Approach to Teaching

Should I be laid back or strict?

This is a question that plagues upcoming teachers almost constantly. What I have seen happen a lot is a new teacher will be overly strict because they are new to this kind of control and assume everything should be done their way, then will wax to the extreme and be too laid back because they have gotten more comfortable. I myself am guilty of both approaches, and both approaches are wrong. This isn't to say that you can't be strict or laid back. In fact they can work great, depending on your environment and your personal temperament.

When it comes to how you approach your teaching, it has to be what works for you. You will mimic others, because when you first start that is all you know. But as you teach keep yourself aware of what works when you do it, and what feel natural. If it feels forced or is ineffective, then odds are you need to try something else. While I was student teaching, my supervising teacher told me that he came from a school where the director was a "screamer." After he graduated he tried to imitate that style, but it didn't work. He told me that it just didn't work for him or the kids he taught. So he settled down and let his natural personality take over. Frankly, I was floored to hear that he could ever have been a screamer. In my dealings with him at the time, and especially now, you would never guess he could yell. He is very laid back and the kids respond to him because they know him and know what is acceptable without him having to yell and shout.

I have found for myself that I too am not a screamer, but I am also not as laid back as my former supervising teacher is. If I had to place myself on a scale of 1 - 10, 1 being laid back and 10 being strict, I would have to say I'm a 7. I know how to be laid back and at times I will share a joke with the students, but mostly I like to get down to the business of making music. From my experiences I would say that most people fall between 3 and 7 on that scale. But as I learned in marching band .01 can make all the difference. So as you teach, don't try and fit the mold of someone else, and don't take what you learn in school as law. There are thousands of ways to teach and you have to try them all before you find the perfect on for you.