Thread: What to Look For in a Piano Teacher (For a 6 Year Old)

I am considering arranging piano lessons for my 6 year old son. Having never had music lessons myself, I don't know what to expect or what to look for in a teacher.

My son is a smart, cheerful, normal kid; sometimes described as adorable and very well-behaved by teachers and camp counselors. He is somewhat precocious and cerebral, but hasn't shown any innate passion for music (i.e. he doesn't pick up instruments and start playing them spontaneously). He would need some encouragement to get over the hump from being a clueless beginner to being able to enjoy learning piano.

Any advice would be appreciated.

For example, what three qualities would you say are most important for a teacher to have?

Also, to what extent should I be pushing piano lessons on him, versus waiting for self-motivation to spontaneously appear?

How else can I help him learn to like learning?

Thanks,
Brian

While I love to see young children take up an instrument at an early age, there first has to be a desire, on their part, or some form of interest. Instrumental lessons should, imho, never be "pushed" upon our children, rather, we should wait for them to show an interest in one instrument or another.

In my own case, at age 6, I showed great interest in the piano - our family had attended a piano concert and after returning home, I went to the piano and started exploring the notes. I had shown, of my own accord, a great interest in the piano and began piano lessons that same year. After 6 years of piano study, I went on to classical organ study privately for another 6 years and 2 more years at the university level.

Any parent can "show" their children instruments ... but before going all out and paying for lessons, try to find which instrument they, and not you, are interested in. Go to musical programs and afterwards ask your son which instrument did he like the sound of, or which one was fascinating to him.

When getting ready to select a piano teacher/tutor, start with checking with staff at the local university or city colleges, and/or ask for referrals. A piano teacher with a wall full of degrees does not necessarily make for a good teacher in every case - rather, their personality and teaching methods will be of greater importance to the child as the child could care less about how many pieces of scrolled paper in frames lines the walls.

Attend several piano lesson sessions ... many teachers will allow this, as it is a little like buying a car, one needs to take the 'test drive' to see how things will work out. Many piano teachers don't like starting a child on piano lessons until about age 9, when they can comprehend a little better ... but there are exceptions, mine being one case in point.

I had always hopes that my son would have taken up the piano/organ ... he didn't take up an interest in it and I wasn't going to force him to make the same choices that I took back then. He later took up the Alto Sax, Trombone, and Tuba, and just recently, at age 25, has shown interest in the organ. I am naturally elated about this and will teach him myself.

Kh ♫

Consider a Suzuki teacher. They tend to be more child orientated and specialise in teaching younger children, and are usually patient and kind.

Children learn by listening and then playing. They learn to listen to what they are playing and trust their ears. They don't have the burden of learning to read immediately as well. Reading comes later, once some tone and technique have been mastered. Oftrn there are group lessons and activities as well as individual ones so that there is a social element - where we are there are summer camps and workshops; my daughter loves catching up with her friends there.

My youngest has been playing Suzuki violin since she was five and piano since she was seven. To be honest, I didn't ask her if she wanted to, but she sees it as an integral part of her life. When I said that maybe she might have to give one up when she got to high school she got indignant.

I think it's important to find a fun and cool teacher, which your son can develope some kind of 'relationship' with. A teacher who inspires and motivates. I think that is the most important.

Good luck

Originally Posted by BPS

I am considering arranging piano lessons for my 6 year old son. Having never had music lessons myself, I don't know what to expect or what to look for in a teacher.

My son is a smart, cheerful, normal kid; sometimes described as adorable and very well-behaved by teachers and camp counselors. He is somewhat precocious and cerebral, but hasn't shown any innate passion for music (i.e. he doesn't pick up instruments and start playing them spontaneously). He would need some encouragement to get over the hump from being a clueless beginner to being able to enjoy learning piano.

Any advice would be appreciated.

For example, what three qualities would you say are most important for a teacher to have?

Also, to what extent should I be pushing piano lessons on him, versus waiting for self-motivation to spontaneously appear?

How else can I help him learn to like learning?

Thanks,
Brian

Why piano? It is a bit lonely for a 6 year old. I would suggest an instrument that can be played in a group with other children.
Recorder is a really good start, and a nice plastic one will stand being dropped. You could also try violin. Suzuki method would not be suitable if the child wants to play with other children in a group from the beginning. Suzuki method if taught without music reading has serious drawbacks. If your child can read simple books they shouldn't have any trouble learning to read music. I wouldn't advise anyone to have Suzuki method teaching without any music reading.

Originally Posted by mamascarlatti

Consider a Suzuki teacher. They tend to be more child orientated and specialise in teaching younger children, and are usually patient and kind.

Children learn by listening and then playing. They learn to listen to what they are playing and trust their ears. They don't have the burden of learning to read immediately as well. Reading comes later, once some tone and technique have been mastered. Oftrn there are group lessons and activities as well as individual ones so that there is a social element - where we are there are summer camps and workshops; my daughter loves catching up with her friends there.

My youngest has been playing Suzuki violin since she was five and piano since she was seven. To be honest, I didn't ask her if she wanted to, but she sees it as an integral part of her life. When I said that maybe she might have to give one up when she got to high school she got indignant.

I really think that teaching a six year old to play without being able to read music from the start is not a good idea. Suzuki method can cause real problems for some children as it delays music reading. Playing in groups is fun, but only if you can read the part. Ideally a child needs to join a group as soon as they start to play. This is the fun part of playing. Why play anything if it isn't fun? My sister is an experienced string teacher and she doesn't teach using Suzuki method because she has seen so many children put off joining in, because their reading is very basic, but they can play lots of pieces by ear. ( On their own or with a piano, but not in an orchestra or other group that doesn't use music that is included in the Suzuki books.)

What to look for in a child who may be a candidate for music lessons:
A strong interest in and a strong reaction to music.
A visible interest in perhaps playing an instrument.

If there is an instrument in the house - most commonly it is a piano - and the child has been going to the instrument on their own and 'noodling around.' that is a strong sign they might say 'yes' to being asked, 'Do you think you might like to learn how to play the piano?' -- as an example.

Sometimes it may seem that parents started their children out arbitrarily, and the child then became both interested and good at the instrument. There is always that: they are children, and in many ways a blank slate from which you cannot fully read what may truly interest and motivate them. More often, what seemed outwardly arbitrary was an action based on the child first having shown a strong interest and response to music, i.e. actively dancing around, seeming involved, air conducting, air playing an instrument, etc. Those are the kids who benefit.

Me, I would wait until there is something visible to make you think there may be a strong enough interest to try structured regular lessons.

No Suzuki anything, please, the child is already past two, three and four years of age. The system was designed for and is most effective within that age range, and thereafter the student should progress to another teacher and manner of being instructed -- there a teacher who specializes in children, say 6 - 10 or so.

Why music lessons? Why piano? Why "LESSONS" AT ALL?

You may not be aware of how many Asian children are 'forced' into years of music study, performing some instrument, because within the culture assigning them to years of instrumental lessons is not about either music itself or the child's enjoyment of it.
It is expected, whether they like it or not, the child will study and practice for at least four to six years because music is thought of as an ancillary activity where the child will learn about discipline. -- that is close enough to what you said about 'loving to learn.' The notion is 'nice,' that particular approach, the "You will study ______ instrument and no, you cannot quit lessons for a good several years." I find abhorrent.

If there is no visible interest, it is a gamble. Children will say 'yes' to please you, for a while. If your son says yes to lessons, be ready to allow him to say no not long thereafter.

He is, shall we assume, entering first grade? There are both learning and discipline there.

I suppose a good idea might be to buy a cheap recorder and leave it around the house and see what happens?

If I rely on expressed interest alone, I should enroll my son at once in a Lego Star Wars building academy! With Clone Wars episodes playing in the background. It is amusing to see him pick up words like "rendezvous point", "pot shot", "unusual concentration", "forward deflector shields" and the like precociously. Maybe he and I should start producing videos of his pretend battle scenarios with his little Lego Star Wars characters as well - some of these are quite elaborate. I'm not being facetious -- I really wonder if this is the best way to go.

On the other hand, one parent advised me that we should push our kids in directions we think they should go -- after all they don't understand what's out there yet. Also, I subscribe to the theory that kids will probably like doing things that they're good at. In the case of piano lessons, it seems reasonable to help the kid over the initial hump of complete incompetence, although I concur that some kids will spontaneously bridge that gap.

I'm not sure there's a best answer here. And even if there were, other factors can get in the way of doing what's best. I certainly appreciate the feedback and the different perspectives though.