muse_of_the_dark
New member
I'm curious and would like some input on this. A friend is encouraging me to consider teaching beginning guitar, and I'm trying to decide if I feel "qualified" for it or not.
I've played guitar for almost 30 years now. I'm not a professional and never went out of my way to become a "master", and there are certain things I just don't do (I don't play much finger-style, I don't do ripping rock solos, etc). I do have a sound knowledge of music theory, know how to read both standard notation and tabs, and have a good ear for transcription. I don't tend to sit around practicing scales and sight-reading, but I do regularly challenge myself to work on new material (these days, mainly self-accompaniment for my singing, sometimes a little jazz improv or the like) so that I keep growing as a musician. I don't have "mad guitar skills", but I've had time to become very comfortable with my instrument and learn a lot about my own learning processes.
I have a fair amount of teaching experience with both kids and adults, and I have done some casual guitar instruction in the past. I have lots of patience; I enjoy the teaching/learning process for its own sake, and am generally good at seeking creative ways around students' mental and physical blocks. I think I'd enjoy introducing beginners to an instrument I love, and would be able to pass on a good solid understanding of the basics (proper mechanics, basic scale patterns, accurate sight-reading, making clean chord changes at tempo, etc.) while also offering a more creative and student-centered approach than is commonly found. I especially like the idea of teaching adults who think they're "not musical" and kids who might not prosper in a more formal lesson paradigm.
I am well aware that if I succeed in striking a spark in a student who wants to get "really good", s/he will eventually have to move on to a more technically skilled instructor. That's okay with me; I know my limits. I don't want to present myself as something I'm not, but I do think I may have something worthwhile to offer.
I find that music stores and private teachers always like to promote their lessons in certain ways - "experienced professionals", "proven methods", etc. I'm aware that I don't fit that mold, though I do understand the reason why it exists. But I'm also aware that in the real world, not every "experienced professional" using a "proven method" can teach worth beans, or knows how to keep a student interested, so I don't think that's the whole story. I'd enjoy hearing feedback from guitar teachers, students, parents, etc. on how you would feel about someone of my background in a teaching situation. Interested? Contemptuous? Uncertain?
I've played guitar for almost 30 years now. I'm not a professional and never went out of my way to become a "master", and there are certain things I just don't do (I don't play much finger-style, I don't do ripping rock solos, etc). I do have a sound knowledge of music theory, know how to read both standard notation and tabs, and have a good ear for transcription. I don't tend to sit around practicing scales and sight-reading, but I do regularly challenge myself to work on new material (these days, mainly self-accompaniment for my singing, sometimes a little jazz improv or the like) so that I keep growing as a musician. I don't have "mad guitar skills", but I've had time to become very comfortable with my instrument and learn a lot about my own learning processes.
I have a fair amount of teaching experience with both kids and adults, and I have done some casual guitar instruction in the past. I have lots of patience; I enjoy the teaching/learning process for its own sake, and am generally good at seeking creative ways around students' mental and physical blocks. I think I'd enjoy introducing beginners to an instrument I love, and would be able to pass on a good solid understanding of the basics (proper mechanics, basic scale patterns, accurate sight-reading, making clean chord changes at tempo, etc.) while also offering a more creative and student-centered approach than is commonly found. I especially like the idea of teaching adults who think they're "not musical" and kids who might not prosper in a more formal lesson paradigm.
I am well aware that if I succeed in striking a spark in a student who wants to get "really good", s/he will eventually have to move on to a more technically skilled instructor. That's okay with me; I know my limits. I don't want to present myself as something I'm not, but I do think I may have something worthwhile to offer.
I find that music stores and private teachers always like to promote their lessons in certain ways - "experienced professionals", "proven methods", etc. I'm aware that I don't fit that mold, though I do understand the reason why it exists. But I'm also aware that in the real world, not every "experienced professional" using a "proven method" can teach worth beans, or knows how to keep a student interested, so I don't think that's the whole story. I'd enjoy hearing feedback from guitar teachers, students, parents, etc. on how you would feel about someone of my background in a teaching situation. Interested? Contemptuous? Uncertain?