Sarah Brenay - SOHH - Ch.8

Sarah Brenay - SOHH - Ch. 8
Chapter Summary: Often, the body and the senses can interpret music better than words. There are times when words are not accurate enough to sum up an experience, musical or otherwise. In teaching, physically modeling for students can be much more effective than using verbal instructions. When we rely on words, we get lost in their flowery, philosophical attributes and lose sight of their actual meaning. This is why it is often better to instruct in simple, direct terms.
Key Concepts: Physical understanding can be more important than verbal understanding when learning a new skill. Words can get in the way of understanding. Modeling correct behavior is faster and more effective than describing correct behavior.
Making Connections: This concept was lifted directly out of The Inner Game of Tennis. Watching someone practice a skill is often more instructive than hearing how to do it. It's difficult to do this with singing because the instrument is not visible, but we can see the way the body should look while singing and we can hear the difference between good and bad technique. This is why it's so important for all of us to be great models for students. If we are modeling poor singing, it will be very difficult for students to understand what we want, especially with beginners.