The Meaning of Mean: Part Two

     

     Which one of these signs demonstrates how you teach? Are you a demander, like the exclamation point? Or are you a questioner, like the question mark? More than likely, you participate in many different expressive aspects of teaching, like this:

     If you are teaching a large number of millennials, you have probably already figured out that the exclamation point is not the best way to express yourself, unless is it a sign of energy and enthusiasm. If you put a period on the end of every sentence, that may not work as well as it used to either. I learned recently in the book "Because Internet" by Gretchen McCulloch that the use of a period in social media and in texts suggests passive aggression. My seventh grade English teacher would be appalled. Period.

     The best mix of expressions is the one that is non-threatening - a pause to let the student speak might be a dash, for example. Remember, millennials like to have input into what is going on. In some cases, you may need to ask for a pause in their speaking! However you do it - through dashes or question marks or commas or the ubiquitous ellipse - getting them engaged in the process is key to keeping them interested. While this is not a revolutionary idea, it is more important for today's students who prefer engagement to passive instruction.

     Engagement can include movement away from the piano. It can include use of manipulatives like blocks, crayons, movement toys, floor staff, even my ever faithful Wright-Way Note Finder, a simple quarter note on a string that rides up and down a vinyl staff. If you find computer games and apps to be useful, add them as well. However, it is my experience that students are more engaged with the novelty of 3-D objects since they already spend lots of time in the digital world. Watch them come alive when asked to join in a game of Koosh® Ball catch. Or enjoy rolling a 10-sided die for a random number of repetitions of a challenge spot.

     Getting back to the now-problematic period, telling students to do something that makes no sense to them rarely works these days. "Do this, period," just isn't satisfactory. "Here's why we are doing this" is an expression that is much more likely to be successful. For example, why should a very young student struggle to play hands together scales just because scales? (internet talk) In recent years I have delayed teaching hands together scales until it is more likely that they may have to play them in literature. They learn them faster with ease, and it makes more sense. Quite frankly, a lot of piano literature never involves hands together scales. (For some insight on this, check out this link: www.bachscholar.com/four-octave-scales)

     Millennials may also have a false sense of their skill level, which might be represented by air quotes. If they have parents/teachers/friends who have built up their self-concept beyond reason, this needs to be addressed. I had a student some years back who would come to a lesson with a piece her father had insisted was very well prepared, and it wasn't. He did not welcome my offered suggestions for improvement because he had praised her insufficient preparation. On the other hand, a different parent told her son that he needs to walk before he runs. I love her.

     My favorite way to approach this is not head-on criticism. Instead I teach them to self-evaluate. What did you like about that performance? Name three things. What needs to change? Name three things. This addresses the millennial's need to engage in a process that yields authority, or, as the common expression goes, agency. They are in control in a way that requires responsibility rather than abandoning it.

    Millennials will also have ways to record their practice and performance that are at their fingertips. Their phones can do this, for starters. I recently picked up a handy little flash drive that also records. The one I chose from the various models is called RecJoy, but you may choose another brand. It's not top notch music quality, but easy enough to use and transfer to iTunes for repeated listening. And it's inexpensive - about $20.00. Learning to listen to their practice can be another useful tool for self-evaluation.

     It is always perilous to expect every member of a given generation to behave the same way. Ten years ago, when I started this blog, I wrote a post called "No Method." As tutors, independent music teachers have the luxury of finding what works and what doesn't work for an individual student. Publishers of method books revise their output to allow for changes in cultural trends, and we can take advantage of new materials and approaches as needed. But it is helpful to notice how contemporary students respond in order to meet expectations effectively. Period.

    

    

The Meaning of Mean: Part One

The word on the street is that a well-known piano teacher is mean. She is highly respected among her peers and has been honored at the state level for a thorough approach to developing young pianists. She is stunned at this new take on her reputation.

Another experienced teacher got back her piano class evaluations. Guess what? She is also mean.

Welcome to teaching toward high expectations with the current generation of students. They are not less able, less skillful, or less intelligent than past generations. They can learn, they can. But they want it on their terms, and most of them have been more likely to call shots in other arenas of their lives than former generations.

Their terms are less about rigidity and more about making learning entertaining. If requirements aren't couched in generally pleasant terms, they just might be labeled as mean. And I didn't make this up. Google "teaching millennials" for a list of articles on this topic.

But let's not be too hard on them. They are used to having the world at their fingertips on digital technology. When they get bored, they switch to another source, and something else more engaging flashes in front of their eyes. Their information comes in bursts on short videos on YouTube or posts on social media platforms. Quite honestly, experts who study this phenomenon cannot predict whether the inability to focus for longer periods of time is temporary or permanent.

Learning is also a lot about hearing information for them rather than reading information. Ear buds come with their phones. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has noticed that current piano students don't like to read music but will enjoy picking out tunes instead. This is the opposite of how I learned to play, so I experience this phenomenon with at least a little envy.

They also like to be engaged in the process, which is something I warm up to immediately, rather than being talked at by someone in authority. My biggest challenges are with students who are reticent and reluctant to answer even the simplest questions. A student that comes in with ideas is a delight, as long as the ideas lead to attainable goals.

Millennials also want to know why they are learning what they are learning. They are less willing than my generation to learn because "I said so." Finding a connection to present and future goals is important.

The other far less pleasant aspect is the prevalence of anxiety and depression. I'm no social psychologist, leaving me without a useful explanation for this trend now being addressed in public schools and secondary institutions. And when parents choose not to share this information about their children, the teacher is going to proceed as though nothing is out of the ordinary, possibly adding to their distress unintentionally. How you approach this is up to your relationships.

For tips on working with millennials, read The Meaning of Mean:Part Two.

Motivation: A Little Brain Science, Part Two

Reward activated movement is the term for movement that happens because it is rewarding in some way. You read this term in Part One, where the chemical reward of dopamine was introduced.  This category of movement is fluid and comfortable and successful at reaching the planned goal. It feels good, so we want to remember it and repeat it.

Now for the tough question: what interferes with this kind of movement? The number one response I would get from my students is, "IT'S TOO HARD!" When a student says this, what is your reaction? I'll admit that I may question how the student worked on the piece first because "too hard" may very well be code for not practicing. But if I notice movement that is full of hitches and tension, I may need to concede that the piece is just too hard.

I call pieces that are a bit beyond the student's current level "challenge pieces." I am always clear that challenge pieces will be longer term assignments as compared to the pieces right at their level that tend to be learned quickly. I also give very specific practice guidelines for challenge pieces so the student doesn't become overwhelmed. And yet, sometimes the piece is simply too hard. There is no reward in the movements required to master the piece because the student doesn't have enough skill to get it to that level. Even if the student claims to want to learn the piece, even if the student brings in the arrangement of a popular tune and appears motivated in the emotional sense to learn it, a piece that is too hard is not a motivator if the student exhibits jerky movements when playing it. This is a sign of stress pertaining to the learning of that piece, and stress impacts dopamine negatively, which impacts the quality of movement. This is the cycle of events likely to crop up when the piece is too hard.

On the opposite end of the spectrum is the role creativity plays in relationship to low dopamine. Anxiety and creativity may be linked for some people, largely due to the way imagined outcomes can be positive or negative. Both of these mental states may be exhibited in people with low dopamine levels. A student whose imagination runs to the negative will conjure up all kinds of perilous potential outcomes in performance and practice. These fantasies manifest in halting movements or extensive tension that limit success even further. As much as we encourage creativity, we would do well to check the nature of the creativity when it comes to movement.

Addressing Depression: Stephen Sitarski, violin | The WholeNote

Stephen Sitarski reports honestly on his travails with depression and anxiety in the above link. Notice how his creative thinking process disrupted his success. Notice he suffered from another sign of low dopamine: joint pain.

Creativity for movement can also go horribly wrong when the performer has limited knowledge of physical structure. A student who is moving according to confusions, fuzzy metaphors, or incorrect knowledge about how the body is structured is going to lack fluidity in movement. The series of posts under Finger Play and Cans of Word Worms include valuable information on Body Mapping, the process of conscious correcting and refining of the body map to find graceful, coordinated movement.
Check www.bodymap.org for resources on Body Mapping.

While we have little or no control over our students' basic health needs, we can observe movement that suggests stress or negative fantasies. As teachers, we can address stress from a musician's standpoint and help students to use their imaginations in more productive ways.

Motivation: A Little Helpful Brain Science, Part One

Not long ago I admitted to a colleague that I'm tired of "motivating" students. I want students to study and practice because they want to, not because I lit some magical motivational fire under them. I hear you all laughing, blog followers. I do. You want the same thing.

Probably most of us have employed the usual motivational tools: rewards, games, pieces that hook the student, even public performances for the students that only get really excited when they know a performance is coming up. These are all extrinsic motivators, and many of them work, at least in the short run.

But let's talk about truly intrinsic motivators. Like so many English words, the word motivation has multiple meanings. This blog defines motivation as the catalyst for physical movement. What spurs us to put one foot in front of the other or our hands on the piano keys to get ready to play? The interplay of brain chemicals and brain cells that results in a desire to move. In short, the neurotransmitter dopamine.

Neurotransmitters are the chemicals of communication between nerve cells. Nerve impulses jump across gaps between nerve cells in order to transmit information. Neurotransmitters are released into these gaps, called synapses, activating the conditions required to send messages from one cell to the next. Okay, that's all the science you need to know right now. Not too hard, right?

Neurotransmitters have particular jobs, and dopamine is key to stimulating muscles to move. Dopamine starts the engine of movement, it facilitates the continuation of movement, and it helps the brain to learn the movement to make it easier to access the next time it is desired. Pretty great stuff, right? And, guess what? It is often called the "reward neurotransmitter" because it also creates a sense of pleasure when we are doing something we like doing, which includes movements we like doing.

The brain is designed to create reward activated movement when everything is working according to plan. However, everything doesn't always work according to plan. Some external factors can impact the amount of dopamine in the system, thereby making movement less pleasurable or even harder to learn.

Here are some of the common interferences with reward activated movement:

• STRESS   Big surprise, right? How do you move when you are feeling undue stress? What do you notice about your students' movements during stressful periods in their lives? Less dopamine means it's harder to get moving and to continue moving.
• UNHEALTHY NUTRITION  Another obvious dopamine blocker. Junk food may offer a temporary "feel good" sensation, but over the long haul, it reduces the availability of dopamine.
• LACK OF SLEEP  Do you or your students lack sufficient rest? Here's one more reason why you need sleep.
• LACK OF EXERCISE  Prime the dopamine pump through purposeful movement. Walk the dog, cat, llama, whatever you own.

There are other conditions, including diseases, that can cause or contribute to a lack of dopamine in the system. Anyone with serious symptoms of fatigue, depression, and movement challenges needs to be evaluated. This list is by no means complete or to be used as a diagnostic tool. The purpose of this list is to help us understand that basic good health practices also help us move better. It's brain science, and it's not too hard.

Check out Part Two for practical tips on encouraging reward activated movement.

Small Muscles or All Muscles?

 In recent years, my circle of musician acquaintances has widened to include musicians with special interests in self-care and movement knowledge. Many of them belong to organizations that focus on elements of anatomy and physiology, and I am lucky to learn from them.

Sometimes I hear a group use a phrase I have to rethink, however, and this is the case with the expression that "musicians are athletes of small muscles." Hmm, really? I know the intention is good, but I doubt the substance.

First of all, let's examine the difference between a being musician and being an athlete. While both of these achievements require physical training, only one of them has the primary goal of communicating to an audience. With few exceptions, like figure skating, most athletes are honored for competing in arenas where the goal is technical and physical, not artistic.While a refined athlete may exhibit artistry in motion, it isn't the goal. The goal is, well, the goal: faster, longer, stronger than the other competitors. Musicians are required to be both technically competent and artistically successful.

Secondly, where are these small muscles that musicians use to display their prowess? Perhaps this is a reference to muscles of the hand, so let's start there. There are about 640 generally recognized muscles in the body, and about 35 of them control the movement of the hand. However, only 17 of them are actually contained within the area we consider to be the hand. The other 18 originate in the forearm, and they are much larger than the other 17.  Some of them actually have the descriptor "longus" in their designations. Without these longer muscles, we would have limited movement in the hand. Without control of these larger muscles, we would not be able to perform on our instruments.

Simply moving an arm from one place to another, something most musicians do at least to bring the instrument into playing organization, requires large muscles in the back that are connected to the arm.  Such movements also require large muscles of the torso and upper arm to go into action.

Drummers who play trap set have very active leg muscles. It's exciting to watch the movements of arms and sticks flying through the air, but take the opportunity to watch what they do with their legs. While small muscles of the feet are engaged in playing the pedals for drums, so are large muscles in the legs. They aren't trained for running, but they aren't untrained either.

Speaking of pedals, watch an organist for even five minutes to see legs in action. Organists learn refined balance so they can move both feet and arms in different directions at different times. I continue to find this an extraordinary example of whole body movement and co-ordination. If they only used so-called small muscles, the limitations would be extreme.

How about facial muscles? Are they small? Some of them are by certain standards, but facial muscles are interwoven in sophisticated ways, making them hard to separate from each other even in dissection. For this reason, wind players do well to refrain from getting overly interested in the small number of muscles they consider to make up their embouchures. Wind players also call on large muscles for breathing, including the involuntary diaphragm and large muscles throughout the torso.

Recognizing the whole body - all 640 muscles - as your vehicle for music-making grants more ease and flexibility in performance. And it's also the truth.

Won't Power: Part II

There is another phrase that comes out of the Alexander Technique glossary: non-doing. For most modern day Americans, non-doing sounds impossible. Doing is our primary function, and it often leads to over-doing. We are proud of how much doing we can cram into a day, and we boldly exhort it on social media. Even if we choose the quieting of meditation, we "do" that with special clothing, cushions, pillows, candles, music - whatever it is that reminds us we are doing something about doing nothing.

Teaching is about training someone to "do" something, after all, something they wouldn't be able to accomplish without guidance and perseverance and the occasional push from the teacher. And this is all well and good. However, when the doing feels like hard work, it is. When it feels easy and effortless, it is the outcome of the balance between well-directed movement and the natural process of inhibition as explained in Won't Power: Part I. The understanding that the brain will shut down unnecessary movements in favor of well-coordinated movement helps us to focus on the whole body coordination rather than concentrating on one element of movement. This is what F.M. Alexander referred to as non-doing.

How best can we instill this kind of ease in our students playing? Some suggestions:

      1. Teach them how their bodies work in the simplest language possible. If they understand their own structures, they are more likely to move in accordance with them. There are lots of helpful resources at www. bodymap.org., and there are many good anatomy resources on line. Do your best to distill instructions rather than overwhelm the student with too many directions.

     2. Choose appropriate literature rather than pushing them through upper levels before they are ready. When the music is too difficult, there will be more likelihood of interfering neuromuscular patterns that want to take over. As one of my teachers once said, the mind wants to do what the muscles are not ready to do.

     3.  Use vocabulary that encourages ease and clarity of intention. Yes, I've said this before in different ways, but it is an ongoing project for me. If I were to identify the one aspect of my teaching that has changed the most over the years, it would be my use of words. And, yes, I still slip up from time to time and use phrases that promote more pressure than freedom, but far less often than before.

     4. Check in with them and ask them if they are comfortable. Be aware that some students, especially teens, are comfortable in ways that are not necessarily mechanically advantageous, which creates an opportunity for teaching about balance on the bench.

     5. Remember that one of the major interferences with free movement is the state of a performer's emotions. An anxious or fearful state of mind creates physical tension that is hard to override, regardless of how well-informed the performer is about movement. While we can't control how our students react in performance, we can do our best to create a positive environment for learning.

     6. Guide the student toward the expression of the music. Some students get so involved with the technical aspects that they forget to communicate the message, while others naturally know how to get the message across. We are always balancing those two aspects of performance.

Won't Power: Part 1

My dad tried a variety of diets before deciding that what he really needed was won't power. Will power was over-rated when it came to food, he determined. What was missing was won't power, the power to refuse unhealthy foods. Alexander Technique teachers define inhibition as "the refusal to react to a stimulus in an habitual way." Short cut that to won't power.

The word inhibition, like so many English words, has a number of possible definitions depending on the context in which it appears. Here's one from the online Oxford Dictionary: "a feeling that makes one self-conscious and unable to act in a relaxed and natural way." And here's another from the online Cambridge Dictionary:"the act of stopping or slowing down a process, or the fact of this happening."

On a physiological level, inhibition is defined as "the restraint, checking, or arrest of the action of an organ or cell or the reduction of a physiological activity by antagonistic stimulation." Thanks to Mosby's Medical Dictionary for this thought-provoking explanation. Or, no thanks, depending on whether or not this makes sense to you.

What is fascinating to me about how we decide to react in any given situation is how much of the brain is actually devoted to won't power. At any given moment, there are many options for response to a stimulus that are available. Take my dad staring at the Klondike bars in the freezer for starters. Things he could have done include:

     1. Take one out and eat it while standing in   front of the freezer.
     2. Take one out and eat it at the kitchen table.
     3. Take one out and eat it at the dining room table.
     4. Take one out and eat it in the living room while watching the news.
     5. Take two out, eat one, and give the other one to me. Please vote for this option.


I know what you are thinking - where's the won't power in all of these options? He is still eating the Klondike bar! Correct, he is. That was his goal all along. The won't power came into play as he decided which motor plan to enact to achieve that goal. Once he decided on a location for eating, the other motor plans had to be scuttled.

This is what the Mosby definition of inhibition explains. When a person decides on a motor plan, the brain gets very busy not only directing the muscles required to put the plan into action, but also quieting competing patterns. This is the essence of antagonistic stimulation, a natural process of the neuromuscular response to a stimulus.

F.M. Alexander (1869-1955) discovered how to help people obtain natural co-ordination through a process that has helped countless people move with greater ease. He wrote about "getting out of one's way," which meant moving toward a goal with clarity and the freedom that excellent co-ordination allows. In other words, he advocated avoiding conflicting motor plans that would interfere with the natural process of energizing and inhibiting the structures of movement. Because so many options to reach a goal are always available, the brain is busier enacting won't power than will power.

How do we use this knowledge in teaching and performing? Get the scoop in Won't Power: Part 2.