Saturday, September 09, 2006

Student with Major Attitude Problem

I've this student who simply drives me nuts, up the wall or bonkers. She has one major attitude problem and none of the teachers at my music school is willing to teach her. She's smart but I think her aim is to piss the teacher off. 2 weeks ago, during her lesson, I scolded her very loudly. I gave her a piece of homework, only 5 questions, simple and straightforward. She's 11, from RGPS and doing grade 1, and learning piano for at least 3 years already. Here's the scenario of what happened.

(she enters and seats of the piano chair and arranges her books while I took her theory book to mark)
Me: (opens the book, sees the mistakes and inhales loudly)
She: (turns to me smiling)
Me: (fuming) Do you know why I took such a deep breath? You know that it is a sign that I am getting angry with you already and you still dare to smile.
She: (continues smiling)
Me: Do you know that all the answers are wrong?
She: (no reply)
Me: Do you understand how to do this piece of homework? Is it because I didn't explain well enough or you forgot how to do or you can't be bothered?
She: No.
Me: Then what? You have to tell me before I can help you.
She: Nothing.
Me: What you mean nothing? You are the one doing the homework. If you don't tell me what's wrong how will I know, how can I help?
She: (turns the other direction and ignores me for 10 minutes)
Me: Hello, I'm still waiting.
She: Nothing. I said nothing and that's my answer.
Me: Ok, nevermind. I will re-explain to you and then correct the mistakes. First you have to make sure 1 octave of the scale has 8 notes. Look at the key given to you and then write the accidentals on the notes. Accidentals come before the notes. Semitones are 3-4 and 7-8. Understand?
She: Yes (in a very heck care tone)
Me: Ok, redo.
She: Redo what?
Me: !!!!!!! What do you think?
She: Don't know.
Me: (takes another deep breath) You mean what I have been telling you for the past 20 minutes, you still don't know what your mistakes are? You want to redo the whole book?
She: Anything.
Me: Even if you want to redo the whole book, I can't be bothered to mark your work since you can't be bothered too. Redo these 5 questions.
(stormed out of the music studio and returned in 5 minutes)
Me: (Staring at her) Do you understand what I am trying to tell you?
She: Yes.
Me: Then why still wrong?
She: (keeps quiet smiling)
Me: I said you have 3 mistakes here. Change these.
(I walked out again to calm down)
Me: (5 minutes later, blowing my top) Wrong! I said accidentals before note. Do it in front of me now.
She: (Still draws accidentals behind note)
Me: (Screaming) I said in front not behind!
She: (erases as if she hasn't eaten in 10 days and redraws the accidental after the note)
Me: Erase all and show me how you do step by step.
She: (anyhow erases and does rubbish again)
Me: (erasing for her) Do for me question 1. First do this then do that..blah blah. Ok, now do the rest by yourself.
She: (rubbish answers again)
Me: Ok fine, you still refuse to do properly right? You stay back. You sit outside the studio and do your work properly before you can go back. I have to move on to the next student. Knock on the door when you are done.
(Went to tell her mum that I will be holding her back and explained that her daughter refuses to do her work properly.)
She: (5 minutes later, knocked on the dorr)
Me: So fast? (surprised) All correct answers.

And so you see, major attitude problem right? Anyway, her mum called yesterday and spoke to my boss saying that her daughter doesn't like me to teach and said that I didn't give her face by making her sit outside the studio, at the reception area to do her homework.

My views? Complain la! I don't care. She can don't like her, as if anyone at the music studio likes her either. Make her sit at the reception area is better than making her sit on the floor right? At least the lighting is better, there's a table and chair for her too. My boss says maybe she will change her teacher. I was so relieved, but I still have to teach her at least until my boss finds another teacher willing to take her.

Got a teacher's day present today because there was no piano lesson last week. Fiona, my highest grade student gave me a towel. She appears to be ah lian and sometimes rude, but underlying her, she has a nice heart. I think its the company of friends that she has. She's trying to be in. Plus she is the only child, so she's a little pampered. Hope she changes for the better, I see lots of potential in her.

I'm considering if I should set up another blog and link to this to do reviews on novels, books, movies, magazines, etc. It'll be a lot of work, but I think it would be fun. Should I?

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