Sarah Brenay - SOHH - Ch. 6

Sarah Brenay - SOHH - Ch. 6
Chapter Summary: Encountering concepts that cause particular difficulty can make students feel ashamed, stupid, and frustrated, convinced that there must be something wrong with them. It's the teachers job to try and present troubling concepts in as many ways as they possibly can, thinking outside of the box to try to get through to the students. Some students simply perceive things differently, like Ristad's student who simply needed to see the staff sideways to make the connection between notation and keys. Teacher's can't force students brains to work in the way they think they should, there is no right way to think about anything. Forcing all students to try and fill the same mold is a terrible disservice, and often convinces many gifted kids that they are stupid. Many of Ristad's students found that highly focused, nonverbal, kinesthetic activities like juggling helped their brains focus better on their music. Interestingly, Ristad also noticed that students' strengths in one area made them weaker in another, like sight reading vs. memorizing.
Key Concepts: Shame is a powerful emotion that inhibits growth. Every student perceives things differently, and expecting them to do things your way is foolish and destructive. Think outside of the box for solutions.
Making Connections: Never shame the student! Address their mistakes with patience and without making them feel stupid or lazy. Never assume that they are stupid or lazy! So often it's the teacher that's the problem.