Today was another cello recital for all my New York students. They are getting better and better at these recitals and it's really gratifying to see the growth that has happened in only a few months time. I ask them all to write reflections and wish that I could share them, but have made a deal that they are confidential. However, my reflection for this recital is that as a teacher, I am coming to trust that people can change and grow. It's one thing to endeavor for myself to learn new things, but when I see another person changing from what we have worked on together, it's uniquely special.
What does trust, or faith, lend us?
In being more trustful of my students' ability, perhaps it means that I don't need to push harder than they can actually absorb. Maybe it means that I will judge them less and observe them more. In giving them the time that it takes for them to naturally grow, I will be less likely to hurt their self-confidence, or to instill fear or doubt in themselves in the learning process. Knowing that it will happen, I can feed them what is needed, but not overburden them with my own fears of progress.
As a growing teacher, I think this is where I would like to become more full. To be more and more trustful, more and more observant, and more giving for what can take them to the next step in their own time and space.
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