"The whole art of teaching is only the art of awakening the natural curiosity of young minds for the purpose of satisfying it afterwards." ~Anatole France "I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think. '' ~ Socrates "Goals that are not written down are just wishes." "Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all." ~Dale Carnegie " If you can DREAM it, you can DO it." ~ Walt Disney

Teaching Philosophy and Goals

My goals are to open, nurture, and help your child to develop his or her musical talents. I make every effort to motivate, educate and encourage my students to reach their individual potential.

The goal of each class is to create a positive, fun, relaxed learning atmosphere for musical as well as emotional and intellectual stimulation. Friendships develop and the joy of sharing music is experienced.

• My primary goal is to teach students how to learn.
• Teaching must be matched to the student's learning style, not learning matched to the teacher's teaching style. Therefore, teaching style, curriculum, and approach must be flexible, varied, and individual.
• Empowerment is the key to motivation. Motivation is not something the teacher does to a student; it is something the student does to himself. The teacher's part is to introduce possibilities.

These foundations of my interaction with students:

• I'll never be angry if you ask a question.
• I'll never be angry if you make a mistake.
• I'll be upset only if you don't try. If you won't try, I can't teach you.
• If you don't understand, it's my fault, not yours. It's my job to teach you in a way you understand.
• Attempting is often more important than succeeding.

These other ideas are also paramount in my teaching:

• Music is a joy.
• Music lessons should be fun. They are a privilege, not a punishment or a requirement. If we're not having fun, something is wrong.
• Piano study isn't always going to be easy, but it always should be satisfying.
• I emphasize initiative and self-direction.
• I encourage exploration and creativity.
• I show the student respect and affection.

Please call me 203-968-1663 or contact me at Lena@PianoPrivateLessons.com to schedule a 30-minute FREE no-obligation consultation or to learn more about anything you find here.

© Lena Getman 2003-2004.