The right music teacher can make or break a student’s enthusiasm for music, so finding the perfect fit is critical to helping your musician succeed— especially in the beginning stages of learning a new instrument.
Fortunately, we’re big believers in matching every student with an instructor that’s just right for them, whether it’s someone who can help them realize their dream of composing their own songs, or a teacher with tons of experience in helping a shy student develop their confidence.
From voice lessons to piano, violin, cello and the ukulele, here’s two things you need to know before starting your search for the perfect music teacher…
1. Know your Student: Talk with your aspiring musician about your goals and expectations for music lessons, and listen carefully to their responses. Even younger students have pre-conceived notions about what it means to learn an instrument, but no two students are exactly the same in their understanding.
For example, does your child look forward to playing popular music songs from the radio, and gets excited about the idea of performing? Or, do you notice that your student feels reluctant or reserved, and might benefit from a teacher who focuses more on building a strong positive interpersonal relationship alongside teaching music fundamentals. Knowing your child as a music student will help make finding the right teacher a lot easier, with better results long-term!
2. Know Your Goals: What do you and your student hope to accomplish by enrolling in music lessons? Even if the decision to learn an instrument is primarily driven by you, it’s important that you communicate with your child about setting meaningful learning goals. Are lessons a way to help your student improve in their school-sponsored band or orchestra performances? Are you hoping music lessons might offer an opportunity to increase their focusing abilities or learning stamina? How will you measure progress?
If the decision is student-driven, talk about what they hope to accomplish by the end of their first month, six months, and year, and make sure both of you are on the same page regarding how to identify success. A mutual understanding of long-term goals will help you work effectively with your child’s instructor, and increase the likelihood of matching with the right teacher for your and your student’s needs.
Finding an inspiring instructor is part of our mission statement, what we call “The Piano Place Difference,” and it means customizing each part of your child’s musical education and providing the best possible experience for both students and their families. But before we can accomplish our goal of offering unique performance opportunities and creative learning environments, we’ve got to work together to find the very best teacher for each student. So contact us today for enrollment information, and check out our team page to learn more about each of our incredible instructors.
