It is something that I first identified strongly in myself when I was learning to play percussion; as I grew older, I found it useful when teaching... and now I find it even more connected to myself than I thought. When learning to play marimba, I discovered that there were periods where I seemingly regressed as a player - almost as I was practicing, it seemed. It took a lot of observation and questions to realize that these were periods where my understanding was developing while my skill was not moving as fast. Until I figured out that progression, I was depressed and frustrated with my musical pursuits - now I found I could advance even quicker by finding more fronts to explore and define. When teaching, it was something that my students experienced... although admittedly it never seemed like it occurred to the same degree in them that I experienced. It worked well to keep them working during times of frustration, though - a psychological placebo. But when I look back at my life... it's a series of moments, largely defined by brief moments of understanding where I am able to function well and understand roles, only for it to deteriorate as the models break down and become outdated. Now I start re-analyzing, build a new system, and the cycle repeats. In the parents forum, I see a lot of questions regarding their children not moving in sync with others; I really wonder if this doesn't happen in some cases, where the period of learning is seen as regression, only to catch up briefly and repeat the process as development continues. Thoughts?
M.
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My thanks to all the wonderful members here; I will miss the opportunity to continue to learn and work with you.
For those who seek an alternative, it is coming.
So long, and thanks for all the fish!
23 Jul 2008, 3:50 pm
