Saturday, June 18, 2011

What I have taught

Summer has ended and so has my teaching job at a local music school yet I keep asking myself on what I teach. You see, I was hired as a violin teacher catering to beginning students but didn't sign up for teaching life on my students. I recall having to come in late one fine day to a group of eager youngsters, all of them with cases open and violins ready to be tuned. Puzzled of the bizarre eagerness, I skeptically tuned their instruments and went about the usual routine before starting any lesson - exercises, review, quizzes and the like.
Eager kids

Me and my students had a good time, talking laughing over the simplest thing until it dawned on me that I wasn't really a teacher - I was only there to guide them.Well, teaching per se cannot be defined thoroughly as many of the people from the academe wants to debate on it. On my part perhaps, I'd like to be called a "guide" or a "facilitator" instead of imposing authority over these little children. When the term had to end I bade them goodbye, hoping our paths would cross again. "Guiding" children whose ages ranged from 6-12 would be a fun thing that I am surely to miss. Seeing them perform their final output onstage was the greatest joy I have ever experienced. Maybe they we're right when they said that teaching or rather guiding is the most noble profession. It's not my line of choice though, as I am into communication, but it has been an experience.

Students' recital

 As for me, I am left with names who'll forget me one way or another and glint of hope that I have imparted something to them over the summer. It doesn't matter if they had a hard time learning the instrument or cried over a piece of yellow paper being cut out as a star. As long as the value has been retained, everything else will follow. For now things have turned as I am back to school now on it's second week. It is I who is being taught rather than me teaching.

The small glint of hope on their faces

Welcome back to school 'mates!:)














Feanne

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