Things to consider when choosing a music teacher (these tips are valid for any musical instrument teacher not just piano):

Your child’s age– If you are starting your child on piano before they have completed kindergarten you want to make sure you choose a teacher who has experience teaching young children and non-readers. That teacher should use a method written for little ones and provide a mix of activities during the lesson time to keep the child engaged. Also, some teachers of children under age 6 require the parent to attend the lesson with the child-is that something you want to do.

The lesson location-Does the teacher come to your home, teach from their home, or have a studio at a neutral location.

• Having the teacher come to you may be convenient for you but the teachers I know who still do this charge at least double what they do for studio lessons and some charge for travel time also. Lessons in your home are sometimes difficult because of the distraction of siblings and general household noise.
• Going to lessons at the teacher’s home may still hold some of the same distractions-depending on how their house is laid out and who else is home during lessons. This is often the least expensive option.
• A studio in a music store, church or school is often well equipped for lessons and offers plenty of parking which may not be available at either home. Teachers who are renting studio space will often add a fee to their lesson cost to cover their rent.

The Teacher’s Level of Education and Experience- High school and college kids who have been playing their instrument for years may be the most inexpensive route for lessons but a teacher can only take a student as far as they have gone themselves. I used to work at a music store that advertised that all of their teachers were college trained musicians. Unfortunately that grouped me and my Bachelors Degree in with people who never finished their Associates Degree but took 1-2 college music courses. Also there is a difference between a musician and a music educator. Just because someone is a gifted musician doesn’t mean they are good at teaching others how to play.

How does the teacher teach-I don’t just mean what method books they use. There are a lot of great methods on the market but how do they use those methods. Are they strict or relaxed? Do the focus on the process or the result? Is their primary focus recitals and competitions or fostering a love of music? You also need to know what you want. Personally my goal is to give all of my students the love of making music. We do have 2 low-key recitals a year but they are not the focus of everything we do. I believe a student must be self-driven to want to compete and when a student reaches that level of  playing excellence I refer them to a teacher who focuses on preparation for  competitions.

Is the teacher organized-You cannot teach music lessons and be disorganized. Does the studio appear organized? Can they put their fingers right on the papers they need during the interview? If so that is one “yes” on your checklist.

What are you getting for your money- Private music lessons can cost anywhere from $10 a half hour to $100s of dollars a half hour depending on the teacher’s education and the area in which you live. Lessons in New York City are going to cost much more than lessons in Palmetto, Florida. Are books included in the lesson fee or are they charged for separately? How often will your child be getting new books? (most beginners get books every 6-9 months).

What is your end of the bargain-Before signing a lesson contract make sure you know the following:

• How much do the lessons cost? Are they to be paid weekly/monthly/quarterly? Do they accept checks/cash/credit cards/paypal?
• What is the policy if you have to miss a lesson? Do you get a credit? Do they offer a make-up lesson?
• How much should my child be practicing? How should my child practice?
• How does the teacher communicate with the parent? Notes in a practice book? Weekly e-mail?
• How often are the recitals held? Do we have to buy tickets to the recital?
• How long is the contract for? How do I get out of the contract if this relationship isn’t working?

Doing your homework in advance is the best way to avoid headaches down the road. Please feel free to ask me any questions you might have about choosing a music teacher.

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Children should have their first musical experiences while they are still in the womb and they should continue throughout their lives. Children learn a lot about music by experiencing it at home. Having music playing in the background while they are playing with their toys, singing with you in the car and banging on pots and pans are all important musical milestones in a child’s life. I had one 10 yr old voice student who I first honestly thought she may have a hearing problem, never had I worked with someone who had so much trouble matching pitches. I did some research before approaching the parents and the next week I asked the mother if she played music in the house when her daughter was young, the radio, cds? The mom said “No”. This girl, had missed out on some basic musical neural connections that are made when young children experience music. We had a lot of re-training to do to teach her brain how to listen and respond to music.

Informal music lessons like those offered by Music Together where children from birth-preschool experience music and movement classes with their parents. It is a wonderful informal, non-threatening music program. I start children as young as age 4 in formal music lessons on piano; though I would rather start them at age 8-10. The important this is are you and your child ready for formal music training?

Can your child:

• recognize the capital letters A-G?
• recognize the numbers 1-4?
• know their left from their right?
• sit and focus on one activity for at least 15 minutes at a time?

Does you child show an interest in music and playing an instrument?

Do you have the time to sit with your young child (ages 4-8) every day while they practice?

Do you have time to commit to a weekly lesson?

Do you have the finances to commit to lessons, books and a musical instrument?

If you said yes to all of the above then your child may be ready for formal music instruction. I recommend all children start with piano as their first instrument because almost everything you learn on piano is transferable to other instruments but the reciprocal is not always true. Your next step is finding the right teacher and I’ll cover that next week.

Please feel free to leave me questions or comments. I love comments.

The post When Should My Child Start Music Lessons? appeared first on The Mom Maven.

Investing in music lessons for yourself or your child is a big decision. I am going to be writing a series of Music Lesson Monday posts to help you make more informed decisions on choosing an instrument, a teacher and a teaching style. I will also be writing posts on the parent-teacher relationship, establishing a practice routine and more. If you have questions about music lesson please leave the questions as comments here on this post so that I can answer them in my posts.

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