Saturday, August 11, 2007.11:59 PM

Problem kid

My student sat in the practice room holding her bassoon for 2hours today without even attempting to 'borh' her bassoon. Neither did she answer me when I posed her questions. Except fiddling with the silly B flat key...

Me: Can you play all the notes that you have learnt up till now?
Student: *sits down there fiddling her Bb key and doesn't move otherwise*
Me: Can you play all the notes that you have learnt up till now?
Student: *silence*
Me: Have you forgotten all I've taught you?
Student: *silence*
Me: Just play whatever you know...
Student: *looks at her bassoon and fiddles with the keys*
Me: Ok...You decide whether you want to play the bassoon or pack your bassoon and go home.
Student: *Silence...continues fiddling with bassoon*
Me: ...You want to play or go home?
Student: *continues playing dumb and deaf*
.
.
.
.
I was sick of repeating myself and went about making my reeds. So when the 1hour was up, I told her to pack up and go home...the 2nd hour passed and she ......... STILL SAT DOWN THERE FIDDLING WITH HER BASSOON!!!!!!

I finally raised my voice a little..."You've been sitting here for 2 hours...Go pack up NOW." After a while longer, she finally moved her butt slowly, kept her bassoon and got out of the room quietly...

If she was my junior in secondary school, my reaction would have been oh-so-different.
Now, I have to coax and beg..."Play a little louder....come on...push more air... just hold it a little longer...yes! that's good! now let's try the next note..."

Am I a bad teacher? Is that why she's behaving this way?
Someone should set up a special class for these problem kids who play dumb and deaf and are lazy.

Oh, did I also mention that she cancels my lessons with her every alternate week?

.:. 1C o m m e n t s.:.