Caden Webb: Coyle Ch. 8-9

 Ch. 8: I really enjoyed how this Chapter reinforced the idea that the best teachers have unlimited patience with a student. Always encouraging them to keep going when they may be getting frustrated, reassuring them and praising them briefly for successes. I will admit when Coyle described Miss Mary, I became nostalgic (and a little emotional) since she was very similar to my childhood piano teacher. It really does take an authentic, caring environment for a student to succeed and grow. Even my first voice teacher had similar qualities. While he did have a lot more professional experience, he was still very kind, patient, and always knew exactly what to say when certain situations arose. But I find it interesting, too, that the best teachers don’t say very much. They all had a similar style of listening more than lecturing. Even in my own experiences, the best teachers always listened intently and spoke briefly. You really can learn so much in just a few words. That may be why some of the greatest inspirational quotes are rather short. 


Ch. 9: I think this chapter felt the most instructive overall. The biggest take away that I could find for myself was the idea that a great teacher should have a vast number of tools and resources that they can easily call upon. Not every student is the same. You have to be able to adapt on the fly and figure out what way works best for that specific student. But I really liked that Coyle said that being a good teacher, like any other skill or profession, takes A LOT of practice to become truly good at it. I have noticed in my own lessons with Cindy that she can easily pull out a new teaching tool out of her pocket, if necessary. It’s a lot like the improv games we play in class. We need to be 100% ready to switch gears, focus in, have fun, or get serious at a moment’s notice. While I wouldn’t say that I feel I’m ready to attempt teaching (at this moment), I’m glad that I at least have a better idea on how to go about it.  

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