How to Find a Good Piano Teacher

I've recently had some friends ask me, "How do you find a good piano teacher?" Well, I love checklists, so I am going to give you the first half of one today because it is rather long. After your first class with your piano teacher, try to answer these questions and if you check off at least 6 of them, you found a good one:

Here is a checklist for how to find a good piano teacher.

ꗃ Did they ask you to bring a notebook/binder or provide you with one during the first class? This is a sign that your teacher is ready to get the ball rolling on your learning.

ꗃ Do they hold you accountable? In other words, do they have a way to check that you are practicing either by having you send them practice videos or having you check off practice days on a sheet?

ꗃ Do they offer suggestions in class? What I mean to say is do they teach you things like how to place your fingers on the keys or how to keep your posture?

ꗃ Did they teach you step-by-step how to practice the first week? This is important because if they just tell you to practice but do not tell you how, then they are not fully invested in your progress.

ꗃ Did they give you a suggestion for how long you should practice daily? Depending on your music education level, teachers will suggest a time frame (ie 5-15 minutes a day) so that you start progressing.

ꗃ Were important concepts written down? In other words, did they write the important things about learning the piano down or have you write notes during the class?

ꗃ Was your homework written down on paper? This changes the game because it is no longer verbal, but rather in writing, which means that it has more weight.

ꗃ Were you encouraged to ask questions? We have all been in a class with 2 types of teachers:

1) helpful

2) not helpful

What I mean to say is that a helpful teacher will ask you to write a question before every class or they welcome them during the lesson. This means they are invested in your learning and want you to succeed.

Part 2 will be coming soon of this list. Hope to see you there!

~Natasha