Giving Private Magic Lessons

[Steerpike]

i would be more interested in testing my potential student's level of interest before I just hand them the keys to the car, so-to-speak. I would start them out with something easy, and perhaps what would be considered mundane by most of the rest of us. If they showed any interest or talent then I'd be more than glad to instruct them from there. Probably strait into an ACR or simular types of effects.

The key point is making sure that the student possesses two fundamental things. 1) A strong desire to learn the secrets of magic. Both in function and in presentation theory. and 2) The dedication to keep up the studies and not let this become just a 1 trick interest.

Of course, there is the disconnect of discouraging them.

You're not exactly inspiring confidence when you offer to teach them magic, and then teach them a generic self-working card trick that they've seen everyone and their brother do. It could be that the students wants to learn... but they don't believe you're going to be of any help to them.

I really do believe magicians' attempts to keep their distance from the laity is one of the reasons we have as many YouTube exposure videos as we do.