Kate comes through for me!

@TheHorse (227733)
Walnut Creek, California
May 3, 2025 10:19am CST
I had a good lesson with my student, Kate, yesterday. She is the Russian-American girl who rarely smiles. We worked on our "dreamy seventh chord tune," some Blues, and some folk music. We also did McCartney's Blackbird. I can tell she is getting more confident in her playing. Her Blues leads sound really heart-felt. She has been with me for more than two years. We were both wearing masks when our lessons started. An experience she and I share is having been "turned off" by a "too serious" piano teacher when we were younger. She played piano as a little kid, but quit because her Russian teacher was too serious and demanding. I played piano as a kid, but quit when we moved to Chicago and I wound up with an overly-serious German (or something) lady. Yesterday, I introduced Kate to a difficult but doable guitar piece by Alex DeGrassi. It is called Children's Dance. I hope to teach it to her measure by measure. I think she will "get it." I am still improving (over literally years) my interpretation of that tune, and rarely perform it. It is hard. I guess I should end with a question or two. Have you ever had a teacher who "got" you? And inspired you? Have you ever had a teacher who made you never want to take a class in that subject again?
9 people like this
7 responses
@wolfgirl569 (117738)
• Marion, Ohio
3 May
Glad she is doing good.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (117738)
• Marion, Ohio
3 May
@TheHorse No I didn't
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (227733)
• Walnut Creek, California
3 May
@wolfgirl569 Do you think teachers can be trained to be more "inspirational"?
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (227733)
• Walnut Creek, California
3 May
She shows me she has practiced each week. Have you ever had a teacher who really inspired you?
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (86093)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
3 May
My piano teacher was great at getting me really interested in the piano. At school I was always inspired by the English and Theater teachers.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (86093)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
3 May
@TheHorse nope I got a degree in Business and wound up working as an agent in marine insurance and really enjoyed that for 8 years in NYC
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (227733)
• Walnut Creek, California
3 May
@RasmaSandra What did you do after that? I became a Psychology Professor and a Social Services worker. I'll never be rich, but I am hoping I will not starve.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (227733)
• Walnut Creek, California
3 May
Did you wind up being an English Major? I started College in Physics and Math but would up in Psychology and Music.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (191188)
• United States
3 May
Yeah, I had a teacher in my junior and senior year who did share things with me that he thought I would like. He was a cool guy very strange because his wife who also taught was a horrible witch.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (227733)
• Walnut Creek, California
3 May
Interesting that they had different "teaching philosophies." Did they stay together?
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (191188)
• United States
3 May
@TheHorse I don't know
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (227733)
• Walnut Creek, California
3 May
@snowy22315 I hope they were able to figure out what works best.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (175827)
• Boise, Idaho
4 May
My mom had such a teacher. She was mean. Mom had wanted to be a teacher but didn't any longer after that experience.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (175827)
• Boise, Idaho
5 May
@TheHorse ........I don't know the entire story. She have used that teacher as a reason not to too, I don't know.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (227733)
• Walnut Creek, California
4 May
I have had only a handful of truly "mean" or "sadistic" teachers. But they did not really alter the course of my academic future.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (227733)
• Walnut Creek, California
9 May
@celticeagle Can you elaborate?
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (476547)
• Italy
4 May
I had a teacher who inspired me, but I had more than one that made me hate the subject they used to teach.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (476547)
• Italy
4 May
@TheHorse Our English teacher was really good, the large lady who had to teach us French was horrible.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (227733)
• Walnut Creek, California
9 May
@LadyDuck Large lady. Heh.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (227733)
• Walnut Creek, California
4 May
My high school journalism teacher was especially inspiring. He was funny, but demanding when it came to our work.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (191504)
• United States
4 May
Yes, I had a history teacher that I absolutely hated. I'm glad you and Kate are having good lessons.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (227733)
• Walnut Creek, California
4 May
For whatever reason, my "nemeses" were History and English teachers.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (356254)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 May
I didn't pass History for two years but passed in the final exam that mattered. I realised a total stranger would be marking my paper and I didn't need to worry about being ridiculed if I got something wrong.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (227733)
• Walnut Creek, California
4 May
Interesting. I did way better in math than in English on my college entrance exams. French was my worst subject in High School.
1 person likes this