At the start of the project I had given little thought to which role I should play during the group lessons. There was a vast range of options: everything from student-led groups where the teacher is primarily an observer to very teacher- dominated groups where what the teacher has to say is the most important. I originally planned to take part in the discussions at the same level as the students – as a member of the group. After a bit of experimentation I found that the most natural thing would be to assume the role of moderator, as I saw a need for moderating the lessons. I realised it was important to moderate the flow of the lesson, the comments, who speaks when, ensure that everyone gets to speak, ask questions in order to illuminate a topic or to elaborate on vague comments. One student says:

«It’s good to have someone moderate, someone who keeps track of the time and decides whose turn it is to speak.»

Although I usually took on the role of moderator, I also needed to be flexible. Sometimes I felt the need to be the “master” and to instruct them, while at other times I felt confident enough to leave the work to the students and just be an observer. Some of the groups managed to moderate themselves for the most part.

In the interview one student suggested I could have spent some time teaching them how to give feedback:

«Sometimes I think ‘why do we have a teacher sitting in the room giving the same kind of comments as the others?’ In a way it’s good, because it places the teacher on the same level as the students. On the other hand, the teacher could perhaps have spent that particular lesson giving feedback on how we should give feedback, for example.»

This is interesting, because it articulates the students’ need for learning how to think and communicate effectively.

It was predominantly through my questions (sometimes leading questions) that I attempted to give my feedback. However, this is not always how the students perceived it. It is interesting to read the transcripts of the interviews and to learn how the students perceived my role in the group lessons. I think this highlights the need for even more proactive and deliberate moderation on my part.

Student: «I normally think he takes a fairly passive role, not all that active. Not: ‘What did you think about the intonation, what did you think about the sound?’»

Ingrid: «Do you feel he should have challenged you more?»

Student: «Yes, I think he could’ve done. For instance, some people are very good at hearing rhythms, while others are not. It seems that these group lessons are focused mostly on the people performing. I wonder whether we could shift focus towards those who are listening. I think that could be really interesting, because if you force someone who doesn’t have good intonation to listen out for just that, then it will improve that person’s ear. But if you always let people comment on what they want, then they tend to comment on what they’re good at and what they can hear.»

This comment addresses several important aspects of the group lessons. You could ask what the learning objective of the group lessons should be. Where is the focus? On those performing or those commenting? Should you be learning to speak or to play? Or maybe they are two sides of the same coin? One student says in the interview:

«[Thinking about how to solve other people’s problems] has helped me. If I can think about other people’s problems, then that gives me a new perspective on my own problems. If I see my problems in others and how they solve them, that is a help to me.»

Another student also notes how this turns you into your own teacher and describes the relationship with the one-to-one lessons and the group lessons:

«It’s good that we get both one-to-one and group lessons so that we can develop a critical ear, because we have to be able to teach ourselves. It’s good to have to give feedback to others, because that’s what we have to do to ourselves as well, in a way.»

In my view, being able to articulate your thoughts and assume a teacher role are perhaps the most important learning objectives for the group lessons.

Another central learning objective for the group lessons is to learn to perform in front of others. As one of the students remarks:

«The fact that there are others present makes the situation feel like a proper performance. It allows us to practise just that.»

Another wonders why not more people actively take the opportunity to perform in front of others:

«But I think that’s strange. I wonder whether they have failed to understand how lucky they are to be given the chance to perform for people this often. The opportunity to play in front of others every week is so valuable that I think everyone should take it.»

For my part, moderating the groups was a new and interesting challenge. I employed two key strategies: I would either choose a theme that all the students had mentioned in their comments and then try to investigate it further either by talking to them about it or by asking questions. Alternatively I would pick a topic that the students had different opinions on. This was rather fascinating, since it revealed the different backgrounds of the students. Sometimes it was a matter of taste, other times they were issues that the students had clearly misunderstood. I do believe, however, that this resulted in greater respect for the views of others and, according to one student, it can also help develop your own voice as he puts it in his diary:

«We need input from all sides in order to see what we like and to develop our own voice. This project makes that possible, I think.»

Another student says in the interview:

«Sometimes we agree, other times not, and it’s good to be able to put forward your argument sometimes.»