How To Find A Good Piano Teacher In San Jose For Your Child

piano teacher for your childIf you are thinking about signing up for piano lessons in San Jose for your child and wondering  “how to find the right teacher for your child?”, read on and find the answer here on this blog post.

Finding the right piano teacher for your child might not be easy, but here’s something to help you out.

What are your goals?

This is the most important question. In general, if your child is younger than six years old, you’ll have to decide for them. Do you want your child to become a concert pianist someday playing a lot of classical music? Playing classical music at an advanced level requires many hours of tedious practice of technique and sight reading. It’s not unusual for someone to dedicate a minimum of two to four hours of practice everyday for years to achieve this goal. If this is the case, you want a teacher who specializes in this approach.

Or perhaps you want your child to play piano just for fun and enjoyment without being bogged down with scale practice and drills. This is far different than the classical route because the focus is not on technique, but on the sheer enjoyment of playing. If this is the case, you want to find a teacher who focuses on teaching this type of playing.

What are THEIR goals?

In general, if your child is over six years old, have a discussion with them about what they want to learn and which route they seem to gravitate towards. It’s important that you do this because a lot of times parents make the decision based on what they want and ignore what their child really wants. 

If you want your child to play a lot of classical music and all your child wants is to play pop music and you try to push them to choose the classical route, it’ll cause a lot of grief for both of you. Eventually, your child will quit lessons. And they’ll most likely have a negative association with piano forever.

So depending on what they want, find the right teacher who you think is a good fit.

Once you get clear on that, you want to look for a quality teacher.

Qualities of a Good Piano Teacher

A good piano teacher has the following qualities:

  • Inspires students to be better. Besides giving instructions, a good piano teacher will encourage students to love the piano. They are passionate and will pass on their passion to their students.
  • A good piano teacher is great at teaching. They are patient, will give manageable work, and will transfer knowledge appropriately. They know how to communicate well.
  • A good piano teacher provides value. Parents can recognize this and know the value of a good teacher who can impact their lives and musical journey.

External Factors of Picking a Piano Teacher

When picking a piano teacher, consider the following factors to help make your decision easier:

  • Location – convenience is a huge point for parents looking for piano lessons. However, sometimes, you may have to compromise proximity to find a good teacher. However, if lessons are virtual, ignore this.
  • Price – the cheapest teacher is not always the best. Figure out what teachers charge and select the one with the best service and value, even if it will cost you a little more. Think in terms of value-based lessons instead time-based lessons. It will be worth it.
  • Experience – find a teacher who has experience teaching and playing the piano. More than that, a good teacher is someone who continuously tries to improve their teaching skills.
  • Chemistry – find out the teacher’s style of teaching. This will help you determine if the teacher and your child have chemistry.
  • Method – finally, ensure that the method they teach is exactly what you are looking for. There are many methods around and you’ll want to choose the one appropriate for your child.

If you are looking for a value-centered teacher who delivers a non-traditional way of learning how to play the piano, consider For the Love of Piano Studio. We teach a breakthrough piano method that allows students of all ages play great sounding songs immediately from their first lessons. Call us at (408) 641-9926 or sign up for a Free Introductory Session by clicking on the button below.

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