denying [her] the chance to go sledding on a rare snowfall in Vancouver; for denying [her] a night at “Circuit Circus” to play Ms. Pac Man with [her] friends; the chance to see films like “Sixteen Candles” on the weekend”.
And then, towards the end of the article, the author admits that she is “turning into her mother, and at times, her own traumatically frightening piano teacher.”
I’m going to be honest… the whole “traumatically frightening piano teacher” thing scared me.
At the same time, I don’t think the author is necessarily wrong in her approach to piano practice. She is simply doing what works for her and her students. But I am left wondering….
Is a valuable lesson being learned when piano students (and children in general) are taught to “endure” something dreadful?
Does piano practice have to be dreadful?
Is this the only path to success (in piano… and in life)?
I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.
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Emily Davidson says
I want to know how many people with “traumatically frightening piano teachers” became professional musicians/teachers themselves. I had one of those teachers and probably would have thrown everything away at age 14 if I’d had to stay with that teacher.
Andrea says
Hi Emily,
I had a similar experience with a music prof in University. Luckily by that point I had thicker skin than I would have as a child and was able to stick it out. While I didn’t learn a heck of a lot from her, I did learn how I did NOT want to teach! 🙂 Aren’t you glad you stuck with it?! Thanks for the comment. Happy teaching! 🙂
Michael says
I am fascinated by “Tiger Moms”. I don’t have it in me as a parent or as a teacher, but I cannot deny that it can be effective–if it doesn’t drive students away. The majority of today’s digital generation don’t know how to cope with the linear methodology of intense classical training in the “old school” that doesn’t allow for students to be creative contributors to the process (even as beginners). However, a lot of the myth of “innate talent” in music comes down to good old fashion hard work (see Gladwell’s “Outliers”). More practice means more progress, which equals more opportunity to continue to learn and grow–those who start out ahead due to childhood practice (enforced by parents) can stay ahead. So it all comes down to the end goal–music for self-fulfillment or music for competitive success? That’s a question that can only be answered by a parent (and their student), not a teacher, in the end.
Holly Valencia says
I agree with Michael. I have been teaching for 10 years, and in the past 5 years I’ll say, I’ve noticed that most if not all of my students are very tech-savvy. For this generation, everything is at their fingertips which is quick, convenient, easy, etc. However they are no longer willing to DEDICATE themselves to see the result OVER TIME. I didn’t bare the fruit as a musician years later without all the hours at the piano, the repetition, the isolation of certain measures, the sacrifice of staying inside and sharpening my craft. There are no short cuts there. Kids should know that it is never in vain, whether you get the sticker or not. You are investing into yourself, and you will reap the rewards of it. Of course, how you do express this to a child and stress it’s importance? That is the challenge for the teacher: to cause the child to want it for themselves through any creative means possible. 🙂