Let your student teach you

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If you have already started teaching guitar you will quickly have realized how much you learn from the lessons you give. In fact I sometimes think we learn more from teaching than we ever do from studying!

You can use this principal in reverse to help your student consolidate their knowledge in any given area.

Say, for example, you have demonstrated how 'E' shaped barre chords are rooted on the 'E' string and 'A' shaped barre chords on the 'A' string. The student says they 'sort of' get what you mean. You say: 'OK teach it back to me!' - 'Pretend you're the teacher and I'm the student and explain to me how it works'

Just the demand this places on them to organize the information in a way that can be delivered to another person helps consolidate their grasp of it.

This may not work with all students. I advise using it only on students whose confidence level is reasonably high, but it is a powerful tool when used appropriately.

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