Editor’s Note: This article is the first in a new series that will look at some of the difficult dilemmas, common stumbling blocks, and unique situations harp teachers encounter. Longtime teacher and practicing guru Anne Sullivan will take on different student scenarios in each issue and offer some possible solutions.

Having been a less than focused young student myself, I can relate to the student in the first question and can sympathize with her teacher. My teacher struggled for years to help me develop my critical and observational skills. And as a teacher, I have also experienced the second scenario, trying to help students push forward beyond the limits they impose on themselves.

Taken together, these two students represent two opposite learning styles, ones I call the Greyhound and the German Shepherd. (A quick disclaimer—I am a dog and cat lover, and I admire both of these breeds of dog, and both kinds of students too!)

Greyhound learners love a new challenge and they want to race ahead right away. Like the greyhound, they are built for speed, and they don’t want to “waste” time on the nitty-gritty; they want to play the music now. When a Greyhound starts a new piece, she will play through it right away because it’s fun.

German Shepherd learners understand the value in doing things right. They value the wisdom of their teachers and pay attention to details like fingering and technique. They see the importance of taking the time to learn the music correctly, rather than having to try to fix a careless error later. When a German Shepherd starts a new piece, she will play it straight through to find out where the difficulties lie.

Do you see the difference? Maybe you recognize yourself or your student in one of these approaches. The paradox is that neither approach is bad or good. They are merely different learning styles, with different strengths and weaknesses to address.

As teachers, we must remember that our teaching style most likely bear the characteristics of our own learning style.

The strengths of the Greyhound include quick learning and enthusiasm. Greyhounds are often good sightreaders and ready to take on any musical challenge, but they find it difficult to settle into focused detail work. When given a new piece, they will “finish” it on their terms quite quickly, and rely on a teacher to catch and correct note and rhythm mistakes. They lose energy and interest when required to do repetitive work or slow and careful practice.

One strategy I have found successful with a Greyhound is to balance detail work with overview practice. For instance, I will ask the student to play through a large section of the piece, perhaps a few lines or a page, three times in a row, with a single and specific focus for each repetition. Perhaps the first time the focus would be on dynamics, the next on fingering or technique, and the third time on legato. Keeping the goals concise and focused allows the Greyhound to play with attention. Alternating the goals for each repetition prevents boredom and raises the student’s awareness of what is necessary to prepare the piece properly.

When a Greyhound needs to laser focus on correcting a short passage or a single technique, they will work best with very specific instructions that allow them to use a little creativity or present a challenge.

Some Greyhound Practice Techniques:

• For a more detailed view of the piece, work backwards from the end in small two or four bar sections.
• For correcting details, play a short passage in super slow motion.
• For encouraging more focus, play a large section one hand at a time, alternating hands by measure without stopping.

The German Shepherd learners, on the other hand, love to practice, perhaps even more than they love to play. They enjoy doing something repeatedly in order to do it better. But their attention to detail sometimes prevents them from moving ahead. They fear the mistakes that happen when they try to push the tempo faster, or to put hands together, not recognizing that those errors are a natural part of the learning process.  They make small steps forward, but often the steps are so small that they don’t see actual progress.

Fortunately, one of the chief strengths of the German Shepherds is their gift for following instruction. You as the teacher can help them turn their small steps into giant strides with an approach that presents practice procedures with well-defined outcomes.

Some German Shepherd Practice Techniques:

• To push the tempo, use a reverse pyramid approach, playing a passage first at tempo, and then gradually slower in subsequent repetitions.
• To foster continuity, play all the way through a piece or passage twice, then practice it once.
• To put hands together, play a passage one measure at a time, counting a two beat rest between measures.

As teachers, we must remember that our teaching style most likely bears the characteristics of our own learning style. If we are Greyhound learners, for instance, we will relate more easily to our Greyhound students and be puzzled and even frustrated by the habits of our German Shepherd students. It is critical for our students’ success that we recognize this and adapt our teaching style as necessary.

This is not a tortoise and hare situation where one kind of student wins the race and one loses. Students of both learning styles can and do succeed. Whether your student’s learning style is Greyhound, German Shepherd, or altogether a different breed, your understanding of the difference and appreciation of the inherent value in each is the key to your student’s growth and success, and to better lessons as well. •