"OK, play a G chord ... "

"Did I tell you what happened at school today?" said Robbie with his anxious eleven-year-old eyes.

"No, but you can tell me later, we only have a half hour and we need to get some work done. Now play a G chord ... "

"These two kids got into a fight and ... "

"Robbie! C'mon, as soon as we get through the lesson you can tell me."

"But let me just tell you ..."

This is a typical conversation at my job. In case you haven't guessed, I'm a guitar instructor. Being a guitar instructor requires a few things. First, you obviously have to have knowledge of the guitar. Second, you'll need a lesson plan for each week. Third you need PATIENCE, and fourth you need PATIENCE. Patience is the key to being a good guitar instructor, or any type of teacher, for that matter. Guitar is a hard instrument to learn and it isn't any easier when your student has the attention span of a fly. Being a guitar instructor also requires you to tuck in your pride once in a while. It's pretty insulting when the information you took years to learn is just tossed aside by some kid who doesn't know its value.

There are some plusses also. It's nice to know that my student looks up to me, and it's very rewarding when he plays something well and I know that I had a lot to do with it. The money doesn't hurt either. And one day, if my student becomes famous, I can honestly say I taught him everything he knows. c