How to choose a music teacher for your child

A good music teacher for a child knows the instrument, likes children, explains things in small steps, and tells the parent what to do at home. Ask a few teachers the same questions, book a trial lesson, and watch how your child responds. The fit between teacher and child matters as much as the teacher’s training.

Where to look

Ask people who hear the results. School music teachers, choir directors, and parents of children who play are good sources.

Community music schools and conservatories. These employ many teachers and can match a child by age and level.

Teacher associations. In Canada, each province has a registered music teachers’ association with a list of members. In the United States, the Music Teachers National Association has a directory of certified teachers.

Method and exam organizations. The Suzuki Association of the Americas has a “Find a Suzuki Teacher” page. The Royal Conservatory of Music lists teachers who prepare students for its exams.

Ten questions to ask

• What training do you have, and how long have you taught children this age?
• Which approach or books do you use with beginners?
• What does a first-year lesson look like?
• What is my job during the lesson and at home?
• How much practice do you ask for each day?
• How do you tell families what to practice?
• Do your students play in recitals?
• Do your students take exams, and is that a choice?
• Can we book a trial lesson or watch a lesson?
• What is the fee, how long is the term, and what happens when we miss a lesson?

There are no right answers to most of these. The goal is to find a teacher whose way of working suits your child and your week.

What to watch for in a trial lesson

Watch your child as well as the teacher.

The teacher talks to the child. Questions and directions go to the child, in words the child understands.

One thing at a time. The teacher gives one clear task, waits, and builds on it.

The child plays a lot. A good share of the lesson is spent making sound, not listening to talk.

Corrections are plain and kind. The teacher says what to change and shows how.

You leave with a plan. By the end, you know what to do at home this week.

Your child’s mood. A child who leaves asking to play again is a good sign.

Training and method

A teacher’s method shapes the lessons. A Suzuki teacher expects a parent in the room. A teacher who follows an exam system plans the year around its levels. A teacher with training in Kodály or Orff may use more singing and movement. The guide to teaching methods compares them, and music exams for kids explains the exam systems.

Ask what training a teacher has in the method they name. For Suzuki teachers, see how to choose a Suzuki teacher.

Practical matters

Place. A studio, a music school, your home, or online.

Lesson length. Thirty minutes is common for young beginners.

Studio policy. Read it before you sign. Look at fees, missed lessons, notice to stop, and summer plans.

Private or group. See private vs group music lessons.

When to make a change

Give a new teacher a full term unless something is wrong. Children take time to settle.

Think about a change if your child dreads lessons week after week, if you never know what to practice, or if your child has outgrown what the teacher offers. Talk to the teacher first. Many problems are solved by a change of pieces or pace.

When a change is right, tell the teacher in a direct and kind way, with the notice the studio policy asks for.

Print and play

Bring a weekly practice chart to the first lesson and ask the teacher to help fill it in. For the wider picture, read the parent’s guide to music lessons.