From time to time every college faculty member offers individualized instruction. However, a central component of teaching in the creative arts (music, art, photo-graphy, etc.) is frequent one-to-one interaction between the teacher and a single student. Teaching one-to-one offers unique challenges and opportunities to faculty, no matter what their level of experience or expertise. Following is a composite of observations from two faculty members who have many years of experience in this most basic of teaching formats.

Successful one-to-one teaching is based on the assumption that the instructor has a superior level of proficiency in the particular skill and can accomplish all tasks assigned to the student. The instructor then helps the student develop both technical proficiency and personal creativity.

The student's motivation to practice and persist will depend on his or her proficiency or reason for taking the course. Likewise the instructor's expectations and evaluations of students may differ depending on the students' expressed motivations and intentions.

Evaluation of a student in the one-to-one setting is extremely subjective, and grade inflation is not uncommon. The professor should consult with a experienced faculty member to determine what standard should be used for grading student performance and should make that standard clear to all students (for example, how much credit should be awarded for effort, how much for sheer talent).

One-to-one teaching provides opportunities for a special quality of open communication between teacher and student. Such communication is positive and enhances learning as long as high standards of professional conduct are maintained.

Although one-to-one teaching is assumed to result in better communication between teacher and student, professors should not take this for granted. It is important to maintain eye contact with students and to elicit frequent feedback to make sure that the student understands instructions and other communications.

Creativity is a highly personal process, and instruction and/or evaluation should avoid assaults on the ego of the artist. However, instructors should provide students honest feedback on their progress.

One-to-one teaching can provide the opportunity for professors to share with students a range of creative resources--special books, recordings, museums, and other artists. Such sharing can then become the basis for a mentoring relationship between instructor and student in which there is an even greater level of honesty, encouragement, and guidance toward professional goals.