Music for a lifetime: learning and teaching strategies for adults.

Thirteen years ago, under the visionary guidance of Past President Margaret Lorince, MTNA presented its first "Pedagogy Saturday." Each year since 1997, MTNA has held an all-day pre-conference event focusing in-depth on a special topic related to teaching music. In 2009, in conjunction with MTNA's national conference in Atlanta, this year's special topic related to teaching adults and meeting the challenges of adult students of all ages.

The format of the 2009 Pedagogy Saturday included two outstanding keynote speakers whose professional specializations are outside of the field of music: Professor Robert E. Roush, director of the Texas Consortium of Geriatric Education Center at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and Professor Kathryn Roulston, of the University of Georgia in Athens, whose area of specialization is adult education. Their insights provided bridges between their areas of expertise and the work of music teachers. During the day, sessions were presented by Brenda Dillon, Pete Jutras, Rebecca Grooms Johnson and Michele Conda, who discussed various aspects of working with adult music students. The pre-conference registrants participated in break-out discussion groups that were facilitated by six MTNA teachers who have developed special expertise in working with adult piano students. The closing session of Pedagogy Saturday presented a concert performance by the Oakton Six Piano Ensemble directed by Glenna Sprague.

The Planning Committee recognized the diversity of experiences that adult students bring to their study of music. Although we acknowledged the exciting increase in the number of adults who are beginning piano study at an older age, for the purposes of Pedagogy Saturday we decided to consider adults ages 20 to 90+.

In all of the titles of the day's sessions, you will find the word joy. For teachers, as well as their adult students, being involved in studying and playing music is a joyous and meaningful activity. We appreciate the MTNA Board's recognition of the growing importance of this pool of students, and we thank American Music Teacher for using the October/November issue of MTNA's periodical to share some of the core ideas that were explored on March 28 by nearly 275 MTNA members from all over the States, as well as international visitors from six other countries.

My very first "adult student" returned to piano lessons after her oldest child was in college and her youngest child started attending nursery school. In fact, Emily's first lesson with me was scheduled for the morning of her son's first half-day of nursery school. Resuming piano lessons was something that she considered a great treat. Her weekly lessons reflected her recognition that the maturation of her children presented new opportunities for her own growth.

Another adult student I encountered early in my teaching career began his weekly private lessons in the fall semester, after retiring from the faculty of Johns Hopkins University Medical School. John's first lesson, however, was held a week after the term began. Why the delay? Because John had been in Japan, presenting the opening keynote address at an international medical conference. After returning to Maryland, when he arrived for his first lesson, he knocked on the studio door, I opened the door and the first thing he said was, "I'm scared." What a challenge that presented me, as John's teacher!

Adult music students come to us with a wide variety of backgrounds, experiences and goals. They come to us as highly successful people who have experienced a wide range of achievements in personal, social and professional endeavors. They have known many successes and some disappointments or even failures. Each student brings to lessons a unique combination of experiences. Each student has a different set of expectations of what they can achieve and what their teacher will contribute to their musical adventures.

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Teachers need to realize that the goals of their adult students will reflect great diversity, just as those students' personalities are very diverse. The most productive learning/teaching experiences seem to result from a clear awareness of what goals could be set and which goals are most meaningful to the students. Teachers do not have to work with all students who approach them. Students don't need to study with just any teacher who has an open slot on his or her schedule. Taking music lessons is not like ordering a sandwich at a drive-in restaurant. It is appropriate to consider personal preferences and styles when selecting a teacher or agreeing to work with a student.

These reports of the presentations and activities of "Music for a Lifetime: Learning and Teaching Strategies for Adults" enable MTNA to share with its entire membership highlights of the information, challenges and experiences that were available to teachers and students who participated in the sessions held in Atlanta on March 28, 2009. On behalf of the Planning Committee for Pedagogy Saturday, I invite all MTNA members to consider ways in which teachers can become more sensitive to the needs of students of all ages and more creative in responding to the goals of adult students. Music is for a Lifetime!

Pedagogy Saturday Committee

Barbara English Maris, Chair (Professor Emerita, Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.)

Brenda Dillon (National Piano Foundation, Piano, Texas)

Pete Jutras (University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia)

Rebecca Grooms Johnson (IMT, Columbus, Ohio)

Michelle Conda (University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, Cincinnati, Ohio)

By Barbara English Mark, NCTM 

Barbara English Mark, NCTM, is professor emerita of the Catholic University of America in Washington, D. C., where she coordinated the graduate degree program in piano pedagogy. She served on the program steering committee for the 1992 and 1993 MTNA National Conferences and chaired the 2009 Pedagogy Saturday Committee.