As the final weeks of summer get underway, you may be considering private music lessons for your child this fall.
If you need help finding good teachers, asking other parents for recommendations is a great idea. There are also many websites that allow you to search for teachers in your area.
To ensure the best experience for your child, it's also a good idea to decide what you do and don't want for their musical experience. The questions below will help you understand what type of experience you'd like so you can ask helpful questions when you talk to potential teachers.
What type of lesson schedule would you like? Some parents like consistency and others prefer flexibility in scheduling. Are you interested in private music lessons that happen each week at the same time, or would you prefer more ad hoc lessons based on other student commitments?
What lesson length are you interested in? Some parents go with the recommendation of the teacher based on the age of the student (this would be my suggestion). Other parents know how much time they or the student can invest in lessons each week. Typical lesson lengths are 30, 45 or 60 minutes (most beginners start with 30.) Very young students sometimes start with 15 minute lessons.
What instruction style are you interested in? There are as many different styles of instruction as there are music teachers, but there are some general pedagogical approaches within private music lessons to consider. Here are a few:
Do you want structured or more casual lessons?
Do you want the teacher to follow a standardized curriculum or is this not important to you?
What type of practice expectations do you want the teacher to have and communicate to the student?
Do you want your child to learn many different styles of music (classical, jazz, pop, Latin, etc.) or do you want there to be a primary focus on one?
Is a free trial lesson important to you? This is a great opportunity for you to get to know the teacher and for them to get to know you and your child before committing, but not all teachers offer it. (A one-time paid lesson can accomplish the same thing.) This is important because finding a good teacher match for you and your student is very important to lesson success, and it's best for everyone to try out the relationship before a commitment is made.
What is the teacher's teaching philosophy? A teacher who knows their teaching philosophy is more likely to be serious about their job and consistent in their teaching. A student can have a great experience with a teacher who has not thought about their philosophy, but the instruction is likely to be higher quality if they have. (This might be stated on their website as well).
What is the teacher's make-up policy? In my 25 years of teaching the issue that came up the most across my studio was scheduling around conflicts. Even if you feel attending lessons consistently will not be a problem, there will always be times when a lesson must be missed. You'll want to know what the teacher's cancellation and make-up policy is before you commit.
Starting private music lessons can be one of the absolute best experiences you give your child. Many of the students I taught would tell you that taking private lessons was one of the best and most meaningful activities throughout school.
With a little thought and preparation, you can be sure to ask potential new teachers the questions that can lead to an enjoyable, conflict-free, and productive music relationship for you and your young musician.
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