Great music teachers are hard to find. When you look someone up on the internet or get a referral, how do you know they’re the right one? We’re pretty picky about the teachers we work with and put a lot of care into our partnerships. Want to see the most important factors that top our list?
Consistency
Great music teachers are consistent in message and consistent in behavior. Great teachers show up each week to keep their students on track. Consistency delivers the message that lessons mean something important and should be valued.
If the misdirection in a student’s learning happens in between visits, a teacher’s consistency will contribute to their student’s progress and growth. Consistency will prevent mishaps, strengthen skills, and reinforce good habits.
Commitment
Watching a student grow is one of the most rewarding aspects of being a teacher. Growth comes from not only practice and consistency, but a commitment from the teacher to make the experience as positive as possible.
Great music teachers prioritize their students’ well-being and improvement and are always looking for ways to improve the experience. Great teachers will go beyond the notes to teach more than just the song on the page, and find resources to help every aspect of their development.
Communication
Teacher are communicators by nature. Great music teachers find ways to communicate the small things and the big things. With a guiding hand and a helpful tone, great teachers will explain concepts a hundred different ways until their student eventually figures it out for themselves.
Great teachers are professional, stay in communication, and offer thoughtful, constructive feedback to both students and their parents.
Connection
Can a great teacher inspire someone? Can a great music teacher change a life? The best teachers make a strong connection with their students, tap into their interests, and leverage those interests to help uncover the possibilities that music can deliver.
Great teachers provide a spark in their students’ lives, inspire them to be creative, and give them a role model to look up to.
Capability
All great teachers have to be able to demonstrate thoughts, ideas, concepts, and techniques to their students. Without the skills to show students how to tackle technical problems, trust can be lost and motivation will suffer. Problem solving requires the skills necessary to execute.
Great music teachers have a wide scope of understanding and broad experience with repertoire. This can help identify keys pieces to improve specific skills that need strengthening.
Conclusion
Great teachers are hard to find. While it’s not a perfect science, there are keys to look for that will help identify the best candidates. Consistency, commitment, communication, connection, and capability are the most important driving factors we look for when vetting our instructors. Do you agree or disagree? Tell us what you think?
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