Many students (after advancing to a certain level) decide to take private lessons on their chosen instrument. The following list gives you guidance on the type of instruction you should expect from a private teacher. Most good teachers will show most of these traits at some point in their instruction. This list is not all inclusive and some good teachers may show only some of these instructional goals. Please use this list as a guide in selecting or evaluating a private teacher.
1. Most good private teachers will have a standard lesson time and will not constantly change from week to week. This creates an inconsistency that is hard for the student (and teacher) to adjust to. There will be occasional variation due to scheduling but in general it should be consistent. The teacher should work closely with student and parents to plan ahead and be as consistent as possible.
2. Most good private teachers will guide their students through a set of drills called a warm up. This warm up is one of the best ways to teach the fundamentals of playing and the student is usually encouraged to practice this first every day. It also can be valuable for the teacher to occasionally play this warm up along with the student in the lesson. The essence of style and tone can be aurally reinforced with this procedure.
3. Most good private teachers will lead the students toward different musical skills through the use of appropriate etudes,scales, exercises and/or rudimentary exercises.
4. Most good private teachers will demand high standards of playing from the student. These standards will remain demanding and change as the student progresses. One of the worst things that can happen in a lesson situation is that the teacher teaches below the students' ability level. The student should feel challenged. There are times that a basic skill has not been developed by the student. In this case the student may feel like they are not being challenged, when in fact the teacher must encourage the student to develop this skill before moving on. It is essential that this be communicated to the student. Make sure your student practices the required skills.
5. Private lessons should primarily be skills and expression focused not (note) focused. Teaching the music is not the function of the lesson. Teaching the student the strategies and skills needed to teach themselves should be emphasized.
6. The private teacher will use a variety of approaches to teaching and be able to put concepts "in the students' own words". After basic skills are developed the teacher will use several different methods to fine tune many of the playing techniques.
7. The private teacher must emphasize style and expression in all lessons.
8 The private teacher must try to develop a good rapport and respect between them and the student.
9. The private teacher must maintain a system of keeping track of the student's progress and should communicate with the parents periodically. They should efficiently plan the students lessons and progress.
10. The private teacher should encourage solo playing as well as playing in available ensembles.
11. Most good private teachers will include skill development, musical expression, how to practice, musical style, sight reading, and solo playing in their lessons.
I personally would have doubts about following types of private teachers for my students. Although there are always exceptions.
1. A teacher that accepts everything the student plays as good enough. These teachers usually don't have very high standards. If the student is being challenged, it is only natural that some skill etudes will take more than one lesson to learn. Expect to repeat some things (occasionally - not too much) from week to week. If they are being taught beneath their level they will regress rather than progress.
2. A teacher that never demonstrates skills or concepts. A teacher that can't demonstrate musical concepts, may be able to describe it without really knowing how to impart it to the student. It can be very hard for them to make the student understand. If a teacher can no longer demonstrate the concept due to some physical limitation they should make use of colleagues or advanced students that can. A teacher must have a wide variety of ways (tools) for teaching the same musical concepts. Some skills, such as tone, are dependent upon an aural imitation, which must be provided by recordings or the individual teacher.
3. A teacher that rarely looks at the student (constantly watching music etc). Good eye contact is essential for develping good rapport.
4. A teacher that says negative things about or advises against participating in the school music programs. These concerns should be addressed to the program designee, not the student. Any ensemble experience can be good for the student, even if they don't match up to the standards that the private teacher expects.
4. A teacher that continually says "next" without giving feedback for the piece just played.
5. A teacher that constantly misses lessons. Some teachers cannot handle the load of students that they are trying to teach. A once a week private lesson is ideal. If the average falls well short of that, find a teacher that is less busy.
6. A teacher that is not professional in the lesson. (Saying inappropriate things, doing inappropriate things, etc)
7. A teacher that is not committed to the student for the long haul. The student needs to develop a rapport with the teacher over a long period of time. Occasionally you will find a college student in their senior year that is offering private lessons. Because of their situation, they are unlikely to be available for lessons over a period of a couple of years or more. Switching teachers too much can be a traumatic event for some students and can seriously hinder their progress. Preference can be given to proven track records with former students. Try to find someone that will be there for a long period of time.
8. It is important to know that some teachers may not match the students' learning style. This is not necessarily a negative reflection upon the teacher or student. Some students just are motivated by different personality types.