Finding Your Tempo: A Lesson from Metronomes
Fellow music teachers, remember those clunky metronomes of our youth with limited increments and loud clicks. Not exactly inspiring, right? These days we have access to a multitude of affordable new-wave metronomes that offer single-beat tempo adjustments and many other options.
This got me thinking. As teachers, do we teach on auto-pilot and sometimes find ourselves stuck and teaching with irrelevant limitations? Or are we adapting to new technology, fresh pedagogical approaches, and the culture that surrounds our students?
I propose the following: Just like with the metronome, clinging to outdated methods hinders our ability to engage students.
Imagine a student struggling at 100 bpm but overwhelmed at 104 bpm. In the past, we might have forced the 104, sacrificing accuracy for “keeping up” or we would have drilled the student at 100 bpm hoping that eventually, they would be able to make the jump to 104 bpm. Today, technology lets us bridge that gap, teaching at 101 or 102 bpm – the "in-between" that unlocks progress.
Teachers, let's embrace the "in-between" in our teaching. Let’s explore which methods no longer serve our students and investigate new tools and methods to fit the current generation.
It's about finding the sweet spot, that unique tempo that fosters both passion and progress in our students.
Food for Thought:
In your teaching, are there areas where you could adjust your approach by "one beat"?
How can you leverage technology to bridge gaps in student learning?
How can you adapt your teaching to resonate with our student’s culture?
Let's move beyond pre-programmed limitations and create a vibrant musical experience for every student, at their own perfect tempo.
Catherine Sipher is a remote piano teacher at Blossom Piano Studio, located outside Boston, MA, With over 20 years of piano teaching experience, nothing brings her more joy than sharing the beauty of music with her students. When not teaching, she can be found spending time in nature, writing, practicing yoga, and enjoying time with her 6 children.