trumpetmike

I am as bad as the students when having distractions.
If I am at home I have tv, more CDs than the mind can comfortably comprehend, videos, DVDs, books galore and, of course, the internet (and you guys can be very distracting). If I am wanting to do some serious work, I know I can't do it at home.
I am lucky - one of my main places of work has a large teaching block that is mainly used for percussion teaching, to which I have a key. If I want to do some intensive practising, I head in there for a couple of hours (especially during the holidays when there is no scheduled teaching). The phone gets turned off, everything distracting is left at home and I am left with my trumpets, my music and nothing else. I am more productive during these two hours than I am during just about any other practice time.

Sometimes we, as teachers, need to teach out students how to turn off the outside world. If you are offline for two hours you honestly won't miss anything important.

trpt2345

Many of my best students who have become a success in music were poor kids who had few distractions and little else to do besides practice. The rich suburban kids by and large had so many distractions that they never went beyond a superficial level in music. Though to be fair, there always were a few of the latter who were so motivated that they really worked their asses off. But not as many overall. In my of course limited experience.

Michael McLaughlin

Q: Why did the Unitarian cross the road?
A: To support the chicken in its search for its own path.
Garrison Keillor

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Chicago MM