Kate comes through for me!
By The Horse
@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

@TheHorse (227733)
• Walnut Creek, California
3 May
@wolfgirl569 Do you think teachers can be trained to be more
"inspirational"?
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

@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
@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
9 May
@celticeagle Can you elaborate?
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
