Pupil connections

I had a lovely afternoon today catching up with a former pupil.

Even though I last taught Haylee in 2006, we have maintained contact.  In 2007 I moved from Timaru to Auckland for further study.  That year I had the pleasure of a visit from Haylee, her mother and brother while staying in my 36 square metre apartment, several letters and drawings, and caught up with the family when I returned to visit family in September.

During that year of study, I got a job working for the Education Department of the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra,  My first project was to run the Lion Foundation Orchestral Summer School.  In 2011 Haylee and Louisa (another former pupil) came up to Auckland to be participants.

In 2011 I moved the Blenheim, and my fledgling pupils in a Christmas concert needed a spark of inspiration and a boost of enthusiasm.  Haylee arrived by bus just after her last exam to help us out.  Not only did she help out the beginners, but the teenagers who formed a band for the Tempo concerts, also had Haylee's assistance to play with them, which naturally resulted in pizza and movies later that week.

Late last year (2013) I received a text saying that Haylee was coming to Dunedin for an interview to go to the College of Education.  Could we catch up for lunch?  Absolutely!  Lunch turned in to shopping, and a very tempting offer to cancel teaching for the afternoon to keep shopping.

Today it was a hot chocolate at Nectar Cafe in the pouring rain.  I picked Haylee up from her hostel accommodation and after driving around several blocks, we found a parking space.

Nectar in Dunedin make a hot chocolate with a Whittaker's Sante bar (bar of chocolate) to stir in to it...and marshmallows!! We only had an hour...not enough time, so a trip to the party/$2 shop which led to a trip to The Warehouse and then off to my favourite marshmallow store, before back to my place to show her the new setup.

What I thought would possible be an hour or so, very easily turned in to three.  We talked about playing, gigs, fiddling, how University is going, flatmates, family, food and I even got to hear some One Direction.  Even though I am twice Haylee's age, and we don't see each other very often, there is never a problem or hesitancy with communication.  I find this with a number of my pupils over the years.

I remember in teacher training being told that after parents and possibly Grandparents, the music teacher has the most number of contact hours with a child - even before a school teacher.  We see them for half an hour for 40 weeks a year, and sometimes more if there is concert preparation, performances, camps and workshops, social gatherings like pizza and games nights, and if you as a teacher become friends with the family like I did with Haylee and others.

The Suzuki parent-teacher-student triangle keeps strengthening and developing as the years progress.  Now it is not so much as developing the violin technique, but developing the person through friendship as Dr Suzuki was so keen to do.

“Teaching music is not my main purpose. I want to make good citizens. If children hear fine music from the day of their birth and learn to play it, they develop sensitivity, discipline and endurance. They get a beautiful heart.” Dr Shinichi Suzuki