Are you looking for a good music school or online music class? Apart from the music academy having a pleasant reputation, you also need to consider having a great teacher. A music teacher directly influences students and how much they can get out of the private lessons.
It’s hard to find a great teacher. While there are plenty of good musicians out there, they don’t always make great music teachers. If you’re ready to enroll in a music academy, you need to take your time and find a teacher who’s a skilled musician, educator, and a good fit for you too.
According to McGill Music Sax School, here are the eight qualities students should look for in a teacher.
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1. Creative Discussions
Have you ever tried private lessons where a teacher is trying to explain something, but you can’t grasp what he’s telling you? Well, that’s a common experience for students in schools, since everyone learns differently.
A good teacher can come up with various, creative ways to explain a certain concept to you. Whether you’re working on perfecting to adjust your pitch, or starting to learn from scratch, a talented teacher will educate you in creative ways until you understand the concept.
As your teacher discovers how you learn best as a student, you also know about your habits and tendencies. This helps you make “practice time” more productive.
2. Problem Spotting and Solving
During lessons, the teacher should actively listen and observe while you play. This way, he can spot problems as they occur and provide solutions to address those problems that you encounter.
It’s vital that your teacher can identify problems to tackle and not let them continue for long. If you play something incorrectly and repeatedly, it can become a hard habit to break.
3. Fun Lessons
Although learning in a music academy is hard work, it doesn’t have to be a miserable experience. A good teacher knows how to make a lesson fun so that you’re motivated to practice your instrument and do well.
An educator can make lessons fun with their enthusiastic approach and personality alone. If you want to learn a certain piece, working on that can be more enjoyable when lessons are not dull.
4. Positive Attitude
Attitude has a huge influence on how well students learn and how much they enjoy music school. Look for an educator with a positive attitude who can reassure you when you feel frustrated and doubt yourself.
Your teacher should encourage students and able to balance out critiques. Learning every note can be challenging, and a teacher who remains positive is essential in motivating you during these times. He will give you useful tips and suggestions to help you develop the skills you need to play the instrument perfectly.
5. Structured Targets and Assignments
Find a music teacher who knows how to structure a lesson and students’ learning with targets and assignments. Every day, after you leave music school, you should have specific assignments to work on and practice.
If you find yourself going home not knowing what you should focus on, then you need to talk to your teacher and discuss your learning goals. Your teacher should help you retain the things you learned from lessons and apply them during your practice sessions at home.
6. Challenging and Appropriate Pieces
When choosing repertoire pieces for music lessons, a great music teacher will know which ones are ideal for practice without overwhelming you. If a piece is too much for students or challenging their skill level, it will only frustrate them and affect their confidence.
If you have goals to audition for a group or play in music ensembles, make sure to find a teacher who can help you achieve these. If you’re having a hard time with a piece of music you’re learning outside music school, a good teacher will be able to help you build the knowledge and techniques needed to play it.
7. Organizational Skills
Once you register for a music school, you’re paying for a lesson that happens within a certain time frame. An organized teacher makes sure to make the most out of the time, moving from one activity to the next.
However, being organized goes both ways, and you need to be organized too. Make sure to arrive at your music lessons on time so that you’re ready to start promptly. Being “on time” isn’t just an important lesson to learn as a student, but also in your professional life as a musician or any other career.
8. Love for Music
Above everything else, your teacher should have a love for music and teaching. This drives him to do his best and help you enjoy music as much as he does. When a teacher is dedicated, he goes the extra mile in your music lessons.
At the same time, a teacher who genuinely loves music can help you learn to love the craft too. He will help you explore new opportunities as well as genres to understand a song better.
Have fun learning in music school!
Now you know the eight things to look for in a teacher, try to make the most out of your education. You never know, learning a musical instrument can develop into a life-long passion and become a rewarding career later on.
