How would you take this?

[maggiethecat]

Dd's violin teacher today had to correct dd repeatedly over the same mistake (incorrect position of finger for the same note each time). At about the 6th time he muttered 'waste of time'. How would you take this?

Time to give up the violin teacher. Does your dd enjoy it generally?

It would depend if the DC was generally doing ok, progressing, learning from their mistakes etc. Why not have a word with the teacher about how things are going? If he doesn't think they are getting anywhere, then you could look into getting another teacher (if you think it's a personality thing) or maybe trying another instrument if your DD doesn't seem to be enjoying it and making progress.

Give up the violin teacher and possibly give up the violin lessons.

Her progress is good; she's 6yo and just did her grade 1. He's ok as a teacher but I've always had this feeling that he's only interested if the child is doing well and perhaps does not have much patience when things get difficult. I suspect that one day he could easily blow his top with her.

She's a quick learner but I know from experience of even doing homework with her that when she gets something in her head it's hard to get it out iyswim.

I've had the benefit of far too much experience wih the weird and wonderful world of music teachers. TBH I'd be keeping a very close eye and seeing how things go. DD made rapid progress on the violin and then really struggled with the step up from g3 to g4-DD was frustrated so her poor teacher must have been tearing her hair out. Teacher didn't take it out on DD and she's worked through it and heading for g5, but if the teacher had got angry DD would have quit.

There are a surprising number of teahers who are only really interested if the pupil does hours of practise and gets a distinction in every exam.

Maria, you've probably seen me post on here before and it's all quite a learning experience.
He's her second teacher, from a former Soviet state so the approach maybe a bit different. But I believe that a teacher no matter how tested by a child should always try to be patient and professional.

Tonight I asked her if she was tired at lesson today (she almost fell asleep on the way) and perhaps that's why she kept misplacing her finger. Her response was 'muscle memory' - a concept explained to her by teacher!

What bugs me most is that I think that underneath his usual smiley disposition lurks a propensity to get very angry if the responses do not suit him. I would have preferrred if after the 3rd or 4th time of the mistake he had stopped her and perhaps played the relevant scale or let her just do a few repeats of playing the note with the correct placement to 'undo' her muscle memory.