I can get overwhelmed when I consider the number of ways I could go about being a ‘better’ teacher.

I could…

• take more teacher training
• study body mechanics
• study violin acoustics
• dive further into child psychology
• collaborate with other teachers
• deliberately practice teaching strategies
• build out my personal matrix
• build up an archive of teaching videos online
• overhaul the method to be more inclusive and adaptable to 21st century needs.

At any given moment I can spout of dozens of urgent, long term projects that need to be worked on. In fact, I even made an aspirational blog post of things I wish existed but don’t yet.

I find it really helpful, though, to step back. Instead of being overwhelmed could be done, I ask myself what needs to be done. Today.

Because I’m so wrapped up in violin already, and have been for 25 years, it is really helpful for me to reframe through the lens of someone like a tennis coach.

If I put myself in the frame of a parent seeking out tennis lessons for their novice child, I would just want a few basics.

1. Administrative simplicity. A teacher who takes care of business and has very clear policies. A coach who makes it easy to schedule activities, pay for instruction, and communicate reliably.
2. Kindness. A teacher who is generous with their time and easy to talk to. Someone who will build an enduring, nourishing relationship with the child and be a role model for the sort of person the child will become. The culture they build is one of support and celebration, not competition.
3. Skillful teaching. The teacher knows their stuff, has been in the industry a long time, and skillfully delivers instruction to the student.
4. Future possibilities. This is fourth in importance, but it is worth saying. There is a premium put on a coach or a program who is able to take tennis players “all the way” if they want to. To know that, if the student develops the skill and has the passion, that they could pursue elite tennis. Even if you never go that far, the option to go there does shape the feeling of the beginning work.

So, to recap. In a tennis coach I would simply want someone with administrative integrity, who is kind, who knows a lot about tennis, and who is on track to provide a future at an elite level.

These are pretty basic. Fundamental.

What parents want in a violin teacher can’t be that different from what they want in a tennis coach.

Of course! Tennis teachers can save lives. They could save the world through tennis playing. Of course tennis sits at the intersection of humanity and art and sport. Of course it is infinitely interesting and you could teach it in a million different ways.

But it’s also basic. What parents want most is a coach who can take care of the basics first.

So when I’m overwhelmed by everything I could be doing, I ask myself, “Am I taking care of the basics?”

Am I on the ball with my shallow work? Have I filled my own cup so that I can be kind and generous? Do I know a lot of stuff about violin and violin teaching? (Yes!) Am I able to take students to an elite level? (I’m working on it– and I’m certainly part of a Suzuki School that can.)

This inquiry (“What would a good tennis coach do?”) has clarified my work, alleviated anxiety, and kept my priorities in check.

Perhaps I should consider the simplification: WWAGTCD? I could get it tattooed on my bow arm, ha!