| How to select a guitar teacher for your child | | | | performers may not be around often enough to |
| Here are some tips for parents to evaluate | | | | give lessons consistently, which is especially |
| potential teachers, understand your role in your | | | | important for children. |
| child's lessons, and to help find a qualified teacher. | | | | 7) Is it ok for you to sit in on the lessons? It |
| So you've decided to seek out a qualified guitar | | | | should be, and for children's lessons some sitting in |
| instructor for your child. Where to start? Well, | | | | by the parents should be encouraged. You're going |
| some choices are to use search engines, phone | | | | to have to supervise your child's practice at least |
| books, local music stores, and local schools and | | | | some throughout the week if you want them to |
| colleges to find a teacher near you. The challenge, | | | | make good progress. You'll need to pay attention |
| however, is to find someone who is both well | | | | to the important reminders your teacher gives |
| qualified and enjoys teaching children. How do you | | | | during the lessons so that they can be reinforced |
| know if a teacher is well qualified you ask? Good | | | | during the week. Remember, it's the work you |
| question. There is no governing board for private | | | | and your child do during the week that has the |
| guitar teachers that specifies a specific education | | | | biggest impact on your child's success. If you sit in |
| or certification requirement, so you have to | | | | on lessons, make sure to let your teacher do |
| inquire about your teacher's background yourself. | | | | their job and not interrupt too much. Occasionally, |
| Some considerations when selecting a guitar | | | | I've had parents who have completely lost |
| teacher for your child should include the following: | | | | patience with their child during the lesson. Though |
| 1) How long has the potential teacher been | | | | they were only trying to help, they ended up |
| teaching full time? It takes several years and | | | | completely ruining the supportive atmosphere of |
| many hours of regular teaching to learn how to | | | | the lesson and consequently the child's enjoyment. |
| teach effectively regardless of the teacher's | | | | It's a pretty awkward situation being the teacher |
| formal education. A teacher learns the most | | | | in that situation to say the least, and it's |
| common problems and their solutions during the | | | | counterproductive to your child's success. A child |
| first few years of teaching and will generally be a | | | | needs to feel that it's ok to make some mistakes |
| much better teacher at several years than when | | | | while they're learning, otherwise they'll give up |
| they first started. | | | | quickly. So, let your teacher do their job but pay |
| 2) Does the teacher feel that your child should | | | | attention to their tips, and you may even want to |
| learn to read notes, learn musical terms, and | | | | try playing some of the studies so you can help |
| music theory? They should. I think there's nothing | | | | your child at home. |
| wrong with a teacher showing some things by | | | | 8) Another important point is that you may need |
| rote or using alternate notation methods | | | | to try a month or so with a teacher to see if |
| occasionally such as tablature to keep a child's | | | | they are right for you. Unless the teacher is just |
| interest, but the focus should be on learning | | | | awful, you may not get a good idea of their |
| standard notation. There's no replacement for | | | | abilities in a single lesson. |
| notation when it comes to laying the foundation | | | | Where to find a teacher that satisfies this criteria: |
| for complete musical understanding. The exception | | | | Music stores |
| would be very young students being taught in the | | | | While local music stores are often a good place to |
| Suzuki method, where the student is taught by | | | | find a qualified teacher, they're not without their |
| rote initially with standard musical notion being | | | | pitfalls. Some pros: convenient, as they carry the |
| brought in later. | | | | supplies you'll need and usually have a wide |
| 3) Does the teacher's own background illustrate | | | | variety of teachers from which to choose. Cons: |
| that they have training in these areas? It's a safe | | | | some teachers may have little to no teaching |
| bet that teachers with music degrees specifically | | | | experience, you'll often pay the same fee for any |
| in guitar are qualified in this area. It's harder to | | | | of the teachers regardless of their credentials and |
| evaluate teachers without degree's in these areas, | | | | experience, store's often have registration/sign up |
| but this does not disqualify them, just as a | | | | fees to help pay their bills, fees may also rise |
| degree does not automatically qualify a teacher. | | | | more often so that the store can stay in |
| Having a degree simply makes it more likely that | | | | business, they may force you to use substitute |
| they will have the necessary knowledge to | | | | teachers if your teacher is out sick or out of |
| effectively teach your child. You must ask them | | | | town, and there's always the possibility that the |
| about their experience and evaluate their abilities | | | | store may suddenly go out of business leaving |
| first hand to see that they are knowledgeable. | | | | you scrambling to find a new teacher. |
| This can be tough to evaluate if you have no | | | | So let's say you've chosen to inquire about guitar |
| musical training, so tread carefully as there are | | | | lessons at your local music store. You should ask |
| many people that market themselves as guitar | | | | the management/owner about the different |
| teachers that are not very good in these areas. | | | | teacher's backgrounds and which teacher does |
| Don't get fooled by marketing. Evaluate their | | | | the best with children. Assuming you feel |
| resume and experience. For example: A local | | | | comfortable with their suggestion, it is advisable |
| teacher that plays in the local church's worship | | | | that you wait, if necessary, for an opening with |
| band may be a fine guitar player for that style | | | | that teacher if their schedule is full rather than |
| and a nice person, but that doesn't necessarily | | | | starting with someone else. Starting with an |
| qualify them as a guitar teacher for your child. | | | | unsuitable teacher may give your child a bad initial |
| They may know little of music theory, note | | | | impression of lessons and could ruin their |
| reading, or other styles of music. | | | | enthusiasm for learning the instrument forever. As |
| 4) Do you want your child to learn classical guitar? | | | | stated, music stores usually have some |
| If so, then you need a classical guitarist, period. | | | | excellent teachers, but they also often have |
| This is a very specific field of study that requires | | | | people with little to no teaching experience as well. |
| extensive and specific training. Don't trust | | | | You have to keep in mind that their main mission |
| someone that says they teach classical guitar that | | | | is to keep their studios full so that they can stay |
| does not have a degree in classical guitar from a | | | | in business. It's possible that they may suggest a |
| reputable institution. Classical guitarists are often | | | | teacher that is not nearly as qualified or child |
| proficient in and teach many popular styles as | | | | friendly if the best suited teacher for your child is |
| well, but really are the only ones to go to when it | | | | full. Remember, it's your child so it's your choice |
| comes to learning classical guitar. | | | | who teaches them. Don't lower your standards |
| 5) What if I want my child to be a rock/pop | | | | for convenience. |
| guitar player or singer-songwriter, do they really | | | | Other sources |
| need to know all of this stuff? Yes, you should still | | | | Private music "schools or academies". These are |
| encourage note reading! There's no way it's going | | | | usually just private businesses like music stores |
| to hurt someone's development. The idea that | | | | and have the same potential plusses and minuses |
| formal music training might stifle creative | | | | except they usually don't sell instruments. The |
| development is something as a guitarist I've heard | | | | term school or academy should not denote more |
| before but believe is a misguided notion coming | | | | credibility as they are not any better or worse a |
| from the guitar being part of our popular culture, | | | | source for teachers than music stores. |
| often being taught by rote, and compounded by | | | | Recommendations from public schools and |
| the existence of talented and successful | | | | colleges are another good option for finding well |
| singer-songwriters that have little formal music | | | | qualified teachers who teach privately. |
| education. This can give people the impression | | | | Phone books and internet searches, including music |
| that note reading is simply not necessary. The | | | | teacher databases can also be good sources for |
| truth is that note reading will help your child better | | | | finding local teachers. |
| facilitate the writing process, but also prepare | | | | Recommendations from friends can be helpful as |
| them for a broader musical life that may include | | | | well, but make sure to do your own research on |
| teaching, studio playing, composing, transcribing, | | | | the teacher. It's worth the extra effort. |
| ect. You're paying top dollar for guitar lessons for | | | | Summary |
| your child, so why limit their musical future? | | | | The important thing is to look at your teacher's |
| 6) Should the teacher be a top level performer? | | | | resume and interview them. You may find a highly |
| Not necessarily. I believe they should be able to | | | | qualified teacher in your own neighborhood that |
| play at a high level though, which is usually the | | | | charges the same or less than a less qualified |
| case with guitarist that have performance | | | | teacher at a local music store. Many qualified |
| degrees. You want to make sure that a teacher | | | | teachers prefer teaching at home as it eliminates |
| has been able to translate their own understanding | | | | the high studio rent they have to pay at the |
| of the guitar into their playing. However, some | | | | music stores, eliminates their travel, eliminates the |
| people just enjoy teaching more than performing | | | | risk of losing their job if the store where they |
| and therefore have a more extensive resume in | | | | teach goes out of business, and allows them to |
| teaching than performing. This is a good thing, as | | | | make their own schedule. Keep these tips in mind |
| they may still be very high caliber players that | | | | and you should be able to find an excellent, long |
| simply love to teach. Also, some top level | | | | term guitar teacher for your child. |