John has run into trouble in a particular section of music. The teacher has worked with him and helped him make some changes. There is an improvement. However the teacher decides s/he wants to make some additional changes, again with the intention of helping John. John’s performance deteriorates, his eyes lose their sparkle, his body loses energy or the movements become mechanical. This is a prime example of “pasting.” As teachers, we have probably all “pasted” our concerns and solutions onto the students, and we have probably experienced pasting when we were students. Is there a difference between the performance deteriorating because the student is attempting to make changes and pasting? I think so. When the student is struggling to make changes, his/her physical energies are still involved and her/his eyes are alive. In pasting, the student has given up and energy is drained from the body. Neurologically, what might be occurring in pasting is “downshifting.” That means the brain is perceiving the situation as threatening and retreating to a safer, more comfortable place. (empty)