I thought to snip your one sentence and comment about it!
You are the Boss! Your lesson room is your domain! Anybody who goes to study with you can tell their goals and how they are doing with the studies that you assign to them. Everything else is on you! You make the decisions about what they learn and if they don't like it, then they shouldn't be paying for lessons with you.
I'ver heard this before; some teachers wish to make things smooth and not upset their clients. They try to lure guys into music. But, I don't! I take everyone seriously from the pure beginner upward, and deal with them as their level to learn, no rushing, and absolutely 100% permitting mistakes even if they come by the hundreds. But, I don't allow anyone who pays me to teach them and then decides what they wish to learn. If kids don't wish to learn good musical principles in a music lesson, then they shouldn't be studying with you.
There are few things more important to me than getting the 'good stuff' to kids. I've been observed teaching and discuss what I am doing with the full time faculty at the school I do the after school lessons. (rereading and editing it sounds curt don't read it that way please,)
I'm known for holding my ground, standing firm at the store I teach at (the bane of many teachers I know, and I see what is going on). Strings and horns teach, guitar and bass expected to pander.
I'm into 'my way or the highway' You MUST read, and the shear number of kids I teach to do this, and the guitar players can all read chords, leads me to wonder why every musician can't read! You must learn jazz. But l do spend a few moments helping a student work out a problem they may have in a pop tune if it's appropriate to their level, at the end of the lesson. (5 minutes no tabs)
Now one thing I will do is grab a concept from a song they say they want to play. There is a popular song out now that has a line utilizing thirds. I'll tell the student, that's thirds, before you can play that you have to be able to locate them on the neck. I'll write them out, explain major and minor and have them play it. They've got a fret board concept applicable to all music, written out. Also they've learned an important harmonic concept, what makes a chord 'quality' as opposed to that all pervasive R5 power chord that is all they've been bombarded with.
I understand what you mean by 'luring' and that seems like a politically correct way to teach (I'm not for it). I fully explain to parent and student what we will do (unfortunately one seems wealthy enough to send a third grader to me to learn music and another teacher for Disneyland lessons, the kid is doing fine with me, why?)
I'm also dealing with a range of ages from about 3rd grade up. (Some absolutely are not ready, some will sit through an entire lesson and read through all six strings and basic chords and can play).
I will sit with any student and if I've told them 10 times or more to move their hand position or correct something tell them I'm not getting angry I'm coaching them through a move, we'll sit here working until you get it or you're frustrated (that phrase actually usually releases frustration at least once)
Most lessons go well. One of the things I meant by what you quoted is the level of work done. I had to figure out every triad (on various string groups) then 6ths, 7ths, altered on up to 13th chords. Write them out in all inversions and keys and arrange chord melody with them. (by the way after lessons that same teacher would teach me vocal arranging to me etc, even rock, free, but the lessons were hardcore) It would be a pleasure to have a student come in and do that much work.
I think an issue with any kid now in any undertaking is finding ONE thing they will pursue and maybe even give something else up. Find something to do for an hour or four a day and WORK at it. If someone puts forth 6 months hard work in music, figures out they don't like playing, they will have gained appreciation of music, learned a lot. It is not a waste to quit or a failure. (I did it in drawing).
A basic goal I have for all of my students is to be able to play and understand Summertime, Autumn Leaves, a couple Blues, Footprints, Blue Bossa, the standard basic jazz repertoire of about 15 tunes.
Thanks for listening, posts are not the easiest ways to discuss such things, teaching in itself is fascinating. Regarding my first paragraph, nothing is more important in any teaching endeavors than improving what I'm doing.
