Amanda Morales.
She's one of my students, and I think today I will write about her. Amanda came to me last September almost giving up on music, and not interested. She couldnt really read notes, and it took her a good 2 months to learn a piece. She didnt want to practise, but she liked coming for lessons. Which was a great start. Her mom talked to me more than once about her, because she didnt know what to do. I remember I told her mom to give me one more month to try and help Amanda. And then I asked Amanda to play in my Christmas concert, and after that, things did a 180 change. She started to be a lot more interested, and she practised, and all of a sudden, she started to improve a lot and very quickly. She would take initiative to do more than I asked her to, which was very heartwarming to know. And I really enjoy teaching her, and interacting with her. She's got a great sense of humor, and we have the best times during lessons.
Well, on Thursday as we got done with lessons, I started chatting with her, and I told her how proud I am of her because she is doing so well. And she herself asked me, Ms Audrey, is it ok if you write the days down, and I'll fill in the times I practised? I was like, OH YEAH SURE!!!! And she genuinely wants to improve. I was so thrilled!
After her lesson, I asked her mom if I could talk to her, and I told her that I wanted her to know that Amanda is doing wonderfully. And I told her that I really enjoy teaching her and I'm really proud of her. And I'm glad I did that because I felt that Amanda's mom needed to hear that. I think she knows Amanda is working a lot harder now, but I think it became real when I said it to her. So I think I will start doing that with every parent, just letting them know how their kid is doing. Amanda's mom even said Amanda talked about becoming a piano teacher! That was a nice compliment!
I wish there were more Amandas out there. I'm grateful to have been able to touch this one life in this way. It makes all the long hours and hard work worthwhile.