# Ethical/moral teaching dilemma (hopeless student) (kinda long) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 16, 2007, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethical-moral-teaching-dilemma-hopeless-student-kinda-long/396199 "2007-03-16T13:53:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2007, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethical-moral-teaching-dilemma-hopeless-student-kinda-long/396199/81 "2007-03-18T11:11:46Z")
**Jsgoddess** and\*\* featherlou\*\*, a couple years ago, I took a few months of weekly private singing lessons. Not to be a performer of any kind. But I liked to sing and I just got tired of everyone shouting " please stop singing" when I opened my mouth. I got what I wanted: I’m bearable now. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Figaro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ea666f/32.png) [@Figaro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Figaro)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2007, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethical-moral-teaching-dilemma-hopeless-student-kinda-long/396199/82 "2007-03-18T14:24:07Z")
[QUOTE=straight man] I have yet to meet someone who cannot be trained into making perfectly respectable sounds. [/QUOTE] I approach every new student with this same attitude. But I’ve met a number of people who simply could not be taught, and IMO you do have to have at least some “talent” in order to successfully improve. When I say “talent,” I don’t mean the “wow - that person is an awesome singer!” kind. I just mean having a basic affinity with one’s own voice that allows for perception and (eventually) control. Personality also plays a part. It takes the ability to step back from yourself and see your voice as a “thing” that you can work on, rather than just an extension of you. Some make that leap more easily than others. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2007, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethical-moral-teaching-dilemma-hopeless-student-kinda-long/396199/83 "2007-03-18T14:48:54Z")
[QUOTE=Maastricht] **Jsgoddess** and\*\* featherlou\*\*, a couple years ago, I took a few months of weekly private singing lessons. Not to be a performer of any kind. But I liked to sing and I just got tired of everyone shouting " please stop singing" when I opened my mouth. I got what I wanted: I’m bearable now. 🙂 [/QUOTE] There is hope! 😃 What’s kind of funny is that I’m fairly musical–I can play a handful of instruments, can read music and sight read, etc. And then I open my mouth. I even do readings for poetry podcasts and get lots of compliments on my voice. But you stick the two things together, and people start fleeing the room! ---
**Author:** ![FRDE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e68b1a/32.png) [@FRDE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FRDE)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2007, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethical-moral-teaching-dilemma-hopeless-student-kinda-long/396199/84 "2007-03-18T15:07:53Z")
Sounds good to me - you lose a problem student The parents are probably canny enough to realize that they are ‘buying fame’ - it is about time for a Punk Rock revival and your kid sounds fine for a Sid Vicious I just wish I could think of a way in which you could benefit from the chain of events - I have a glimmer, but it is inchoate - the idea is crystalizing - it just needs a name … Double indemnity tuition - covers both opposing bases - Debbie Harry meets Dame whatever - a sure winner. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethical-moral-teaching-dilemma-hopeless-student-kinda-long/396199.md?page=4)