When I joined the symphony many years ago, I recall watching
a woman enter rehearsal and stride to her seat on the inside of the second
stand of the first violins. I could not help but notice her. She walked with a
calm air of confidence. She looked like she knew what she was supposed to be
doing and would be able to do it well. She had such a strong air about her, and
at every rehearsal I would watch her entrance on the stage. I wanted to be just
like her. I wanted to exude that same self-confidence and feel that same sense
of purpose that I saw in her.
I have talked about the importance of role modeling before,
but I have been thinking this week about the importance of having role models for
ourselves. As teachers, we are careful to present ourselves publicly in a way
that we hope will inspire students, motivate parents, and lead others in a
direction that would benefit others as a community. The Suzuki Method places a
great emphasis on role modeling: parents for students, teachers for parents and
students, and students for other students. All of us who are part of the Suzuki
Triangle are role models in some way to each other.
My students are also role models to the other students in
their classes. For example, in my current group class configuration, there are
some students who are thoughtfully role modeling certain behaviors for other
students. Last year, I had a young boy about 7 years old who was quite fearful
in his approach to new things. He was afraid to make mistakes and definitely
was out of his comfort zone whenever we attempted a new skill. He came to me as
a student when his previous teacher moved away, so I did not have an
opportunity to teach him from the very beginning, although I did back him up
and revisit the Twinkles to make sure that we addressed any bad habits he might
have developed.
During group classes, I noticed that this young, fearful boy
seemed to be drawn to another older boy of about 13 years old. I watched the
interactions between the two boys over the course of several classes. The young
boy had an anxious energy about him, while the older boy was much calmer and
much more open to trying new things. The older boy had a kind, gentle, and
nurturing spirit. The younger boy constantly watched the older boy in
everything that the older boy did. If the older boy tried something new, then
so did the younger boy. Here is where my story gets really interesting.
I found out when we practiced for our spring recital that
the younger boy did not know how to take a bow. He completely resisted my
efforts to teach him how to take a bow. He said that it was embarrassing. I
pushed as gently as I could, but I backed away from going all the way. At the
next group class, I asked the older boy to be our leader and to practice having
the group take a bow together, with our goal being to bow simultaneously. To my
delight, the 13 year old would slightly rise up on the balls of his feet while
taking a bow, giving a really clear signal to take a bow. I had placed the
little boy almost directly behind the older one, and the younger child copied
the older boy exactly. That was the end of the balking bow issue from that
point on. I had an opportunity to talk to the older boy about what a fine job
he did as a leader during the group class and how important his job was as far
as the younger boy was concerned. From that moment on, I saw the older boy take
a personal interest in the younger boy. The older would talk to the younger and
show him how to do things, and the older would act very demonstratively about
any new skills we brought up in class.
It is a new season and a new group class. The older boy
approached me after class the other day to bring to my attention that the
younger boy seemed very different this year. The younger was much more
courageous about playing new songs and about participating in class. The older
boy felt a true sense of worth about the role that he played in the success of
the younger boy. That is the power of role modeling. Not only does the modeler
provide a strong example that can give a great sense of value to the modeler,
but the person watching the role modeling receives a great opportunity to
learn.
I have been thinking about those individuals in my life who
serve as role models for me. There is the young boy that recently joined my
studio. He approaches everything as if it is going to be the most fun thing to do.
He has an instant smile, an eager spirit, and great enthusiasm about his
participation. I want to be like that. I want to be happy and smiling and
enthusiastic about my work and my participation in life.
There are the other members of the Artisan Quartet. These
people are important to my life and provide me with many role model behaviors
that I want to emulate, such as consistent discipline, artistic musical
expression, and general good humor and positive outlook. There are some people
that I work with at the university who provide good role modeling for me in
terms of collegiality, teamwork, and diplomacy.
Remember that woman I mentioned who sat in the fourth chair
in the symphony? She passed away a long time ago. I have had the honor of
sitting in her chair for a very long time now, and very seldom does a rehearsal
go by that I do not think of that woman and how I admired the way that she
conducted herself. I continue to try and emulate her style as much as I can,
and I wonder if anyone thinks about me that same way that I thought of that
woman.
Who are your role models and what lessons do you learn from
them?
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