A few questions for you - I'd be really interested to hear your views.
If you wanted to learn to play an instrument and your main interest was folk, would you want to learn the classical disciplines as a basis for your playing? I'm thinking in the fiddle/violin context but it's applicable to all instruments. Would you expect your teacher to correct you if you wanted to, say, hold the bow in the 'wrong' way? How important do you think it is to play an instrument in the 'correct' way?
My reason for asking is I'm doing a music teaching course and need help arguing my case. I was taught classically and was pretty rubbish at it.. then I discovered folk and I loved it - suddenly nobody told me I was 'doing things wrong' any more.
As a player I am convinced that my lack of classical skills in no way hinders my playing, in fact I think it liberates it now I've stopped worrying about it. But, as a teacher, surely I have a responsibility to all my students to teach the 'correct' way? But if a student is perfectly happy and comfortable doing it their way is it my right to try and correct it?