Ask and ye shall…?
For as long as I can remember, I have been insanely curious.
I want to know how things work, why they work, and sometimes even wonder if I can make it better!
I also like being asked questions! I like when a question makes me think about something differently or requires me to go do some research. I like learning and sometimes the only way I can learn something is by someone asking me a really big question.
It took me a long time to realize that not everyone likes being asked questions. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I think I was the kid that every teacher hated in Sunday School. That Jonah and the Whale story? I didn’t buy it. I had learned about whales with my dad and I knew that the majority of them ate krill or small fish. The Killer Whale is a notable exception, but they aren’t large enough for a grown man to survive in their stomach. Plus, what about stomach acid!
Needless to say, the Sunday School teachers were exasperated by me. I’m sure I exasperated many people who taught me.
When I went to my undergrad university, I had the most amazing professors who adored being asked questions. I used to stop by their offices during office hours just to ask them questions or ask for more information and they loved it. I had the most wonderful conversations with my professors that really made me think more, read more, and begin to shape what became my core beliefs. I even had a professor write on a final paper, “while I don’t actually agree with your premise, you’ve argued it so well that I can only give you an A.” I was so excited when I read that. It validated all the questions I had and research I had done and it started a conversation with that professor that allowed me to learn more. I’m a proud nerd. I always want to learn more.
In other situations, I realized that questions are not valued and in fact can be perceived as stubbornness, being difficult, or even insubordination. I once performed in a masterclass where I did not understand what I was being asked to do. (I’m not going to include names or places when I describe any of these situations.) When I asked a question, the masterclass teacher said “Oh I was warned about you.” I was in shock. Warned about me? For what reason? Why did this teacher need a warning about me? Also, I truly just didn’t understand what was being asked of me, and I was looking for some clarification. This was said in front of a room full of my peers and guests, and I was absolutely MORTIFIED. I immediately deflated and just wanted to be done. I no longer cared about what I could get out of that situation. This teacher had been warned that I was a questioner and therefore was difficult. I felt like that little kid in Sunday School class again even though I was a grown adult.
Over the years, I have learned that I am not a metaphorical thinker. If someone asks me to play something but make it sound like the color purple, I’m going to look very confused. I don’t know what that means. If you tell me that you’d like me to play this passage with lots of harmonics in my sound then it clicks and I can definitely do that! So, in my teaching I talk a lot about what we have to actually physically do in order to achieve a certain kind of sound. What is our vowel shape? How fast is the air? How small or large is the aperture? How high are our fingers? Should they be closer to the keys? Is one specific finger lagging behind? Where to we actually start and end our crescendos and decrescendos and how do we physically achieve that? This type of teaching doesn’t sound as beautiful but it is highly practical. And when I have a student that does really well with metaphorical thinking, I use that too!
I think that we in the flute teaching community are getting much better at teaching to the students we have. We’re more aware of different learning styles and we are better able to adapt to learning differences in our students. I would like to encourage all flute teachers out there to welcome the questions that your students have! I always assume that a question comes from a place of actual confusion. They aren’t trying to catch me out or argue. And even if a student is trying to do that, treating their question as sincere kind of throws a wrench in their plan. Also, if a student asks a question that you don’t know the answer to, it is a fantastic opportunity to learn something together! I love responding “I don’t know” to students because now we both get to do some research and learn together. From my experience teaching my university classes, when you admit that you don’t know something, you earn some respect from your students. They value your honesty and your willingness to admit when you don’t know something or when you’re wrong. Basically, they like when you’re a human. We teach whole humans. Sometimes, those humans don’t understand or have a concern or they are just plain curious. Allow them to be all of those things. Let them ask and receive empathy and an opportunity to learn.
This is the hill I’ll die on. Questions are helpful. Questions are normal. Questions just mean that you’re curious and/or you’re in actual need of some assistance. Let’s encourage curiosity and go out there and ask some questions!
If you want to ask me any questions about the flute, flute playing, my life as a musician, the Conway Summer Flute Seminar, etc…please click that contact button and I’m HAPPY to answer them!
Love and Flutes,
Dr. Little