As a teacher, nothing hurts more when this happens.
A student has a breakthrough. Not something that will land that student in Carnegie Hall tomorrow. But, something significant for that student.
Something that could lead to exciting things in the coming years.
It could be practice habits clicking. It could be the student's aural skills making a leap forward. The student could finally be grasping that enigma that is rhythm.
These may sound like minor things. But they're major. (Pun intended? Maybe...)
But then, mom and dad decide to stop lessons next month.
Why?
Because they feel like they should be further along for their age. And no amount of explaining will deter them from their decision to stop.
It's not their fault. School gave us a certain idea of what progress should look like for everyone.
If you're not reading at a 1st grade level when you're the age of a 1st grader, then you're automatically "behind." Even though we're not really educated on why that's supposed to be the magical age for that skill level to begin with.
This notion of progress crosses over to other areas of our lives. That by age X, students should have done Y or there's something wrong with them.
The idea of "everyone progresses at their own pace and in different ways" is foreign to us.
But it's one that we need to celebrate as often as we can.
Progress for one student could be finally practicing a couple times a week.
Progress for another student could be performing for a recital, even though it was a scary thought at first.
Heck, progress for a student could be just sitting at the piano for 5 minutes without having a meltdown. (Students of all ages, mind you, including adults.).
Celebrate progress in all its shapes and forms. Because progress starts the flywheel going.
Progress builds momentum.
And momentum leads to very exciting things.
All too true !
So true !