It's easy to get stuck in ruts as a music teacher. We have the songs we always teach because they are in the method book or they are the tried and true pieces that accomplish certain goals. So, I like to let students chose their own songs every once in a while...or generally for recitals. Why? Aside from their being able to play songs they want to learn, it challenges me. I have to step up my game and learn pieces that I have not played well enough to be able to teach them to my students. Most of the time, the pieces are not that hard, but I may never have heard them before. So, I have to expose myself to a whole new musical world...for example, did you know that video games have some pretty good music? I didn't until a student exposed me to that world. What about modern piano composers? I tend to not know them until a student brings a piece by one. Then it's pretty exciting to have more options. Even classical pieces can be "new" if I never learned it to perform it. There are plenty of pieces that I did learn years ago, but haven't really had to do anything with until a student asks to learn it, then I have to go back and study it again.
All of these things make me a better musician and help me have to learn to teach in a different context...what skills does this student need to improve to be successful at this song? And added bonus, my students are excited to play a song they really want to learn!
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