When I sat down and thought about what to write in this article, I was faced with two questions I quickly realised I didn't have immediate answers to. They are: how do we teach instrumental students to become autonomous? And why is it important for young musicians to feel ownership over their playing?
Focus on technique
Over the years, popular discussion topics with colleagues, friends and family have included delving deeper into the challenges of teaching technique. Which are the most useful studies for strengthening the left hand, we've asked, or which bow exercises and scale routines should we use and how do we implement these? Scarcely does the conversation begin: ‘I am struggling to get student X to sound like themselves’ or ‘Student Y does everything I ask of them, but they don't put their own ideas into the music.’
Creating autonomous learners is synonymous with creating individual musicians. If we want music to continue evolving, we need to inspire young musicians to become individuals, but we can't do that without touching upon the subject of student autonomy. There are so many books and articles that offer different ways of teaching technique, posture, rhythm, and musical awareness, but very few – if any – that offer insight into how to teach or, better still, encourage students to become autonomous learners in a one-to-one lesson environment.
Teacher-student dynamic
My interest in this topic was born out of a need to teach differently to how I was taught. As a teenager, all repertoire choices were made for me, and I was expected to do the same bowings and fingerings as my teacher. Several years later, I was in a cello lesson at conservatoire and my teacher asked for my opinion on whether a fingering ‘worked’. I was immediately out of my depth; what did that mean? And why was I being asked? Then it dawned on me; I had been conditioned to do exactly as instructed, without ever being encouraged to explore my own musical instincts in relation to what fingerings or bowings I did.
Through reflecting upon this experience, I believe that a lack of learner autonomy can severely unbalance the teacher-student power dynamic, resulting in the teacher holding an unhealthy amount of power over the student. There is no escaping the fact that, as the teacher and responsible adult, we tip the scales in our favour. But it is vital to ensure students feel like they have a space to express their musical thoughts and opinions freely.
Therefore, my teaching approach is based upon the belief that students of all ages, abilities and learning approaches should be encouraged to become autonomous to some extent. Of course, levels of student autonomy will differ depending upon age, level and learning style, but it is possible to adjust the approach in response to these factors. This is what I call ‘flexible instruction’.
Flexible instruction
‘Flexible instruction’ combines two words that are not usually seen together – if something is ‘flexible’, it implies that there is room for adjustment or change, whereas ‘instruction’ is often rigid. In this instance, the two combine to encourage student autonomy. It works through you, as the teacher, offering an idea which your student tries. If it doesn't work or feel comfortable, you encourage them to try another way, and another, and another, until eventually the process encourages them to make their own informed choice about what feels best for them. It also gives them a sense of ownership over their playing which, in turn, inspires their practice. This method can be used to teach both technical and musical ideas and at many different ages and levels.
It is not faultless, and difficulties will arise. Potential challenges include offering too many suggestions, causing a student to feel overwhelmed and confused, not empowered; in this situation, giving one suggestion they can practise for the week is usually a better approach. If, during the week, they aren't happy with it or not comfortable, offer another alternative for them to try the following week.
I don't believe this is the only way to teach successfully, but it is the approach that I have found to be most compatible with my educational beliefs. As a one-to-one cello teacher, my hope for all students is for their lessons to give them the time and space to develop their own opinions, so that they leave with a strong sense of their musical personality and feel somewhat comfortable and confident in knowing how to execute it.
