continued ranty thoughts
Earlier I read a post from one of my Mu Phi sisters talking about the way some of our former instructors were acting.
It just reminded me so fully why I never quite fit in there.
On the other hand, it also helps me know how much distance means.
I had a wonderful High School experience as far as performing goes, but I wouldn't say I came out of it musically. It took me two years retrain myself and my voice. I wouldn't trade my high school experience, but it didn't help me succeed in the college arena. On the other hand, some of my highschool classmates, were very successful at both. I do have to say that they happen to be the ones that were taken as "favorites". (Be as mad as you want to, but you were)
Part of "lack of success" was that I didn't feel like I had to play favorites. Secondary teachers have no right to tell you you can't choose to do more than one thing. College teachers only slightly have that right. Graduate teachers are the only ones who have any right to say, you must choose, because at that point you are studying at a much higher level and have an focus that is so much more specific.
I'll admit that I did work harder if the teacher didn't tell me that I had to choose. There is a reason I was a vocal major, and didn't participate in the choirs.
There is a reason that I am a bassoonist, who happens to sing.
I hate that people have to play the game to be who they want to, and it is one of my largest peeves about education. It is why I have so little faith in the system, even though I would be marked as an ideal product of it.
By the time I finished college I had just begun seeing what and who I could be musically. Honestly, even my technical ability did probably hit a plateau when I was finishing high school. Musically, I am still finding out where I fit. And the musical piece is so much more important.
I guess I am just constantly amazed that teachers don't want to admit that maybe "you know what you are doing", and need help somewhere else.
Or, they feel like you are "wasting" part of your ability because you want to experience something in addition to what they want.
Its like teachers sometimes have the whole live through your student issue just as much as parents... Oh... now I'm drifting just a bit too close to my feelings on method teaching. Long story short... it doesn't do anyone any good.
I guess, in the end, I had a wonderful undergrad. An amazing MAT. But, I'm mostly happy where I am now. I'm happy because I know where I've come from. I couldn't be here if I hadn't had that experience.
Maybe, the oddity of our teachers is what makes us a better person? If you can survive the teacher... and once in a while find one that gels with you enough to remember why you love what you do... then you make it.
Hmm...
On the other hand... I remember how crummy it was, and how I almost stopped playing bassoon after my first college professor. I guess I was just lucky that the social end kept me going until I remembered why I loved to play.
It just reminded me so fully why I never quite fit in there.
On the other hand, it also helps me know how much distance means.
I had a wonderful High School experience as far as performing goes, but I wouldn't say I came out of it musically. It took me two years retrain myself and my voice. I wouldn't trade my high school experience, but it didn't help me succeed in the college arena. On the other hand, some of my highschool classmates, were very successful at both. I do have to say that they happen to be the ones that were taken as "favorites". (Be as mad as you want to, but you were)
Part of "lack of success" was that I didn't feel like I had to play favorites. Secondary teachers have no right to tell you you can't choose to do more than one thing. College teachers only slightly have that right. Graduate teachers are the only ones who have any right to say, you must choose, because at that point you are studying at a much higher level and have an focus that is so much more specific.
I'll admit that I did work harder if the teacher didn't tell me that I had to choose. There is a reason I was a vocal major, and didn't participate in the choirs.
There is a reason that I am a bassoonist, who happens to sing.
I hate that people have to play the game to be who they want to, and it is one of my largest peeves about education. It is why I have so little faith in the system, even though I would be marked as an ideal product of it.
By the time I finished college I had just begun seeing what and who I could be musically. Honestly, even my technical ability did probably hit a plateau when I was finishing high school. Musically, I am still finding out where I fit. And the musical piece is so much more important.
I guess I am just constantly amazed that teachers don't want to admit that maybe "you know what you are doing", and need help somewhere else.
Or, they feel like you are "wasting" part of your ability because you want to experience something in addition to what they want.
Its like teachers sometimes have the whole live through your student issue just as much as parents... Oh... now I'm drifting just a bit too close to my feelings on method teaching. Long story short... it doesn't do anyone any good.
I guess, in the end, I had a wonderful undergrad. An amazing MAT. But, I'm mostly happy where I am now. I'm happy because I know where I've come from. I couldn't be here if I hadn't had that experience.
Maybe, the oddity of our teachers is what makes us a better person? If you can survive the teacher... and once in a while find one that gels with you enough to remember why you love what you do... then you make it.
Hmm...
On the other hand... I remember how crummy it was, and how I almost stopped playing bassoon after my first college professor. I guess I was just lucky that the social end kept me going until I remembered why I loved to play.