I’ve been working my socks off with my music course but feeling rather despondent thinking that I was not up to it. My energy levels have been growing lower and lower as I got more tired and hopeless.
Today I got my last assignment back and guess what? The energy has come flooding back. Very good marks but what really made the difference were the Tutor’s comments.
She wrote, “You show a great deal of knowledge and a very sensitive and perceptive musical approach”. Wow!! And there was me feeling I didn’t have a musical bone in my body.
I know where this lack of confidence comes from. School of course: same old story whoever you talk to. One or two teachers tell you that you are no good at something and it remains in your head for ever: especially sad if it is something you loved.
So now I cannot wait to hit the course books and scores again. The hard work is paying off and I feel remotivated. I love the harmony work and the score analysis, rather like doing sudoku, which I also love. All in all, I sit alone in my room, miles away, concentrating on form and modulation, orchestration and structure, and forget the time. Then I go out and meet people and realize how sad it is to be so satisfied living in one’s head.
This reaction has been a particularly pertinent reminder for me at the moment. I am always so careful with my own marking and I take hours writing ‘feed-back’ sheets for the students, trying to offer constructive criticism and suggesting ways in which they could do better.
(Picture of Sheffield University)
I was asked to do some emergency moderating for the Department this week as three other tutors are off sick and cannot do the work. The Exam Board is in 12 days time, the External Examiner is coming to Sheffield to check out how we are running the courses and to comment on the modules, and anyway the students are desperately waiting for their marks. I am up to my eyes with my own work, but what can you do? So, despite the urgency, I will remember to take my time, bearing in mind just what an effect my words might have on the students.
I am really pleased that you received such great feedback! Good for you!
Apart from my day job I also do tutoring on the side (which one day, I hope to be able to turn into my day job). As I teach, I learn as well- learning is a two way process and sometimes our students teach us things which we never thought was possible.
I am fortunate enough to have two teachers in my life who changed the way I perceived myself and also at the same time, helped me discover my potential. By default, I tend to be very self critical and forget to work on my strengths rather than mull over my weaknesses. My homeroom teacher (not sure what they are called here in UK) in high school encouraged me to work hard on my artistic talents (playing the piano, singing and arts). My piano teacher recognised that I learnt better by ear and adjusted her teaching methods to help propel me further.
For what I have taken from these teachers and many other people who have inspired me, I hope to give back through my blog. 😀
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I absolutely love the little birds used as notes on the music. Is that yours? Teachers/tutors do make or break some students. It is wonderful that you take it very seriously, that responsibility.
Your university looks spectacularly beautiful. My nephew just returned from a year’s study at an English university (I can’t come up with the name) and had a wonderful year. It doese sound quite different than the US.
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Not mine I’m afraid, it came via google images. But it is called:
bird song
by Kenneth Rougeau found at
prints and art trading cards available at:
http://synchronicity313.etsy.com
I think its lovely too.
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