Fintan Murphy

How Teachers Learn

Expert teachers know that their primary student is the teacher herself. Teaching for many decades we need to observe ourselves at work, pay attention to what works and what does not. As we lead the student to progress over the long-term we need to develop the confidence to let go of our urge to control others and instead direct ourselves. In this session we will discuss attention, observation and ideas, how to work effectively with a clear mind in relation to ourselves.

What can help here? Observing other teachers, observing our students in a group situation, observing their performance and observing ourselves. All these require distinct forms of attention and organisation. Finding trusted colleagues to discuss problems and solutions and open pathways to collaboration and effective supervision. The ultimate aim is an approach through which teachers can find satisfaction in their work by looking to long term development independent of the perceived success of students in the moment.

About Fintan Murphy

Fintan Murphy currently teaches at the University of Melbourne and is filming  Kreutzer-Etudes.com  with Twofold media. Fintan’s research focuses on string pedagogy, specialising in the development of teacher training both inside and outside the university system.

Since 1994 he has developed and taught string pedagogy courses to undergraduate and graduate students and has supervised numerous post-graduate students.  He has presented over 400 seminars, summer schools workshops and conference presentations throughout Australia, the Asia-Pacific, Europe and North America. Fintan has published peer reviewed articles in journals such as the British, the Australian and the International Journals of Music Education. He has authored many publications available on the websites violinbowtechnique.com and sevcikvariations.com. which have been favourably reviewed in journals such as The Strad, Stringendo and American String Teacher. Fintan is the String Specialist and Chair for AMEB (Vic) and the Director of the Melbourne String Ensemble.