Fall 2020:
Students are making the most of the strange Covid situation. To my surprise and delight, everyone is making fantastic progress. I think that the constant recording and watching of oneself is very beneficial. Also, it is possible that students feel more responsible for their own progress during these remote lessons. When this is all done, I will definitely keep some of these aspects in my teaching.
One of my current routines is to watch videos submitted by students on a program called WEVU, where I can make time-stamped comments in the video. My comments can be very detailed and specific, and when the students watch them, they can see exactly where each comment goes in the video.
In my annual practice lecture I talk about what I term "the observer". When one plays and practices, you also have to be able to observe what happens. This dual role -- playing and observing-- is challenging, but part of what we always have to do when we have lessons or practice. I think that one of the beneficial aspects of our current situation is the constant video observation of one's playing. When I thought about it, the student gets the opportunity to be in complete "observer" mode, and this might make a difference in how my comments are getting across to the students. I have witnessed that students have really taken the comments to heart and have made great progress.
