Tenacity and Patience (11-15-24)
A characteristic that I really appreciate in someone is the ability to problem solve. This is important for many professions such as engineers and architects. Managers at every level have to deal with issues and find solutions and may require restaffing or technology work arounds. In essence, problem solving requires tenacity and patience.
As teachers, we are tasked with educating children and giving them skills that will enhance their future adult lives. Suzuki music teachers are valued for their role in teaching the whole child and developing the human character in their students. This can be simply giving the individual a creative outlet and the pleasure of making music. It can be developed into becoming a professional musician, or it can be the tool we use to develop and nurture tenacity and patience.
Have you ever felt like your child is just stubborn? I have come to learn that some of our most seemingly uncooperative students are actually some of our most persistent, dedicated and successful students as they reach their teenage years. One of the challenges of being a parent is understanding how a chlld's resistance behavior is actually a good sign! A child who is persistent and not easily swayed from their opinions often have a sense of determination and are often absorbed by the task that occupies them. Hence, when we steer that child away from their activity, we are interrupting that sense of determination. When we tell a child, it is time to leave for school or for another event, we expect compliance and an immediate response. We call that "cooperation." However, an individual who resists this can be 'in the middle of something' and they want to finish it. When we, as adults, are interrupting and hurrying our children, students, or subordinates, we may be undermining that individual's penchant for perseverance. That is, we may be undoing a characteristic we value, by rushing from one activity to another and by overscheduling. Allowing the student to work at their own pace may lead to better focus and attention in each activity. If we moderate our own behavior, we may need to be more patient and allow for the transition time necessary to complete one task before embarking upon another.
In music learning, we are faced with challenging techniques to become better musicians. As Suzuki teachers we are analyzing how best to introduce complex techniques step by step so that the student can learn successfully. This is at the heart of the Suzuki Teacher Training program that all of our faculty have undergone. Dr. Suzuki is quoted as saying "Never hurry, never rest and the student will surely get there." This message of patience and students learning at their own pace is very important to our pedagogy. We also value the patience that parents show when attending lessons, taking notes, and participating in the home practice sessions.
Another important lesson I have learned about persistence is related to being patient. We as adults are always striving for our children to have answers quickly. In a typical TV game show, speed to have the correct answer wins. The Suzuki approach is based upon learning by ear which involves some trial and error. Allowing children to explore finding notes on their instrument gives their ear and fingers extra familiarity with patterns. As adults, we must be patient not to step in too soon. By allowing our students the time to figure the notes out themselves is a step towards greater hearing and over time will lead to learning quicker on their own and the ability to figure out more complex music by ear. One of the best pieces of advice I have had was to count silently in my head for 30 seconds after asking a child a question. It may take them that long to think the question through and come up with their own answer.
We believe that children who do not give up when something is difficult will be able to carry this trait into other subject matter and also into adulthood. An individual's persistence is to be valued.
In an article I read about encouraging persistence, an important piece of advice is to model this to our children. We must not give up when faced with a difficult task or even a failure in a particular project. It is our ability to continue the effort and work towards success both purposefully and patiently that allows our children to do the same.
The world is a complex place, and we are faced with many complex deep problems. It is our job to be tenacious and patient, and tackle our problems by breaking them into smaller steps. As we face the turbulent times ahead, we must problem solve by being tenacious and patient.