Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum What to ask when interviewing a teacher?

The first teacher I interviewed I found via a sign in her yard. I called the number and asked a few questions--literally a few, because she talked a lot. Still, I decided to go for a trial lesson/interview. She talked a lot then, too. I said I wanted to learn classical, but she was telling me how she was going to teach me to play old standards and improvise. Her piano needed regulation. Well before the end of the interview I knew she wasn't for me. Easy decision. On the way out, in what in retrospect was a faux pas, I asked her if she knew of other teachers in the area. But, hey, I was a noob.

After reading someone here on PW mentioning community colleges as a place to get recommendations, I visited and ended up studying with instructors there. The first year was with the "starter" teacher, and then I switched to the full-time professor, who I've been with since. She teaches classes in theory, teaches applied piano, and performs often (and excellently) throughout the area. But most of all, she has a love and enthusiasm for the piano that shines through and inspires me. Plus she is very patient with me.

This is not so much wha:t to ask, but what to look for:

1. Alignment of interests. You want pop and jazz, the teacher plays pop and jazz. Ditto for classical.
2. Alignment of personalities. Can you stand being around this person for an hour a week for years to come?
3. Credentials--a tie-breaker if all else is equal.
4. Above all, does the teacher love music and exhibit enough enthusiasm for it that it will help sustain you through the inevitable difficulties you will encounter.

I think an interview is important; however, you can learn much more about a teacher after you spend 4-6 weeks taking some lessons.

I'm at the 6-week mark with a few of my beginners right now, and it's blatantly obvious to me which ones are keepers and which ones are merely filling out a spot in my schedule.

I think an interview is important; however, you can learn much more about a teacher after you spend 4-6 weeks taking some lessons.

I'm at the 6-week mark with a few of my beginners right now, and it's blatantly obvious to me which ones are keepers and which ones are merely filling out a spot in my schedule.

Can you elaborate on what becomes obvious and what it means? Thank you.

Remember--I am speaking as a teacher. As a student you would have a different set of expectations.

At the 6-week point, some students will start to exhibit signs of slow progress. That is the biggest issue for me. Slow progress could be caused by a number of issues, such as low intelligence, low musical abilities, and low interest (kids who are forced to take piano by parents). However, most of the time the slow progress is a result of poor home practice: parents who are so out of it, they can't enforce practice at home; or there's just NO practice at home, period. Often, I would have to repeat instructions seven times in a row and the student still won't get it. It's the same thing week after week.

There's one kid who took literally four weeks to remember where middle C is.

Another problem is the lack of follow through. I would show the parents an idea, and they got it. They said they'll work with their kid on it. A week later the kid comes back not having mastered the idea.

Other general issues--constant tardiness to lessons, request for change in lesson time, and forgetting payment (I left my checkbook at home).

Wow! Had no idea! This sounds like it's more about children. Do adults exhibit these same behaviors?

If I were to answer this question truthfully, I would be inundated with hateful messages from other adult students.

f I were to answer this question truthfully, I would be inundated with hateful messages from other adult students.

I responded a bit back, including with a question to you. Did you see it?

I would be echoing what some posters have already written eloquently.

Just make sure there's a match of goal and methodology. Not so much personality type, because that can be adjusted. For example, in the other thread I alluded to a girl and her mother who both want to go for the CM exam, when the kid has severe hearing issues. I like their drive and the enthusiasm, but in this case I think the personality needs adjustment.

I would be echoing what some posters have already written eloquently.

Just make sure there's a match of goal and methodology. Not so much personality type, because that can be adjusted. For example, in the other thread I alluded to a girl and her mother who both want to go for the CM exam, when the kid has severe hearing issues. I like their drive and the enthusiasm, but in this case I think the personality needs adjustment.

empirically.

I am not heading down that rabbit hole again.

By personality, I mean the idiosyncrasies of behavior. For example, if I speak even a BIT louder, some of my students will break down in tears. I learn to adjust to these students by being the nicest person on the planet.

Yes, the teacher does the adjusting most of the time. Students can adjust if they are capable. Parents can adjust if they are rational.

The irony is, JazzyMac, that in the teacher forum, your previous criticism here was mentioned, and as a negative thing - that teacher defended what you had had to say.

This thread was shut down because it got emotional and such. I and probably a few other people asked for it to be opened again, and it was for the sake of the advice and information that might flow from it. Don't fan the flames the other way again. We've already lost one member and frankly, I'm hurting.

A lot of people have put out some major effort in the OP's question, which I think is an important one, and good ideas are still coming in. I'd like the thread to stay alive for that purpose.

Don't blame me for all of the drama. I say what I say, and if you or others feel you will be overly defensive, then maybe just clench and walk off instead of responding. I've been flat out blamed for things I complain about, so...there's that.

As far as leaving for good, this is not an airport; one does not need to announce his or her departure. In most forums, there are "delete my account" buttons that makes it pretty easy to leave. One can also just message the owner, or moderator. To make a post saying, "let me know how to leave" is just more drama than it needs to be. From what I see is certain people cannot take a joke, or a snark without getting so touchy. And yet those same people are just as--or even more--offensive in other threads. Let it go; snark makes the world go round!

And now that I've read the rest of the thread, I see we have the normal players who has to insert just how unintelligent (read: dumb and stupid) their students are. Just unbelievable how so many people that lack intelligence just seem to be only smart enough to find this specific teacher. Amazing really.

JazzyMac, this thread got derailed last time and was shutdown and a person quit. Did you have something to say concerning interviewing teachers, or related to that, without getting personal?