I heard that studying math leads to higher music test scores.

I am so screwed. My piano teacher said to my mom after my first lesson… Are you sure you want to waste this much money? It was also my last lesson.

My high school band teacher was … not that kind of teacher. My sophomore year, I told him I was interested in Berklee School of Music, and his reply was, “You aren’t good enough. That’s more for people who are going to be professional musicians. You don’t have that kind of talent. You should probably find something else to pursue in college.”

Thanks, jack-hole. He quit teaching music the year after I graduated, and went on to become … drum roll please … a guidance counselor.

I did a little google search for him recently, and was very pleased to see that he is no longer working with the youth of america. He’s now doing wedding videos.

He quit teaching music because you (we) gave him a heart attack and it probably scared the shiite out of him. He’s still a counselor (I think the senior one now) on staff at Rio Mesa.
-PC

Uggh.

I find all things John Tesh amusing. Especially when he reads other people’s love letters on the radio.

I’ve had music educators across the spectrum. One that respectfully started the downbeat the second 7AM class started… one that would practice his own horn in the band room while we ate lunch (great modeling)… one whose idea of “conducting” was beating a metal stand with a drum stick through the whole song (ouch).

There are a crop of musicians from my high school class and Jason and I (who graduated together) have noted how this has happened BECAUSE OF certain educators and also DESPITE others.

Mike, I’ve only personally known of one teacher who told a student “you can’t do it” and it angered me for weeks. I vowed NEVER to tell a student that, ever.

In my class you are not allowed to say “I can’t do it,” you have to say “I can’t do it YET.” Furthermore, if you say “I can’t do it” (let’s say math) and then you get a problem right, you have to stand in front of the class an apologize for underestimating yourself.

As my mother-in-law would say to her students, “Dedicate your first book to your husband or wife, your second book to your parents, and the third book to me.”

Sharolyn, when the Large Hadron Collider explodes on September 10th and flings us all back in time to the 1980’s, will you come be my band teacher?

OK Mike,
So, my husband comes home from work today nearly bubbling with laughter because SOMEONE has dared to insult my dear friend and former band director. I just have to say; each individual’s experience is different, Kirk made all the difference in my life’s direction. He’s now my daughter’s counselor, she’s a freshman at Rio this year (scary, I know). Anyway, I just thought I should let the world know that the youth of America are not entirely doomed to failure at the hands of this lunatic……..really, he’s not all bad.
P.S. I have encouraged my husband to filter his posts through me PRIOR to placing them on your site, he’s a bit unrefined at times to say the least……..and to think he’s shaping the personalities of our six children daily…..THAT should give you concern for the youth of America!
-PC’s wife

I’m sure my experience with him has been filtered through 15 years of bitterness. But still, who says that to a student?

and on that note…

Mike-can we talk about molding young minds? I’m starting to teach next week…just one class (those poor students) and I’d love to glean some wisdom.

Also: PC–you have six kids?
There’s no way I could handle that. Two is good for me.
Six kids = complete and UTTER CHAOS…and would drive me to an early grave or an insane asylum.

Sure - what do you want to know about molding young minds?

Maybe it was pure teaching genius… he knew you would be more motivated by him telling you “you can’t do that” than by a nice pep talk. Seems like it worked ok… sometimes Gotham needs good Batman, sometimes Gotham needs bad Batman. Right?

“Reverse psychology is an awesome tool. I don’t know if you guys know about it, but, basically, you make someone think the opposite of what you believe. And that tricks them into doing something stupid. Works like a charm.” - Michael Scott

I uhgree with the leenk guy…. Myuzik helpt me lurn good :)

Daniel,
6 kids, honest. Chaos is an every present constant in our life. I take no credit for how great my kids are. It goes all to my wife who is a pretty amazing chica. She somehow manages to clean, dress and feed her seven children (me included) and stay christian. Go figure.
-PC

Mike,
Another thought on Kirk could be he didn’t want your young mind corrupted by the nutty influences of Boston. You could have ended up like their equally nutty cousins in Vienna. They are more like a drum line than an orchestra but who knows…..we could be watching a video of you playing a bassoon made out of some african gourd.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpfYt7vRHuY

He knew how impressionable you were as a young man and was looking out for you.
-PC

Was he looking out for me when he left my letter of recommendation for my application to APU sitting on his desk for 9 months, without filling it out and sending it?

Sorry, the bitterness runs deep. We did not have a good relationship.

Wow…..Do you remember what his desk and office looked like. Organization was definitely not his strong suit. I’m pretty sure Jimmy Hoffa was lurking in the back office somewhere. That being said, I apologize for bringing up such sore memories. I never knew how deep the bitterness ran.
-PC

Ouch. Guess that blows my theory.