Dave Wirth
Teaching is fun because I learn just as much, if not more, than the student I am helping. It's true. I guess this is the sort of learning that can't be done in a classroom, as I am learning more about people in general. Through years of building my school, I finally figured out that I learn the most from being present in that moment, even if it's hard. That might not always be very fun, but it is neccesary. The student appreciates it none-the-less.
I have this personal enemy that I like to call The Autopilot Mode. Autopilot Mode is what happens where I am only concerned with getting the student to learn something about the guitar or music. There is something deeply wrong with approaching lessons with the notion that the teacher loads the student up with information. There is potential for so much more for both! Like many musicians say, there is more to music than the dots on the page.
Every person out there wants someone to relate to. It's part of who we are and it's part of what makes us human. By staying present regardless of what is going on, a teacher will more often than not find that the student stays present as well. It's an odd thing, but the less of an autopilot I am, then the more enjoyable time it is, for both.
