“You Sounded So Professional!” 🤔?

Hey there, First name / friend

 

Episode #182 of the podcast just landed this morning, and of course, as soon as I finished it, I remembered something else I could have included in the episode.

 

So, since you are an insider here, you get the bonus content. LOL

 

The episode was a list of random reflections from my studio recital this past Sunday - things I was feeling content with, little changes made, and so forth. 

 

I always try to perform something during my student recitals, as I think it's important for students to see us putting ourselves into the same scenario we're asking them to go through. I'll admit, some years I completely forget to perform myself, but this year, I came up with a fun one.

 

Our recital had a theme, “A Story of the Wild West.” I decided to play and sing “Wagon Wheel” by Darius Rucker. This version by Rhonda Vincent featured a nice ladies' duet, so I invited one of my studio moms to join me. She took the lead, and I added harmony while playing.

It was fun and really well received, but as I was chatting with studio families during the reception afterward, one of my students said to me, “You sounded so professional!”

 

I had a little chuckle and said thanks - it was certainly a compliment - but I found the comment interesting…

 

I completely understand what she meant, and there was no harm in it - it was a compliment! But isn't it interesting to consider how our students view us as teachers?

 

This isn't the first time I've encountered an interaction like this with students.

 

I remember years and years ago, an elementary school student making a comment - something along the lines of the fact that I didn't dress up like his teachers at school because I wasn't really a teacher. LOL

 

Again, I know what he meant - I'm not a school teacher - but I also found that funny because I actually do try to dress nicely for teaching. Granted, maybe not quite as dressy as I might as a school teacher, but even so.

 

His comment wasn't so much about my clothes as about the fact that he didn't see me as a teacher??? I just wasn't sure what to make of that. LOL

 

I'm not sure I have any big insights into these interactions, but it certainly makes you pause when comments like this occur… 🤔🤔🤔

 

P.S. If you missed last month's Month Pause newsletter, you can catch it here.

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