[Parenting Book Commentary #3] "How to teach without getting angry: Turning normal children into capable children" by Isao Yabiku

"How to raise your children to be top-notch without getting angry"

Hello! I'm SANKA, a child coach!

The parenting book I'd like to introduce this time is "How to teach without getting angry: turning ordinary children into talented ones," written by Yabiku Isao, who is known as the god of brass bands and has been practicing his own teaching methods for 47 years.

The core of his teaching method is to bring out the best in students without getting angry.

Yabiku's teaching method has achieved much success by respecting students' autonomy and creativity and guiding them without getting angry.

His legacy is a brilliant record of 30 appearances in national championships at six schools and 14 national gold awards.

This time, I'd like to introduce his teaching method of "raising top-class children without getting angry."

1. A non-irritable way of teaching that develops students' abilities

①The teacher's passion creates the sound: A teacher's enthusiasm and passion directly influences the student's performance. Teaching with passion stimulates the students' sensitivity and brings out more expressive performance. For example, when a teacher enthusiastically explains the background and emotions of a piece and demonstrates them through their own performance, the students will be able to understand the essence of the piece more deeply and play it with emotion.

②The importance of using quality instruments:

Using high-quality instruments helps students improve their performance skills. Good instruments have a rich tone and are easy to use, allowing students to play more accurately and expressively. Using high-quality instruments also increases students' musical awareness and sense of responsibility, which in turn increases their motivation to practice.

③The need for instructors to continue learning:

Because the field of music education is constantly evolving, it is important for teachers to continually learn and adopt new teaching methods and musical trends. For example, learning the latest performance techniques and educational theories will enable more effective teaching. It is also important to continue honing your own musicality by interacting with other teachers, participating in training sessions, and attending concerts.

Yabiku believed that a teacher's enthusiasm would be directly reflected in the performance of his students.

Using high-quality instruments also encouraged students to improve their performance skills.

2. What I have told my children to help them become top-notch

①The importance of making an effort to like the things you hate:

・Yabiku advocates the idea that "if you learn to like the things you hate, you'll like the things you like even more."

・The idea is that by actively working on instruments and songs that you are not good at, you can deepen your understanding and love of music as a whole.

・Specifically, by practicing an instrument part that you are not good at, you can deepen your understanding of the ensemble as a whole and improve the performance of your own part.

・This attitude is taught as an important skill that is useful not only in music, but in many aspects of life.

②Correlation between academics and music:

・He states his observation that "children who are good at studying are also more likely to become good at brass band music."

・The idea is that the concentration, logical thinking, and perseverance cultivated through academics can also be applied to mastering music.

・For example, mathematical thinking helps to understand complex rhythms, while Japanese language skills lead to improved ability to interpret and express music.

・Yabiku recognizes the mutually complementary relationship between music and academics, and emphasizes the importance of learning both in a balanced way.

③Emphasizing autonomy over scolding:

・It shows the idea that "60 points without being scolded is better than 100 points when scolded."

・This is the idea that a performance that a student achieves through independent effort is more valuable than a perfect performance achieved by being forced by a teacher.

・Specifically, it encourages students to think for themselves and practice through trial and error.

・It is believed that this method will help students develop a sense of autonomy and responsibility in music, which will lead to further growth in the long term.

Yabiku taught that working on things you are not good at will further increase your passion for the things you like. He also encouraged holistic growth, believing that there is a correlation between academic performance and musical ability.

3. How to develop a team

①The importance of teamwork that transcends individual differences in ability:

・We advocate the idea that "a child with a 60-point score can beat a child with a 100-point score."

・This emphasizes the importance of harmony and cooperation as a team rather than individual skill level.

・Specifically:

┗a. We emphasize balance between parts and teach students to listen to each other's sounds.

┗b. We foster a culture where students with higher technical levels support students with lower technical levels.

┗c. We teach the importance of everyone working toward the same goal.

・This approach makes it possible to create a wonderful ensemble that transcends differences in individual ability.

②Understanding the essential purpose of the competition:

・This shows the idea that "winning the gold prize is not the purpose of entering a competition."

・This reflects an attitude that emphasizes the process over the result.

・Specifically:

┗a. Emphasize the opportunities for growth that come from the competition.

┗b. Value the satisfaction you feel from your own performance, rather than getting too excited or upset about the judging results.

┗c. Cultivate a learning attitude by listening to performances by other schools.

・This way of thinking allows students to develop a healthy competitive spirit while also experiencing the inherent joy of music and the joy of growth.

③Guidance on effective practice methods:

・We propose a unique method known as the "Yabiku Style Approach to Practice."

・This is a systematized approach to efficient and effective practice.

・Specifically:

┗a. We emphasize the importance of basic practice and establish a daily routine.

┗b. We teach students how to start with slow practice and gradually increase the tempo.

┗c. We aim to improve efficiently by balancing partial practice with whole-group practice.

┗d. We teach the appropriate allocation of individual practice and ensemble practice.

┗e. We help students develop the habit of self-analysis and reflection.

・These methods allow students to make the most of their limited practice time and steadily improve their technique and musicality.

Yabiku placed importance on not only individual ability, but also harmony as a team.

Rather than winning gold awards, he placed emphasis on growth and teamwork through music.

As a result, six schools have competed in national competitions 30 times and won the national gold award 14 times, an impressive track record.

That concludes SANKA's book commentary on "How to teach without anger: turning average children into capable ones"!

We hope this article is useful in your parent-child communication!

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Thank you for reading to the end!

This blog is a small, selfish gift to my sister who is raising a 2-year-old boy.

Seeing my sister struggling every day, I started typing away, hoping to be of some help.

At the same time, I myself work with children every day as a child coach.

I am always looking for new knowledge and ideas to bring out the infinite potential of elementary school children.

This blog is a way to support my sister, a record of my own learning,

and an encouragement to all of you who are struggling with child-rearing in the same way.

I would be happy if we could create a bright future together!

I will continue to output explanatory articles on books that may be useful for child-rearing (especially how to talk to children)!

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