With the thought-provoking presentations in today’s discussion, I have been thinking of the sources for problems in our education, and specifically jazz education. Jazz in either performance or education must run very efficiently stay viable, let alone lucrative. Think about the modern jazz artist: the ability to recognize, play, and even live-transcribe hundreds of standard songs with endless creativity and variety across gigs lasting hours. With this skill in mind, not even counting artist compositions, doubling skills, or ability to take audience requests, a newly-formed jazz ensemble can gig or record often with little or no rehearsal time. This level of flexibility and efficiency is not expected out of classical musicians, yet comparable talent in the classical world is often met with greater financial reward.
Why do we have grades? Even if we could devise a meaningful way to critique and motivate each individual student in each class, this would compromise the efficiency of the program, its viability, and therefore its ability to meet the needs of future students. As for jazz educators who know they are accepting too many students to sustain in the field, they are also subject to other pressures. I find it difficult to believe that I would turn down an opportunity to teach some eager students at a school that wanted my services and could sustain my living. As far as being honest with each individual student, I don’t think teachers should sugar-coat anything but should not be too quick to judge who they think can make it in the field. Maybe they should, I am not quite sure; I just know that teachers have been discouraging to me and it has only spurred me to success as I have tried to prove them wrong. This is only true for my skills in which I have confidence; when teachers have mirrored my internal criticism, it quickly becomes an obstacle and a detriment to my education, when it could have been only a minor struggle.
I don’t bash efficiency for the institution, if you know what you’re getting before you sign up, because the institution functions only if it can create enough output with its capital. However, large classes and firm academic structure make for a sub optimally efficient education for each individual student, and the student should take the initiative to search for learning opportunities in the real world. Unfortunately it is hard to motivate students in this way if they aren’t motivating themselves, and the reward is only a slight improvement for students who are not ready to be ambitious in the real world.
In my own education I have balanced public school, the conservatory, and private mentorship outside of the school setting. As I have been exposed to more methods of education consumption, I have been acutely aware of the areas in which I lack education or could have learned much more efficiently. With this in mind, it is a paradox to say that I found this hodgepodge of educational systems to teach me the most in the least amount of time.
BY THE WAY, MAKE SURE TO CHECK OUT THIS YOUTUBE CLIP---SUPER FUNNY!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLW5KINBw9s
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